The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-07
naval force

The oresonlan begs the whole question
IN the present controversy with Portland.
No sensible person in Astoria hnds any
fault with Portland Tor spending her
own resources in the efrOrt to maintain
her supremacy over either Puget Sound or
Astoria. That Is not the poin, at issue.
The trouble is that Portland is hghdng
the natural advantages Of Astoria with
appropriations from the federal treasury.
Astoria is not playing the baby act In
complaining OF this combination against
her commercial rights between the United
States government and Portland, she Is
protesting agains; a wrong that congress
would be very quick TO remedy II /, un-
derstood the situation. It is proposed
TO put a stop to this misuse OF federal
money to maintain Por,land's "suprem-
aey" over commercial rivals who are
dependent upon their own unaided re-
sources. Major Clark OF Missouri. the
greatest authority on river Improvements
in the country. has stated that the money
appropriated from time to time by con-
gress for Columbia river improvements.
has been granted under a mlsapprehen-
sion. He says there Is no public neces-
sity for further improvements in the Col
umbia river; that the government has
built at an enormous expense-greater
than 1t has expended for any other IKE
section Of the eountry-a fine harbor at
the mouth OF the Columbia. and the peo-
pie OF the northwest must find their way
10 ships at the rivers mouth and cease
TO expect the government TO send ships
llo miles inland. With a railroad down
the banks OF the Columbia TO Astoria the
farmer in Idaho. Eastern Washington and
Oregon can load his grain on a freight
car and send 1t by gravity into the hold
OF the export ship waiting at the mouth
OF the Columbia The railroads must
bring their eargoes to the ships at Asto-
ria. or else spend their own money in get
ting the ships to their terminals in Port
land. This is the gis, Of the whole mat
ter. and Astoria proposes to stop at no
legitimate method which will Hobs Dnize
the Columbia against the passage OF
deep water ships to the railroads in Port
land. One OF these methods-and the
most practical one, is. It is thought down
here, to put an end TO the use OF any
more government money TO build up Port
land at the expense OF Puget Sound and
Astoria. There IS nothing small or mean
about this; II is legitimate commercial en-
terprise, and Astoria is acting precisely
as any other live and energetic commu-
nifty would act under like circumstances.
We are not crying over natural condi.
tions that cannot be helped, neither are
We complaining OF Portland's superior
enterprise and prosperity. II there is
money enough in Portland to keep the
Columbia river open 10 great ships 0;
oyer twenty feet draught and no legal OBJ
jections can be ;aised to the rcI; Of Port
lands right to alter the natural courses
Of the river, ships may continue to ascend
10 Portland. but II will not be with the
aid OF taxes wrung from the people OF
Maine and Texas. one-third II the money
sQuandered each year in keeping the shift
ing sandbars Of the Columbia open would
improve the natural harbor at the mouth
Of the river so as to make It accessible
for the largest naval vessels. But wheth-
er Astoria gets any federal money for tho
Improvement Of her harbor or not, Asto-
ria's business men will see that Portland's
railroads extend the common point on
grain and lumber to the mouth Of the
river or else Portland's tax ayers must
pay the entire expense involved in carry
Ing ships 10 miles inland 20 meet the rail-
railroads at Portland.
THAT FRIENDLY" FEELING.