The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-24

The purpose OF the government to
establish a sirst-class naval station on
Puget sound and the appropriation at
this session OF congress Of the total
sum of $4,000 TO begin the necessary
Improvements. seems to have attracted
no attention in either Astoria or Port
land. What the representatives of the
state Of Oregon az Washington can be
thinking about to allow the govern
ment 10 make such an egregious error
wathout protest or comment passes
understanding. II surely must be
known to them that If there is any
need OF a new naval establishment on
the Pacific coast. Puget Sound is not
the place to locate H. The finest har-
Dor on the whole Pacific coast. from
the strait Of Juan de Fuca 10 the Mex
lean border. and the only one with
fresh water. is TO be found in the mouth
81 The Columbia river Here is room
for all the nayies OF the earth. with
the deepest water and the most perfect
security for the establishment of dry
docks. navy yards. or any kind Of naval
operations requiring dry land as fac
tor. Here in years past. when Puget
Sound was unheard of or supposed
TO be a British possession, the govern
ment sequestered and has ever since
reerved and held thousands of acres Of
eligible land for this precise purpose
Here al what is destined TO be the great
Pacific coast terminal of all transcon-
tinental railway lines, with their ram
fica1ons in every section Of every state
and territory in the Union: here, where
the finest timber. coal and mineral de-
postts on the continent are easily ac-
eessible. here IS where the governments
chief naval establishment On the Pacific
coast ought to be. and here it would
be if Oregon's representatives in con-
gress had eyes for any part Of the state
west of Portland The government has
no use for a naval station in the teredo-
infested, salt water holes Of Puget
+DNAANs am AAl AAaAit III " dT II SUCH a
station could be maintained there.
which is very doubtful. the blockading
fleets Of the smallest European could
render such station unapproachable
and utterly unavailable. OF course
Washington Representatives are not 20
be blamed Tor getting what they can
Sut of the federal treasury to help
develop and attract immigration TO
their state; that Is one of the things
their constituents send them to Wash
ington for. and in this case they have
simply taken the goods the gods have
sent, without the asking and without
price. But what is to be thought OF the
men who are supposed to represent the
inerests Of Oregon, when such an op-
portunty TO benefit, or at least call
public attention to the resources Of
their own state. is allowed to pass by?
1t is a significant fact that no Port
land newspaper has criticised this pro-
posed foolish waste Of public money.
and not one word Of praise or COM
mendation Of the mouth Of the Colum- |
bia river as a rendezvous or base for
Pacific coast naval operations has ever
been suggested outside Of Astoria. /.
There can be little doubt, if the situa-
tion were reversed, and Portland in
stead of Astoria had the advantage Of
location at the mouth Of the river mill .
ions OF public money would long ago
have been expended in developing and
utilizing the superlative naval advan- /
tages of this harbor AS it is, Portland
prefers to play the part Of the dog in /
the manger; and her people would rath-
er see the commerce of the Northwest
as we'll as the naval operations Of the
government CARED on from Puget
Sound than TO have her weak rival at
The mouth OF Ithe Columbia benefited
or developed.