The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-04-19
Tort clatsop. AprIl ID. lsus.

Editor Astorian:
A few words from the country where
our bread n butter and eggs and
thin milk originate, might be OF inter
est to your city readers. The fearfuI
weather of the past six weeks has
told with great effect upon the vege-
tation. Nothing is planted, and CAM
be so long as such weather lasts. 1hs
grass is miserably poor and water
soaked, and stock that has no feed is
faring badly. Never have l seen SC
backward a spring, in a residence OF
thirty-three years. From my window
the greater part of Saddle mountain is
visible, and 1t is as white as in January,
as low down on its sides as it can be
The Chinese ~pheasants that were
left here about one year ago by B. II,
Smith, seem to be doing well. One is
domesticated and spends much Of the
time with the chickens. Like some of
the Astorians who have been so prom
inent before the courts and people Of
late, it has learned to get its living
without work.
Steam was gotten up yesterday in
the Fort Clatsop brick works, and the
sound of the whistle echoed through
the hills and valleys as of yore; but it
is impossible to do anything on a large
scale with such weather. The object
was to make some samples for the Port
land and other markets. Notwithstand-
ing all the rain the clays seem to be
in fairly good condition.
1 read with much interest Justice
Cleveland's decision on the constitu-
tionality of the gambling clause in the
charter. With all due Difference TO Mr..
Cleveland and other jurists who have
passed on similar laws in other states,
1 must say it looks very fishy to me.
If the state has the right to delegate
to a municipal corporation the power
tc exclusively regulate and punish
one crime and misdemeanor 1t a the
right to delegate the power to regulate
and punish all crimes and misdemean-
ors. Then the police judge might have
the right to sentence a murderer TO the
gallows, and other criminals to the
p~enitentiary. = In short, it would have
the right to set off a little state, under
the heading of "the municipality OF the
city of Astoria. At what point are you
going to draw the line? Ii this doe
trine be true, a man might be- walking
the streets of Astoria in the nonora-
pie pursuit of an occupation, which just
outside the city line he would be would
be sentenced to the ~penitentiary for
following. What kind of a law is that?
If the cities can be given exclusive jur-
it's, then is it not in order for the bal
ance of the county to resist the heavy
of tax that is piled upon them
through the vicious conduct of the city
who must be allowed to run
a games to make business i've
ly?" Those who dance ought to pay
the fiddler.
But of all this bitter contest between
those VINO want 10 ~ right anu iH"sS
who are determined to do wrong, we
nothing in the country neighbor-
hood. Through the day the sun illu-
inmates the landscape or the pattering
rain sends forth the bud, the flower and
The grass, the birds MARBLE and sing,
he air is full of fragrant odors, and
sher night comes, the stars look down
IN a quiet sleeping world, and the
Ilumberers are conscious of having no
dollars except what they have honest
y earned, and, in the midst Of all this
thrift, quiet and repose, there Is not
| soul to stand up and advocate TIE in
reduction and maintenance Of vice
nto the community for revenue only"
W.. HAMPTON SMITH.