The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1890-02-22
PORTLAND AND AN OPEN RIVER.

PORTLAND AND AN OPEN RIVER.
The Oregonian, following ler tai
ionis, never forgets or forgives an
antagonist. In yesterdays issue it
publishes the following:
Says The Dalles TIMEs-MoUNT-
AINEER: "For the past decade our
people have hoped that an outlet
would be furnished them by an open
river to seaboard, but have nearly lost
all expectation of relief FROM that
direction" Years ago when the Ore
gonian foretold this situation, which
to it was just as clear then as now,
the TINES MoUNrAINEER was extreme
ly unkind in Its criticisms. We all
want the river opened, but there is
small probability that any of US now
anxious will live to see it The gov
ernment will do the work, in time; but
Ne never can get much more than our
moiety of the regular appropriation
made by the river and harbor bill;
hence we cannot see the work make
rapid progress, and the hope of seeing
it completed will have to be handed
down to posterity. At last what the
Oregonia, said on this subject dozen
years ago is beginning to be under
stood.
We do not desire to bring to the
surface the controversy which we had
with our esteemed contemporary, the
: Oreyonian; but are forced to do it for
our own vindication. For this daily
Of the northwest, superlative in enter
prise and all matters which constitute
a metropolitan paper, we have always
entertained the highest respect. But
the TIMES -MoUNTAINEER acts on its
own judgement. and is fearless in the
expression Of its opinion. The Ore
gonian is the acknowledged organ of
the best interests of Portland; and the
TIM humbly considers itself in the
same light as regards The Dalles and
vicinity. For this reason it has care
fully watched the course of the great
paper for number of years past, and
it Is forced to acknowledge that it has
rarely seen anything in its columns
that favored an early completion of the
locks at the Cascades. At the time to
which it refers the Oregoniam gave
publicity to statements against the
advisability of removing Instructions
in the Columbia river, and editorially
said that appropriations for the locks
at the Cascades were feeding an ele-
plant" "a waste of public money"
and that the railroad would do the
carrying trade Of the country. It was
in connection with such comments that
the Oregonian stated that this gener-
alton would pass away without seeing
the locks at the Cascades completed,
and, as the wish was parent to the
thought, we feel in no manner thank
full for the prophecy which it tried by
every means to fulfill. The fact is
appsrent,-however painful it may be
to acknowledge-the business men of
Portland have never been in favor of |
an open Columbia river. They have
been in earnest in improving the mouth |
of the river, but have never given any
aid to the removal of distractions in
this great artery of commerce to the
interior. During the domination of
the old O. S. N. Co., because the
directors lived and spent their accumu-
lated wealth in Portland, that city
upheld the company in all its ex-
tortionate charges Later when the
O. r. & N. Co. secured the control of
the line to the interior, and charged
II cents bushel for carrying grain a
distance or SO miles-simply an an
nual tax of about 81 per acre on all
cultivated land in Wasco county-the
same city came to the rescue of the
monopoly, and said, considering the !
country through which the railroad
passed, the freight rates were reason-
able. Still later, when Mr.. Henry
Willard was dei6ed by Portland, in ex.
pectation that he would make that
point the terminal of the great transcon-
tinental line, the business men did every
thing to discourage the completion
OF the locks or other Improvement
to the navigation of the Columbia
except at the mouth. The sympathy
which Portland has extended to
Eastern Oregon has been Greek
gifts. That city has reaped every
from the country east of
the Cascadts, and has given noth-
ing in return. The Oregonian
has advocated the special contract rates I
on freight--forcing US to deal with
her mercaants-decried work on the
locks at the Cascades, been the stead
fast friend and supporter of the most
ruthless railroad monopoly that has
ever cursed any portion of the country,
and is friendly to no improvement &
only as far as Portland's selfish in {
'erests are concerned. The CONNER.
,ial advantages Of the inland seaport I
Ire not at all in harmony with those
If the Inland Empire. This has been
7eriied in many different ways, and G
he people of The Dalles cannot ex-
,ect anything but Punic faith from q
he business men of that city. We t
ave rich country, unlimited re- c
ources. and soil which will produce s
bundantly; but if we desire to de- '
'elope and grow and prosper we must a
solate ourselves politically and com II
,ercially from that city, and ally our v
elves with some POINT Ike Astoria, 81
,h;oh 30 I,rook1y sDta.o,&oJ - 49,.