Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-08-10
OUR OREGON APPROPRIATIONS.

diminished revenues, oregon Is BOiDk
TO fare very poorly for appropriation,
aud no such thing as public appropria-
tions can be thought Of There is dis
position to severely criticise the Oregon
delegation in congress and the senate
fJr failure to get pOstOffice building
at Salem, where one is very badly
needed, and one Of few capitals of states
that has not already pubic building.
There is also complaint, and that il
more Just, that no appropriation has
been secured for the Willamette.
the Willamette were southern stream
or flowed into the Atlantic it woulC
have. had millions expended upon II
before now. II it were fully 1ndeT
stood now that the port Of Portland il
actually on the Willamette liver !
might come In for different treatment
and be the object of governmental sno
commercial solicitude,
80 far as the facts about the Salem
postoffiee bill are concerned, they ar
very plain. One OF the Oregon sena
tsrs has introduced and passed through
the senate three times bill for public
building at Salem, which has, at every
session, failed to receive consideration
ia the house.
Ia the present congress Senator
D jlph re-introduced the bill, but no
public building bill has been reported
By The senate committee on buildings
and grounds. He attempted, several
month ago, to have the committee dis
charged from the consideration of the
Salem bill, so that it might be taken
up In the senate. All but one or two Of
the Republicans voted with him, and
the Democrats voted solidly against 1t,
thus sustaining the committee in not
reporting any public building bill.
Oregon is no worse off than any other
state in this respect, at this congress.
There are several items proposed re-
lating to river improvements. There
has been no action about revetments,
but as to beacon lights, there Is already
reported an amendment from the COM
mittee on commerce to the Sundry
Civil bill in the senate, providing for
the establishment and maintenance Of
lights In the interest Of navigation on
the Willamette river. Actual river
Improvements are only reached by q
slow process. and there Is just cause for
some complaint about the appropria-
tlons for the improvement of the Will
annette river. But everyone should
understand that appropriations cannot
be made for river and harbor improve
ments until there has been survey, 3
plan adopted for the improvement and
an estimate Of the cost. The appropria-
tlons which have been made for the
improvement of the Willamette river
have been made In pursuance Of plan
adopted many years ago, and a. that
has been, substantially, completed, the
estimates Of the engineers have been
small.
Two years ago congress did not au-
tnOliIc pibBiO hCW pui1tJf Oub ~
thorized examinations; among others
an examination of the Willamette
river. The river was examined and the
engineers pronounced 1t worthy OF
further improvement, and this year
there Is placed in the river and harbor
bill provision requiring its survey. II
II Is surveyed, In pursuance of this pro-
vision, and plaA reported foI its
further improvement, with an estimate
of the cost, in the next river aud har'
Dor bill, we will undoubtedly be able to
secure an appropriation for the new
and enlarged project; but these mat
ters have to go step by step.
The JOURNAL has been a constant
advocate OF an aggressive political
movement Ia behalf OF the Willamette.
IL has sought to emphasize the Import
ance Of electlng Willamette nver con-
gresham as contra a-distlnguished from
= dlstinctlvely Coos Bay Congressman
and perhaps we shall have one some
day. We shall have to have one II we
ever get that attention TO which this
great waterway, through an i'm
perial agricultural region is en-
titled. IL would not hurt our senators
a particle 10 make some time or other a
bold fight for the Willamette, II such a
thing can be done. We believe they
arc willing and anxious but we do not
think they feel the redundant enthus.
iasm for the subject which they could
not but share II they came more di-
rectly Ia touch with the people and
the products OF this great valley. We
are not assuming any lack Of sympathy
or want Of interest on their part, but
crowded with multitude OF other duties
these matters, 20 vital 10 the producer
and business uan,at times become SEQ
ondaFy. The Willamette valley is well
worth IookiDk sfter more closely by
a