The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-03-02
THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
clatsop couOty'S Grand Jury AR
rai0ned With a Vengeance.
PRESIDENT wINGATE SPEAKS
Donounccs the Grand Jury In Very
Forclble Terms Dthcr Matters
Before the Chamber
wINGATE SPEAKS

There was Il well-attcnded and very
earnest session " the chamber ~ COM
mrfc- last night. nearly All the fnnn-
bcrs walking into the chamber with
their hghung blood AT the boiling point.
The arr1lgnmcnt OF that body by thc
grand Jury last week. for dnrang 10
suggest that It might be- TO the Interest
VI the taxpayers II the expenses d the
city and county governments pe cut 10
correspond with the decline OF values
for the past few ycars. and In View
Of the prevailing dull times, brought
nu, a goolly numbcr-and they were
hostile, every one Of them.
Rcpor,s were read from special COM
mlttee on scawail and from standing
committee on harbor Improvement. and
further time granted,
The committee ON railroads and trans
portaiion. 10 which was referred n com.
munication from the National Board OF
Trade on the subject of one crni letter
postage. reported recommending the
enforcement u the action OF the above
board. Repors adopted.
President wingute stated Il was re-
ported tina, the United States weather
bureau was 70 be discontinued here. on
motion the president, and secretary
were Instructed 20 correspond with :he
proper department on the subject.
The following resolutions were pre-
scented and read by the secretary:
Whereas. The grand jury % Clatsop
county has seen NJ. in lis recent report,
20 the circui, court, publicly 10 criticisr
and condemn the action OF this chamber
In is unanimous adoption az the fol-
lowing resolution az regular meeting
held on February s;
"Whcfeas The present tax levy, al.
though oppressive. Is mol sufficient TO
meet the expenses of the city county.
and state government; and.
Whereas, The value Of all property
has gr,,atly declined In the West ana
our city. county and state are sull sur
rrring from financial depression.
Resolved. That Il Is the opinion of
this chamber that all expenses OF city.
county. school and state should be- re
duced 25 per cent. commensurate with
the reduction In the value or property.
And Whereas. This chamber. It's
members comprising large majority
Of the heaviest taxpayers In this city
and county Is organized 10 protect and
further the material interests of the
cummunity at large and not OF a few
private individuals; therefore be II
Resolved That this chamoer, notwlth-
standing said grand jury report rcit-
crate It's endorsement OF the above
resolution. and also the action Of the
honorable the mayor and council in re-
duclng the excpnses OF csty govern
ment
Resolved That this chamber con
domns the action of said grand jury
In exceeding the bounds or their duties
In crittcising and condemnins an or
ganizatlon whose work for and value
and benefit to the community they are
incompetent to comprehend,
The resolution was unanimously
adopted,
Several gentlemen spoke on the reso-
luton as read by the secretary, Presi-
dent Wingate spoke as follows;
II Tor one do not think the resolution
half strong enough, and II there are
any gentlemen present who can think
OF stronger terms in which II might
be drawn. | would like to have Il incor-
porated therein In this body are rep
resented many Of the best business In
tereSts OF the city. and a majority OF
the heaviest taxpayers Of the city and
county, These gentlemen are here no.
only to promote the material Interests
of the city, but to guard against un'
necessary expenses or eXtravagance OF
city or county governments"
For years this body has peen a tar
get for all sorts OF abuse from irrespon'
sible scribblers and loafers. VINO seemed
10 think II a butt for their indecent
and unjust fllngs-from men who have
never put up dollar for the advance
ment OF the city's interests. have
alway considered, heretofore, MS doubt
less many of the gentlemen here have
felt, that these attacks were not worthy
OF any notice, but when an otlicia
body like the grand jury seeks to steI
outside the pale of It's duties, and ar
raigns this chamber as II has done,
ann compelled to take notice, and VIII
say right here that In the future II
this body will not resent such attacks
| will make them n personal matter
Further, | want to go on record as say
ing that there Is not man on thai
grand jury who is capable or expreSsinl
an intelligent opinion or anythinE
brought before It, and tneir names
should never have been Grawn from
the box. T. S. Trullinger, the foreman
OF that grand jury, Is a memebr OF al
electric light plant that has Deen extern
sively patronized by the CITY for th'
past few years. The water commission
Is now figuring with the city ooupci
4 "a.