The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-09-09
THE WILLAMETTE RIVER AND THE ORE.
CONAN,


The warm weather has been among
us for some time past and brought
with it all of the unpleasant condi-
tions of that season of the year. Du-
lring this time the water in the Will
Ilamettc river below Portland has
receeded from its higher condition
usual at other times of the year.
|Green piums and other fruits, which
when taken internally are sometimes
said to bring. on unpleasant uneasi
ness bordering near cholera-morbus,
land from the unusaaE amount OF
lgroaning, lamenting and bewailing
which we find coming from the big
man on the Oregonian of the 9Th, we
naturally suppose that an unusual
amount of severe pain is gripiug him
lnear the middle portion OF his stately
form. He says: "That because a
dredge has not been ready to work,
Iloaded vessels are again unable to
reach or depart from Portland y :
Yet dred ge of sufficient power, with
an appropriation of $4,000 year,
would keep the river open during the
season of lowest water for all vessels
that could reach Astoria"
This large overgrownl organ with
small ideas of public improvements
and their manner of apporlfonment,
can now tell how people Of other
Iportions of the state have felt when
that organ has continually and with
all effort possible opposed appropri-
ations by congress for public i'm
|provements in othe: parts OF the state
/ when they were of as much import
anee to them as the Willamette river
at the place alluded to is to Portland.
4 Again from the same source it is
said: "The great channel OF the com
merce of Oregon and Washington
receives no proper attention, which
lis largely the fault Of politicians who
from time to time represent the state
at Washington, and who to conciliate
various localities, divide and scatter
: appropriations. The improvement
of the lower Willamette and Colum-
bia rivers nexer receives the consider
; alton it deserves, which is due in 20
small degree to the cowardice Of the
Representatives of the state, who fear
that proper attention to this OH their
q part would create feeling against
themselves in other parts of the
state"
Il Such is the attitude Of the Orego-
Inian towards the interests OF the
people. Because our representatives
in congress ask for or permit them
selves to think about the iateHsts of
any other portion of the state or as
sist in getting an appropriation tor
some locality other than Portland,
they are stigmatized by this organ,
which for several years has advocated
|everything, and has not steadily adj
vocated anything, except to favor
some monopoly and to oppose the
Interests of,he people, as being cow
ards from fear of the feeling against
them from other parts of the state.
4 This kind Of feeling never has ex-
listed in the rural parts of the state
and there is no person that ever went
Ito congress who had the common
sense of bull frog who ever feared
THAT any such feeling wonld exist
against them on account of anything
lthey might favor within the bounds
of reason toward the improvement OF
the rivers above mentioned.
! But on the contrary, the people OF
Oregon all over the state hail With
4 gladness and much satisfaction any
action of our representatives in con-
gress which will result in improving
Iany avenue Of commerce in our slareas
There is, however, one exception 10
1.-The above statement, and that is per-
sons like the Oregonian man who are
ow ned soul, body and breeches by 2
Incorporation who is endeavoring to
keep closed every avenue sof COM
merce to or from the state except the
one by way of Portland, aud thus
lown the whole state and hold her
a|people in continual bondage to the
demands of this grind ing monopoly,
Icannot and will not appreciate an
appropriation made for the benefit Of
|any other than the one locality.
However the people of Oregon are
vitalIy interested IN the channel Of
1.-The Willamette river, and it is to be
hoped that it will be improved as
fast as possible and kept in good con-
Idtion.
Whatever Developments other To-
n