Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-12-03
. LET THE PoRz4GE ACT
STAND.

4st-Sft AAst tEst W FFtit'Nf e'iO SoAdA'
purtage, road law is inimical to tbs
btrt interests Of the people of East
ern Oregon in particular and the
people Of the state in general no
doubt exists ia the minds Of Intel
ligent people who have given the
mat er serious consideration, The
claim that the prospect fhr the
early building of a canal and locks
by the federal government removes
the need of a portage road built by
The state, is not well founded. The
dilatory methods which have been
pursued by the federal authorities
IL the past regarding the opening
of the Columbia river TO navigation
are 50 well known TO all Oregon
people that but little encourage
Ment can be found in the recent
report from Washington that "the
government is ready TO commence
work on the canal as soon as the
state, or some individual secures
and gives TO the government the
necessary right of way" The fact
that this right of way ''string" is
attached to the proposition by the
SECRETARY Of war lends color to the
belief already prevail MT that there
may be more Of bluff than real
SINCERITY of purpose in the action
of the secretary at this time and
the further fact that there seems 10
a disposition on the part of certain
leading newspapers and politicians
to misrepresent the facts regarding
the status of the canal project adds
TO the fear among the people of
the state that the purpose of the
canal talk just now has been to
throw dust in the eyes of the peo-
pie with view to securing the re-
peal of the portage road law at the
special session.
Not long since the Oregonian, in
publishing the report of the engi-
neers regarding the canal, either
by accident or design, prefaced the
dispatch with head lines which
seemed calculated to convey the
impression that the entire 81, 1885,
600, The estimated cost of the canal
had been appropriated and lie now
available for construction while the
facts are that as yet only 100000
has been appropriated which with
an unexpended balance of some
$500, 900 left over from the defunct
boat railway scheme, makes an
actual fund of only 100000 avail
able for the canal at this time
Senator Mitchell brought ont this
fact strongly in his recent letter to
the Oregonian and while he seems
10 be sanguine Of the early COM
pletion of the canal and that con-
gress will make the necessary ap-
preparations as the meney is need
ed it is well known that congress
is bard matter to figure on, at
least so far as western appropria-
tions are concerned, and the fact
that it is an open secret that the
railroad lobby in congress will
leave no stone unturned to delay
and defeat the opening Of the river
makes the fate Ct the canal project
all the more problematical. An
other point that should be- remem-
bered in this connection is that the
Oregon delegation is asking for a
big appropriation this Winter for
the Lewis and Clark fair and all
their energies will be directed to-
ward securing that. 1t is admitted
that the fair will be a failure if
congress refuses the aid asked
for and the state cannot afford to
be turned down. This being the
caseit would be unwise as well as
useless for the Oregon delegation to
press the canal project at this ses-
sion. If they should attempt it
they might lose both. It may
therefore be taken for granted that
no appropriation for the canal will
be made this Winter and if the
portage law should be killed at Sa-
lem there could be nothing done to-
wards opening the river for another
year or two at the best.
There is q vague sort of a feeling
among the people of Eastern Ore
gon just now that certain members
of the legislature who are clamor-
ing for the repeal Of the portage
law may have be en- touched" by
railroad influence" in the matter
aud the fact that some members in
Multnomah county as well as a few