Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1889-06-06

Mr.. Willard AND HIS POLICY
PORTLAND, May 30.

10 HE EDITOR OF IHE Oregontdn:
l enclose copy Of u communication jus,
received from Mr.. Willard, and as it con.
tains matter Of public interest, especially
at this time, l have no doubt you will
gladly give it to the readers Of the Ore.
gonidn. The announcement that Mr..
Willard would meet the citizens Of Port
land has in time past brought together
audiences that flied the largest public
ball in the city to an extent that standing
room was scarcely obtained. 1t is to be
hoped the same interest will be manifest
when he makes his promised visit in
June.
Ia former times Mr.. Wizards friend
ship for Portland was unquestioned. He
improved aud developed this Northwest
portion Of our country so rapidly that it
was difficult to realiz, and keep pace with
the extent Of his operations, and that
without, as is usual asking one dollar Tor
subsidy. He met the people from time
to time aud laid his plans before them as
if they were the stock holders and direc.
tors Of his enterprises. Never was a
promise, he made, untuliled until the
disastrous time in the latter part Of 1883
when affairs passed beyond his control.
He is coming to Us again with the same
assurances Of friendship, th,. same hopes
expressed Of turthering the interests Of
Portland and development Of this North
west coast upon which the permanent
interests Of Portland depends. Is it safe
to believe in his promises as before?
Has Mr.. Willard changed? II be has
there must be some tangible evidence Of
it, If be is at this time inimical to the
interests Of Portland, aud is cudeavoring
to regain control Of the transportation in.
tcrests Of the Northwest, for the purpose
Of destroying our fair city in order to
build up another; if under the guisc OF
friendship he is endcavoring to crush us;
if he is pursuing course opposite Of his
former one, then the citizens Of Portland
owe it to themselves to gather the evil
dence Of bad faith, confront and hurl it
at him at the proposed meeting, aud it
will be an act Of contemplate cowardice
on the part Of any citizen who has the
proof, TO absent himself from the meeting
and not make it known.
Butt il, on the other hand, there is no
evidence Of bad faith or uufrieudliness,
and We have instead only the ambiguous
giving out Of those opposed to Mr.. Vii
lard who, during the intervening period
between '83 aud 'SS, had control Of these
corporations, and yet made no progress 10
the improvement aud development Of the
country, or manifested any desire to do
SO, can this community, upon such testi
mony, atford to array itself against the
man who was at one time its acknow-
lodged benefac'or? 1t is to be hoped it
will not. The experience Of the past 10
our relations with MIR. Willard, is a much
safer and better guide in our estimate Of
what the future will be, and should pre-
vent the existence of unfounded preiu
dice. Yours truly,
81. j. McCRAKEN.
MR.. WIZARDS LETTER.
Dear Colonel Nc Craken: When |
last had the pleasure Of call from you
here, you made me promise to give you
timely notice of my intended visit to your
city during the spring. Accordingly, I
beg to inform you that l expect to reach
Portland about the middle of next
month. Not having been to the Pacific
coast since the fall of 1883, l anticipate
much pleasure in seeing the wonderful
growth Of the Northwest. Ia the mean.
time look forward with special sat.sfac
ton to the opportunity | shall have of
meeting once more my many friends in
your good city. My pleasant expec,a.
lions IN this respect are not at all marred
by the knowledge Of the regretful fact,
that certain causeless AID inc xplicable
prejudlces against me have taken hold of
not few minds among Jour citizens.
10 former days whenever l visited Port.
land l invited public conferences with
her people, at (which l told them with
irankncss the plans which l had formed
q.