The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-11-29
ON ASTORIA BAY
OR PUGET SOUND I
Portland Business Man" Confines His
Argument by Showing Which Is
"OregOn's" Real Seaport.

AZ ! claim. and as I will show in m,
next leiter.
That Astoria Bay is far superior q
Puget sound as the chief seaport Of thii
basin Is q conceded fact
AConeedsd among railroad men.
Fact They all recognize that
at some time In the fu-
ture Astoria Bay viii become the chief
exporting point. They all realize that Il
II only a great combination, having
control Of the o. r. 4 N. Co.'S line, thai
proYents the operation Of these great
laws Of nature. They all see that set
tied conditions. under the commercial
revolution caused by the Astoria jetty
and the Astoria railroad. will very soon
force al the exports 70 Astoria Bay.
Not long since. in the Daily Astorlan,
which take. saw an interview with
some eastern visitor.
An Opinion which sets forth this
Quoted. status Of railroad opinion.
viii quote from Il:
How is II that you say this seaport
can capture the China and Japan trade
from Vancouver any better than Portland
or Tacoma?"
simply because the gateway for that
trade" said the Eastern Visitor. sis
not only the most central on which all
our American railroads can unite, and Is
the only one with water level through
the cordiileTas range. but because you
can get very much cheaper charters"
But" suggested the Quill. "the Ia
coma and Portland seaport advocates
deny this"
''Do they, really? Well, It is conceded
fact in railroad circles. Why, a lead
ing director OF the o. r. e. N. recently
In conversation with friend Of mine
made that fact the basis Of his objection
to making Astoria a common point with
Tacoma. II came about In this way
My friend was present when he opened
his mali, in which was a clipping from
the Aatorian Of 'ex-wheat Buyers ar.
ticle explaining the common point and
insisting on the fairness Of the o. r. &
n. putting Astoria Bay on level via
Tacoma. The director said he didn'-
know whether 'ex-Wheat Buyer was cor
rect or not. why notT asked his Wis
Itor.
"a Because Astoria is a cheaper por
than Tacoma-can get cheaper charters,
was the frank reply.
"' You know continued the director
"A dIfferential has to be allowed to ons
competing railroad to make up for the
advantages that another has. This is tru,
because the line with Inferior advantage.
muse have a share OF the business. or 4
will cut rates and demorallze the traffic
that Is 10 say, the absolute need IN rail
rorad traffic Is pooling. II we made As
toria a common point with Tacoma. We
would get all the wheat traffic. and rates
would be cut by the other roads. in order
TO get share of that traffic.'"
All the railroad world sees this great
truth as 10 naturs. seaport supremacy.
Jim Hill knows It bet
Bllnd ter than anybody. and
Portland. has. years ago. SO de-
clared. Seattle and Ia
coma understand II thoroughly, and quake
in their boots lest Astoria and Portland
should join hands. All the world sees the
truth of the situation EXCEPT THOSE
WHOSE HIGHEST INTEREST IS FA-
TALLY AFFECTED by the existing un-
natural condition Of Columbian exports.
Those people are the merchants and
property owners OF Portland. The able
editor OF the oregonian knows 1t as well
as he does his ciassies. In literature and
In mathematics. His columns are filled
with the soundest teaching upon the
subject. His terse sentence quoted in
my first letter Is an epitome OF his clear
est and most honest thought. 1t is wor-
thy df repetition: ASTORIA is THE
OF OREGON. Pacific North
westl NATURE HAS so ORDERED
rT THAT THE STATE CAN HAVE NO
OTHER GREAT SEAPORT"
He has changed front lately on the
question. He has done so without apol-
ogy and without shame.
Without Yet his hypnotic infiu-
Shame. ence upon the Portland
public has a Lethean
effect that effaces all memory of the
previous opinions they had on this sub
ject under the witcheEy Of his spell. 1
submit that 1 have established that that
editors original, and honest, Judgment
on this vital seaport problem was
sound, think 1 have yindicated that
judgment. l believe intelligent Port
landers. disillusioned. will agree with
Mr. Scott (and my humble self) that 1t
is not "an Astoria scheme" but an
Oregon scheme" in that larger sense
OF the entire Pacific Northwest,
In my next letter shall deal, in ex-
detail, with the GREAT TRUTH
that Astoria Bay as our chief seaport
will quiclsly make Portland the chief city
of the Pacific coast.
A PORTLAND BUSINESS MAN.