Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-01-21

wherefore Docs he do this.
The Oregonian condemns the ex-
pendi'ure by the government Of money
for the canal end locks at the Cas-
cades of the Columbia. This journal it
seems is late in its denunciation of this
improvement. 1t was agitated for
years before the first appropriations
were made by Congress for the work.
Petitions were numerously signed all
throughout Eastern Oregon, Washing
ton and North Idaho for this improve
ment. The measure was strongly
advocated by the press east Of the
Cascades, and scores and hundreds of
letters were written to the Oregon and
Washington and Idaho delegation in
Congress to urge appropriations for
this work, not that it should stop at
the Cascades, but that it should ex-
tend also TO the obstruction at The
Dallss The Oregonian was cognizant
Of oil these efforts on the part Of the
press and the people, and to the best
Of our recollection, that paper never
put in even q demurrer against such
o movement, much less an intelligent
answer to the proposition Of the peo-
pie. Now that paper Of the Sd inst,
says as follows:
'In the estimate Of the chief engin-
Ger for river improvements, there is
an item Of 100000 for the locks of
the Cascades of the Columbia. We
have this elephant OH our hands and
suppose we must keep feeding it,
though the operation is a simple waste
of provender. The worst Of it is
that absolutely necessary improve.
usents is scanted to support this al
most useless one. 1t is useless, first,
after the government has spent $
millions there, the river will lie opened
only a short distance further, and sec
ond, because the railroad, the upper
river being still INSTRUCTED will super.
cede this improvement This under
taking was started as a job by one pol
itician to help his own advancement
and taken up and pushed by anothe,
for like personal object. The result
is that the state will got costly i'm
provement Of no real value to it, ant
will be thereby defrauded Of other i'm
provements actually necessary to its
growing commerce.
The first objection urged would seen
to he somewhat reasonable, so long as
the improvement at The Dalles is KEEP
out Of consideration. But the Oreg1
nidn we'll knows that the construe
ton of locks at The Dalles is a part 0
the original system Of improvement t
be made by the government, and whe
the whole is completed, this first oil
lection is entirely removed. We SUI
pose the Oregonian, on t c same pri,
cipal would condemn tho removal {
rocks in the rapids of the Columbi
and Snake rivers above The Dalles a
far As Lewiston, because navigatio
would not extend further up the Snak
10 Southern Idaho. The next obje
ton to the Cascade improvement is b
cause the railroad now being construc
Cd will soon supercsde the navigatio
Of the Columbia. This is most sill
gular objection. Why has not II
Oregonian heretofore made some o
lection to appropriations for the U
per Willamette, on both sides of whit
railroads have been in operation Il
some time, and stillsteamers do lar.
amount Of the carrying trade of tn
entire Willamette valley, and hold
check any and all combinations Of Il
railroads towards extortion upon u
people Of that valley in the matter
high freights and passage, all this sui
tho Oregonian. But the people Ga
Of tho Cascades arc not entitled to sill
liar protection. That paper seems
claim that this Cascade improveme
y peculiarly property of the state
Oregon and being constructed for Il
benefit Of that state. Does it not WI
know that eastern Washington al
Idaho had a. much to do in seekn
appropriations for this work as d
Oregon, and that they are As deep
interested in its progress Is arc I
people Of Oregon; whythen shou