The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-11-09
BUSINESS Is BUSINESS.

BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.
The reported combinations of rail
roads has little interest to the people
of Wasco county. We will admit th'
railroads to be an important factor il
the development of new country
and we are not included in that class o
persons who argue that times were bet
ter and that there was more work fol
the laboring man when horse-team'
and ox-teams did the freighting of thu
country. Railroads are always pre-
ferrable and are an advance in civiliza
tion. They carry larger quantities o.
grain, and can transport them more
quickly than the old manner of haul
ing by wagons. AS matter of fact
very many regions now rich and pros
porous would be impoverished were ii
not for the iron horse and the bands
of iron and steel which glrdle the
country. These facts are patent tc
any observer; but with all the benefits
named there is an intermixture OF
hardship. Corporations, in order to
be successful. must be controlled by
men of correct business ideas, and the
basis principles of these men are:
Make all the money you can and pay
as little as possible. This is the rea-
son of the success of bankers and mer-
chants. The questions of right and
wrong are never considered, and it is
perfectly right they should not be.
The merchant never considers when
his customer buys high priced suit
of clothes whether he can afford it, no
more than the saloon-keeper when he
receives his price for drink of whis-
key. The only matter to be consider
ed Is, whether the article is bringing
him sufficient profit at the price paid.
Business has nothing to do with con-
science, and conscience has nothing to
do with business. Both should be
widely separated, the same as politics
and religion. A good politician will
not be bright and shining light in
the church; and, wise versa, a good
Christian does not generally make a
good business man or politician. If
these statements should not prove
true, the people can come to the con-
clusion that there is ''screw loose"
somewhere. Corporationsfo follow these
PRINCIPLES in dealing with producers.
They are no better or no worse than
bankers or merchants, and are pos
sessed of as little conscience In their
transactions and have the same inordi-
nate desire after profits in their bust
ness. The o. R. IN. Go. has made al
most mint of money in their traffic
in the northwest; hut not morein pro-
portion to the capital invested than
the business men of our cities. Its
customers are the farmers, and in the
of freig ght rates the direc.
tors make, the same calculation that
bankers and merchants do-how
much can the people stand, and the
best way of receiving the revenue?
Ali the railroads in the northwest may
but the grand object will
be how to get the largest proceeds
from their investment. Farmers or
shippers will not be benefited in the
least. The only relief IS in the Cod
given attribute of helping ourselves,
md inaugnrating the same policy
against the railroad that it dues against |
is. For centuries the Columbia river
las flowed onward to the sea,
INVITING to its bosom the com-
nerce of an empire. For over twenty
7ears one railroad company has ''bot-
led up" this father of rivers, and has
pursued stringent business rules with
'yery pound of freight that has passed
,ver the line. Although the shippers
If The Dalles during this time mas
oaid twenty times the amount neces-
'ary to open the river and control the
no successful effort has ever
,een made in that direction. High
ates have been charged, and all our
,eople have done has been 20 lie
upinely on their backs, growl and
ray for the government to help them.
Notwithstanding these excessive rates
ur business men have increased in
'ealth equal to any in city of the
anne size on the continent. Their
eturns have paid well on their in
and they have been salts
ed. The producers and consumers
ave suffered, and they only. Now,
usiness is business. If we desire the
yer to be the means of transporta-
on for our products. let US follow
tactical business principles, and act
A freight boat can be
for SIS, 900, and the port
re at the Cascades can be easily utiI-
ed. Our merchants and the grangers
the county can do this. Form a
artnership, and pledge each one to
Itronize the new transportation COM
my. If we don't do something we
all for long years, be what we have
zen for the last twenty-five years,
lrawers of water and carriers of
ood," and we shall richly deserve our {
tie and should bear it meeklY and |
lthcut complaint.
The election news is somewhat sur
Using. There is nothing very strange
at Virginia and Maryland should
We Democratic majorities, or that
-ahone should be buried in his own