The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-11-23
4 SELFISH POLICY.


the first time since the country has
been settled by white men, and In
some instances Western Oregon has
taken occasion of this exceptional year
to speak In disparaging terms of East
ern Oregon. We have noticed articles
in some papers in the Willamette val
ley, since the fact became known of
the short crops IN Eastern Oregon,
paying glowing tributes to their own
portion of the state, and magnifying
IN an untruthful degree the disadvant-
ages of the region east Of the Cascades.
This is very unbeccming generous
people, and betoke is :selishness
which is truly despicable; but it simply
illustrates the feeling which has ami
mated very many of the towns in the
Willamette for many years. The
public institutions of the state-uni-
versity, agricultural college, peniten-
tiary, asylum, agricultural fair-have
all been located in Western Oregon;
and, with the exception Of the district
fairs, end branch of the supreme
court at Pendleton, this portion Of the
common wealth draws not one cent of
revenue from the state treasury. In
almost every instance when we desired
beneficial measures from the legisla-
ture we have found solid Willamette
delegation against US, and in order to
accomplish anything for our interests
the members east of the Cascades have
been forced to form solid phalanx
in favor of the measure, and opposed
to anything advocated by their oppo-
nents. Oregon has been a state for
thirty years, and during that long
period this region has only had one
member of the lower house of congress
and one senator. The Willamette
valley has secured these except in this
one instance, and only in consequence
of these congressional representatives
having been broad-minded men have
our interests received the least atten-
ton. The improvement of the Colum-
bia river, except at the mouth, has
met with bitter opposition until re-
Gently from Portland, and this change
has only been caused by the metropo-
lis realizing the necessity of water
transportation to successfully compete
with the sound. At the last legisla-
ture, a bill passed the house ap-
propriating 100000 for portage rail
way at the Cascades, but when it came
to the senate almost a solid William
cite delegation voted against the
measure. But these are only few Of
the many instances in which the peo-
pie west of the Cascade mountains
have act ed as if this portion of the
state did not belong to Oregon. But
the latest phase of this unfriendliness
is the most detestable. We have
helped support their public institu
tlons, have aided in the election of
their members Of congress, our men,
bers of the legislature have voted for
their U. S. senator's, and we have paid
our proportion of the salary of their
board of immigration; but now, when
one year of drouth, perhaps in forty
years of plenty, scorches our fields of
wheat aud dries up our hitherto boun-
tiful water supply, their papers mag
Nifty The misfortune to their advantage,
and attempt by every possible means, to
divert the tide of immigration to their |
localities. Oregon can never be fully |
developed in all her resource while this
plan is followed, and the Willamette
towns must know that in decryine any |
portion they are injuring themselves.
Our neighbor, the new state of Wash
ington, Is not following this plan.
The papers on the Sound are not en-
larging upon the drouth in Eastern
Washington, and using the present
partial failure of crops to induce i'm
migration to come in that direction.
1t is true that mossbackism has kept
Oregon back in development, but it is
also fact that the lack of harmony
n the general welfare has been, if
greater hindrance.