The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-04-08
Be up AND At WORK.

Surely if any note of warning were
needed to call on the dwellers III
Western Oregon and these Valley
counties in particular, to combine to
assist in every possible way the com
pletion of the Oregon Pacific Rail.
road, it would be found loud as a
trumpet call in the suggestions re-
garding the relations Of the Northern
Pacific and Oregon Railway and
Navigation Companies which Mr.
Willard had the almost incol,ceivablt'
aadacity to require the Oregonidn 10
publish on the I'd of April, 1881.
1t is merciful provision of Provi-
depce that the most dangerous ami
mails utter some sound, or create some
noise before their deadly powers are
called into exercise.
Too often with men it is different,
and language seems to have been CIV
en- them, rs Talleyrand said, to con-
ceal their thoughts. But exc. ito lal
cases are found now and again, where
the inmost thoughts and intentions
are paraled without a blush and Ill
seeming insensibility to the repulsion
and disgust they excite in decent
minded people.
This Is not tho FIRST time that the
blood and iron policy of control has
been fiaunted in our faces. Hardly
had this Mr.. Willard climbed into the
saddle than he set out to ride. Who
can ever forget his first circular with
It's exclusive control of the Colum.
bia river, which is The backbone of
the enterprise" and its declaration of
intention TO prevent opposing in
terests from establishing themselves
il, our own territory"
And now hear him. "The Oregon
hallway and Navigation Company
has practical control of all the trans
porlation business of Western Ore
gon, of Eastern Oregon, and all that
part of Washington territory south
of the main branch of the Columbia,
known as the Snake River"
Has it indeed What has the
Scotch Company and Mr.. Reid to say
to tn $, SO far as Western Oregon is
concerned? How about the compel
tive system of narrow gauge railroad.
which so late us last August the
special committee of the O. r. & N.
Co. thought sufficiently important to
prevent then their recommending the
very purchase Of the Valley stand
ard gauge railroads, Mr.. Willard now
announces
Read the following sentences from
that same 0. r. & n. committees
report: "The steamship portion of
onr traffic represents the bulk of the
export and import trade of the whole
of Oregon aud the greater part of
Washington Territory, neither of
aohich has any other means q com
4snication With the outside scorld" !"
It seems to US that when the rattles
play SO loudly the man who takes no
notice deserves to be struck. and will
get mighty little pity when the snake
has secured his victim for good and
all.
Surely there must be something in
the old wife's story OF fascination; and
this great fertile, growing, country of
Western Oregon, with its seventy
Eve thousand of popula tion, whose fu-
ture, that OF their sons and daughters
now is at stake on keeping the fatal
powers of this all swallowing monop.
oily off from their homes, is silent,
SPELL bound, calmly Watching the ap-
proach of their fate.
Were it not so the whole Valley
would be of the same mind as the
Linn county Grange, whose Resolu-
tions of Saturday last we print IN an
other column. All these counties
would be up and doing. They would
invite the fullest enquiry, they would
seek the most ample information as
to the condition and prospects of the
Oregon Pacific railroad, but above
all, of the Yaquina Bay improvement.
They would meet: they would organ
ize: they would not suffer one m Month
to pass until the success of the harbor
works. SO far as money and intclli
gcnce can insure success, was past al
doubt.
They would not call on tl.is man ar
the other, and this corporation and I'll
other to come & help them; but they
would help themselves.
How? do you say. Thus: Tie pee
Pile would say, this railroad or the
other railroad may or may not su
ceed now this year: but the harbor is
ours-our children's, and this shall bt