The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-09-30
THE NEED OF REFORM,

In all the rejoicing over the bright
promise OF reviving industry, reQuited
labor. and large commerce and general
dirusing OF prosperity throuEhout all
conditions and classes in the country, 1t
is to be feared the people OF Astoria will
fnd themselves without part or parcel
unless way can be devised to arouse
them to see the importance OF changing
some Of their methods OF doing business.
Astoria has a regular income from the
salmon Industry. which, II kept at home
and circulated among its people would
make greater annual increment Of
wealth than that OF any thriving New
England manufactures town OF four
times its population. but at the end OF
the year there seems absolutely nothing
left to show for it. The complaint is
often heard that there are now more peo-
pie in Astoria than It is possible TO sup
port with the single industry of fishing.
II may surprise those who are given to
urge this excuse for Astoria's backward
ness to know that the government sta
tistics show that nature is now sending
TO the people Of Astoria each year a
crop which, without the labor or expense
OF planting or cultivation. exceeds n
value that produced by any equal num-
Der OF people in the whole couatry. II
is a startling fact that Notwithstanding
the salmon business for twenty-five years
past has brought ilto the community
more cash money each year. on the av-
erage. than the total assessed valuation
Of all the property in the county, there
are yet fewer visible evidences OF ma
terial wealth and prosperity IN Astoria
today than in any year Of that period
in its history.
What IS the cause Of this anomalous
condition. and what is its remedy? The
answer to these questions is so simple
and easily Compensated as to deserve
the thoughtful attention and considera-
ton OF every intelligent citizen
The money produced by our great sal
mon industry. instead of abiding with
ard going to improve the condition and
enhance the wealth Of Astoria's people
merely passes through their hands and
goes elsewhere to build up other sections
and increase the accumulations OF those
who live in other cities and other states |
OF the country. The modern fishers for |
salmon in the Columbia river are pre-
cisely in the same class with their alb
original forerunners Of the time of the |
Hudson Bay Company. Astoria is but |
the same trading post now that it was
then. The only real difference Is that |
white men, instead OF Indians, now bar
ter their fish not needed for actual home |
consumption 10 the strangers Of other |
places for articles Of common necessity |
produced elsewhere and brought here
for sale or exchange at exorbitant prices.
No community OF people can continue |
to do business after this fashipl with |
any reasonable expectation Of perma-
nent prosperity or progress Such a pol |
Icy is contrary to natural law a1d the |
fundamental principle Of social econom-
les. ~
Today, without any visible return for
the investment, If We except the new |
city water works, the taxpayers Of Clat-
sop county and Astoria are sending out
each year the enormous sum OF more
than $4,000 OF interest on money bor-
rowed for public purposes. For every
article of food consumed in the city
with the single exception Of milk, our
people are dependent upon outside
scources Of supply. With hundreds and
perhaps thousands Of acres Of fine tide
and bottom lands capable Of producing,
Il is said, the Incredible quantity Of
from six to eight tons Of hay per acre,
the provision dealers who supply our
people with their meat, butter and eggs,
chickens, potatoes, cabbages and turnips,
bought in San Francisco or Portland, are
actually feeding their delivery teams
on hay imported from California. With
hundreds Of thousands Of feet Of the
finest fir and spruce timber actually
standing within the city limits. the mu-
nicipaI authorities are obliged to import
the timber with which to plank our
streets from sawmill located fifty miles
up the river; while the firewood to heat