The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-06-09
WHY OREGON WHEAT HAS NOT
SHARED IN THE ADVANCE.

To show the importance Of organized
effort on the part Of Astoria people to
circulate the facts and encourage a study
among inland farmers Of the seaport sit
uation, attention is called to the repro
duSeioa In the Eas; oregOnian. with
every appearance of approval and salts
faction by that paper. Of a recent lame at
tempt made by the oregonian to explain
from the Portland standpoint why the
price Of wheat has remained stationary
In the Portland rnarke; in the face OF
sharp advance recorded at every other
export point in the United States. Evi.
IDENTIFY the East oreganian is content to
accept the excuses o: the oregonian and
would have its farmer readers thus paei-
fed for the loss to them of upward OF
81 OOe 90 on the crop yet in hand in con-
sequence Of Sheir non.participation in the
improved market. Il is a real shame
that country papers can be imposed upon
in this way, TO the prejudice and great in.
Jury Of their readers Analysis OF the
oregonian's argument shows an sdmis-
sion that ocean .reigbls are higher BE-
tween Portland and the United Kingdom
than from any other port on the Pacific
coase-and that there is a strong tendency
in these rates 90 go yet higher. The East
oregonian will no; deny that this is a
fair deduction from the oregonian's ar
tie,e. and Il would seem the duty Of that
paper TO ascertain for the benefit Of its
readers the reason for this excess freight
rate instead Of merely republishing the
oregonian's bald and misleading state.
ments. The Astorian has repeatedly ar
6rmed without notice from the East
oregonian that inland producers would
be benefited millions of dollars annually
IL they would force the railroad compan-
lee TO deliver their WHEAT at port closer
TO the ocean and having the advantage OF
deeper water than can be Obtained at
Portland. Why doesn't the East orego-
nian look into question Of such import
N the people OF its community? Neither
that paper nor the oregonian has ever
published a word regarding the inability
OF Portland to compete with other Pa
cifc seaports owing to her isolated situ-
alton and the demands Of modern com
meree for larger vessels than can ascend
10 the willamette river. This is the key
to the deprecated prices now paid for in.
land Empire grain. and st is a situation
which would be at once remedied by sub'
stitutfng Astoria as the place OF export
instead OF Portland. The only problem Is
TO force the railroads to deliver the wheat
at Astoria. and this could be accom-
plished by one months earnest agitation
and discussion in the Inland Empire
Tn proof Of the utter folly of further at
tempts 10 hold the wheat exports at
Portland. the Astorlan invites the atten.
ton Of the East oregonian and other
Inferior papers TO the following summary
recently published in the Marine Review
of the arguments used by the people OF
New York ard Philadelphia to secure !
from the last congress for
deepening the harbors at those cities.
The Review says:
The iiarbors OF Boston New York Phi.
adelphia, Baltimore and Norfolk cover
the principal seaports Of the North At
lantic coast Thirty years ago the chan
nels OF approach to these harbors carried
a natural depth OF from II to 1s feet, ex.
cept New York harbor. which had depth
Of 2 feet. At that time the dimensions !