The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-01-30
RACK TO FIRST PRINCIPLES,

r
Those ot US who are seeking 10 pro
mo,e "harmouy" with Portland are
doubtless anxious that the metropolis
shall join with the people Of Astoria
IN their demand that common point
rates be extended TO this port. Har-
mony is powerful factor at times
and united action on the part Of cities
will often accomplish much good. Al
the presen, time, however effort At
harmony win he waste ot energy.
Portlands influence with the trans
por,stion lines IS nil We had better
devote our energies 10 local indus
tries Tor utilization of Astoria har-
b,r has indeed come 10 be railroad
prob,em. TO BE- solved at the con-
venience Of The great manipula;ors
who now contr,, the ;ransconunen'ais.
Portland is equally as helpless as
Astoria. and already the oTeg'nian
Is denounclne the Union Pacific sys-
tenn When the O. R x y. Co. was
an independent line Portlands inhu-
ence would have counted The road
was known as transcoudnentd. but
in reality was a local line. satisfied
with the business it could pick up be-
tween Spokane and Portland. Its
receipts were a matter Of some CON
Germ to the stockholders and thrust
a, Its revenues would have brought
il to time. Portland merchants then
had some influence with the o. R. &
y. Co, and might have forced the
granting OF common rates to Astoria,
through proper effort
But the O. R & y. is now com
pletely 5n the map. having lost IT'S
Identity in the recent merger. It is
a feeder for a gigantic system. with
Mr.. Hartman al its head When We
stop to consider the question. What
does the Union Pacific system care
for a few million dollars worth u
business? the utter helplessness Of the
Oregon metropolis forcibly suggests
itself. Mr.. Harrimans plans viii not
be altered for anything that Portland
or Astoria or the whole o. Oregon
nigh, offer. Finally the matter of
rates has become a railroad prob
lem" and It's solution will BE- brought
about without consideration for any
community. Even If Astoria could in
duoe Portland to Join in the demand
for utilization Of the ocean harbor
there would be no beneficial result
Too grea, is Hartman TO heed our
feeble vail
That Portland appreciates her own
LeIplessness is manifest. on Tuesday,
for instance. the Oregonian devoted a
column 70 a discussion Of How We /
Can Save Ourselves" The Portland .
paper urges local development and .
abandonment Of the policy Of chasing .
the railroad will O the wisp large /
transportation combinations viii not /
for the asking pour their power into
Portland and make it great without
an effort Of It's own" it says We
may argue the natural advantages Of
this route. We may cajole. We may
threaten, We may preach, We may
pray 10 tl.e powers that control arti-
fetal commercial lines, all TO no pur-
pose. Selfish interests turn them else
where. They come here only 10 get
what we will give them. They take
no part in the development Of our
home field" Continuing, the Oregon
ian advocates self-help-rallroad lines
10 the centers where business may be
found and general develOpmeot Of
latent resources. It f0rcibly points
out the futlity Of any effort 70 com ,
pei favor from the dominant railroad
making Itself painfully
,lear in the following:
They (the railroad manipulatorsJ are r
Tot benehcent institutions, and all ls ,
ish that comes to their net. They
nay apportlOn railroad territory. Civ
ng Southern and Southeastern Oregon {
o San Francisco; Northeastern Ore a
-on. the Clearwater region Of Idaho, r.
nd even the Nehalem valley. lying
/ Portland's door, 10 Puget Sound.
hey may think their interests better
erved by tapping Eastern Oregon
rom the east than 70 giving It easy
with Portland. They may 2
ppose letting Portland into the Big 7
.end country Of Washington But v
i'll Portland, win Oregon, will the f.