The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-05-08
LuoKING BACKWARD
What The Dalles Has Lost Through In
activity and Lack OF Rustic.

What The Dalles Has Lost Through In
activity and Lack of Rustic.
Lincoln said "a house divided against
itself cannot stand" and in the race for
supremacy, for prestige and for power,
4 community must stand on the broad
platform of unaminity, or else be con-
demned to obscurity and practical OBJ
livion, so far as being factor in the
commercial or manufacturing world.
The Dalles, on the map of the United
States as a settlement for 80 years, with
magnificent opportunity to acquire
and hold the trade of an empire has
practically laid down in the race. Year
by year her territory has dwindled,
year by year business propositions that
would have brought a pay roll and
labor, have escaped, and today Port
land has ascended the throne wields
the sceptre and casts the shadow OF
her domination over all This has
been accomplished so gradually and
npercepitably that it is scarcely
noticeable, but glance with retrospec-
tive eye back for 20 years, sum our case
up, and then submit it to the great jury
of public opinion. Can We criticize the
verdict? The daily press have cbroni-
cled the building of wooden ana sconr-
ing mills at Pendleton, beet sugar fac
tories on the way at La Grande and
Union, and East Portland is negotiat-
ing with reasonably assurance of
success for wooden mill. The Dalies
let the shops slip away with pay roll
OF. thousands of dollars per month:
could not give sufficient to enable a
woolen mill to locate, let the vast
project of Cascade locks slumber like
Rip Van Winkle for 20 years.
Chicago with population of almost
100000 today is willing to give q
bonus, give the land, and exemption
from taxes, to concern that will in
vest its money, the only requisite be-
ing pay roll.
1t is the men who work for wages
that raise property values. Mere boom
ing and speculation is purely artificial
You must occupy the lots with people,
before you can sell real estate Many
thought the opening of the locks would
be the lever that would at once raise
this community to its ancient rights.
1t would have given Us considerable
prestige, as the Associated press would
have advertised it far and wide; it was
an immense undertaking, but unfortu-
nately land no one knows who is to
blame) the time for the celebration
was fixed right on the eve ola national
election, ,and'the papers were filled with
political news that it was like looking
for needle in hay stack for any
thing else. Another opportunity
missed; no one to blame.
Today our trade Is being sapped, the
railroad from Biggs to Wasco is in
significant, and will not hurt us much,
but you should realize that it is but
the opening wedge, and like the camel
and the tent, will soon occupy and con-
troll territory that we now have. We
must not fondly imagine that charity,
friendship and love will hold business.
1t is the lowest rates, and it will all
vanish away from US like the mist be-
fore the morning sun, unless measures
are taken to counteract. To control
this trade we must have the terminus,
be the cost what it will: and what is
$l50,000 or even $500, 900 compared with
the aggregate amount of trade that i.
lost. 1t takes no prophet to foreteli
the result if this line taps the Prime
vile and Antelope country. If action
is not taken, our vaunted boast that
The Dalles is tie largest original wool
distributing point in the United States
will be but an empty one.
A Portland man said the other day
there is an undercurrent CT cliquism
and faction fighting in The Dalles,
that. like cancer. is sapping its vital.
lty and prevents growth.
That man was entirely wrong on his
last proposition, but there is certainly
something in the air here that pre-
vents Intelligent organization and
work for the community. We are cer-
tainly not unit in our undertakings,
or so much would not have slipped
away, through what might be charac-
terized as criminal carelessness. 1--we
have not pride for our town, the prop
Gsition ie, who has? If it comes to
question of advancing its interests by
acquisition OF capital or otherwise, If |
we say good word instead Of using |
the knife of competition because bus
mess enemy perhaps Ia influencing the |
deal, would it not be better. Unless |
there is harmony in the camp, naught |
can be done. Discord breeds trouble. |
does not advertise, and is it's own |
damning criticism of the bad points of |
a community. FIJI.