Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-03-01
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Concentration FEi1 OF Sound Advice
and Valuable Suggestions.

A comnu aication Fri1 OF Sound Advice
and Valuable Suggestions.
EDITOR GAzRTTE:-I noted
with satisfaction, the remarks of
a prominent citizen" in your
last issue, touching tile subjecs
of "advertising this vicinity"
This gentleman has certainly
touched chord that should fud
a response in the minds Of our
best people, and produce a vibra-
ton in the acts of every citizen
in the community, whether
prominent or not.
The writer Of these lines was
a resident of Corvallis twenty
years ago, returning now after: a
lapse OF two decades, it Is but
natural that many comparisons
between then and now are con-
stantly suggested to the refec.
tive mind, and to the magma
tive, pictures of what might have
been, or may say. of what
should have been, had the busi-
ness men of this county been
awake to their own interests,
even to the extent Of letting the
people of the less favored corners
of creation knew the truth about
Benton county. When l say
"business men" I mean men
whose business is the pfodution
of food stufs, and raw material,
as we'll as the manufacturer,
merchant or banker.
Corvallis twenty years ago
was very near its present stage,
in point of population; that there
have been many comnendable
improvements, both in public
and private property, is a matter
tot to be overlooked, and among
the many county capitals of Ore
gon, Corvallis occupies no mean
position; but during this same
score of years, see what human
energies have done for newer
towns, located where the natural
advantages and possibilities are
scarce a 1.-THE of what is here
apparent.
The writer has been privi.
legged to make his observations in
all parts of United States and
Canada, and in truth he can but
say that considering everything,
Northwestern Oregon is the slow
est of the slow. Even the pro
verbally deliberate South, is
making rapid strides that will
put to shame the most enter
prislng COMM unity in this state,
The great "wild and woolly''
state Of Texas, will at the pres
ent rate, soon have five OF sly
cities, similar in size to Our Pert
land. What Oregonian will ad
NIT that Texas is a better coun
try than this?
Twenty years ago, Seattle
Spokane and Los Angeles were
villages like this; what ha
made them the important cite
that they are today? Men ane
human energies, nothing else
These locations all presented
many advantages, to be sure
will any one admit that Corvalli
had less advantages presentabl
twenty years age, or that 1t ha
none OF few today? True, al
Oregon has lost much prestig
by lis Rip-Van-Winkle sleep
nevertheless, if It's different com
munities will even now awakel
and do something and keep-a
doing-it, they may speedily brin
this glorious country to the front
fill it up with race of thrifty
cultured, entefprising people
who will develop Its many re
sources, now scarcely recognized
It is painful to note the dens
Ignorance in the minds {
Eastern people, those Supposed
we'll informed, regarding Oregon
and especially touching any {
the inland OF smaller town!
They know of California froi
Mexico to Shasta, they a,
acquainted with Washington
from the Puget Sound to tt
Blue Mountains, bat when yo
tell them. the truth about Or
gon, their eyes bung out wit
i, wonder, that these things can I
and they knew it not.
It is easy to see how wit
r 1rooa- Gporn;a1 honbipo hon1