The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-02-04
Needless

Pacific railroad, which We quote
entire. Our reason for doing that
is, that should We quote but part
of it our contemporary would, as
usual, say its words were "garbled.
1.-THE question for the people Of
the Northwest in regard to the
Northern Pacific land grant is
simply this: Do they want the
Northern Pacific railroad CON-
pleted, or do they not? If they
want it they will realize the dan
ger of crippling or destroying ii
by proceedings in congress, IN,
spired by the Union and Central
Pacific monopoly, to make its land
grant, which is largely the basis ol
its credit, useless. If they do not
want it of course they will approve
the attack of the rival roads on
the resources required TO build it.
If our people want to be shut in
here always, with no industrial or
commercial development of their
country, and pay tribute in per-
petuity to corporations controlled
in the interest of other sections,
then by all means they should sec
ond and encourage the effort to
cripple or destroy the Northern
Pacific. Will it be said that II
even the Northern Pacific fails we
shall soon have connection with
the east by other lines? 'Tis a
false hope. These other lines
have been moved to make demon
strations in this direction only by
the activity of the Northern Pa
cifc. 1t is opposition and rivalry,
which will end just SO soon as the
progress Of the Northern Pacific is
arrested. The Union and Central
monopoly hold our traffic and al
ways will hold it, until the North
ern Pacific is completed, even
without building to Oregon.
Therefore the so-called Oregon
short-line will stop just so soon as
the Northern Pacific can be check,
ed. Under these circumstances it
is for the people of the northwest
to say whether they will approve
and encourage the efforts inspired
by the selfish monopolists Of Cali
fornia and New York, and by enc
mics of the northwest, to hold our
section in perpetual vassalage,
prevent any independent develop
ment here and force the trade OF
this country for a further iudef-
mite period, to take as heretofore
and now, the circuitous and ex-
pensive route by sea and rail
through San Francisco and over
the Union and Central monopoly
lines. If rhis prospect is pleas
ing one to the alleged newspapers
of the northwest which cIamor in
cessantll for hostile measures
against the Northern Pacific, then
their conduct IS perfectly iptelligi-
bic. If this is not what they
want, The motive can only be a
stupid or sinister one"
he'question is not do the peo-
pie want the railroads or not. 1t
is simply shall the railroads rule,
or shall the people. Every one
comedies that railroads are neees.
sary; so are churches, schools,
newspapers, and all the other ad
luncts Of civilization; but nothing
is politically right, that is morally
wrong, and it is fou. wrong upon
the body polite to have a corpor-
alton attempt to do by money,
what it could not do by right. The
second part Of the Oregonian's art
lcle IS more tangible, where it al
ludes to the hostility of the Union
and Central railroads towards
their northern rival. But our con.
temporary makes an entire misap-
plication of its own argument. 1t
IS needless for it to entertain the
slightest worry lest the n. ?. R.
K. lose one acre. of its forfeited
grant. The best that can be done
IN Congress or out is to make it
comply with the conditions by
arousing public opinion and call
ng attention to the great fraud
hat would be perpetrated if al
owed to go unrebuked. If the
attack upon the Northern Pacific
we're led by well meaning men in
he interests of justice, or cham
'ioned by rival lines in the inter
'sts of business competition. it
'ould be made to forfeit great
ieal of the public domain it un-
Justly holds; but the road that the
)regonian pleads for is in no dan
,er. Its powerful friends will aid
in q way best understood hy