The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-03-20
EASTERN
OREGON
FIGHTING
Circulating Petitions
for Referendum
Is Against theFair ApprOpria-
tion and Corporation Tax
And Also Against Portage
Railway Appropriation

The Baker City Democrat. which is
theh most rabid OF the papers demand.
ing the referendum expresses It's opin.
ions in the article following:
The enthusiasm is widespread
throughout Baker City and Baker
county over the invocation Of the ref.
erendum Of the people for the repeal
OF the recently enacted corporation
tax law and portage railway bill. Ev-
erybody is signing the petitions, and
word comes from Union county and
from Southern Oregon that the enthu.
siasm is there just as great as in Ba.
ker county. The people are learning
that the last legislature Is not one
which entirely represented them.
Many laws are passed which are ob.
jectionable to the masses.
II is desired, and Il f. almost ob.
ligatory that the merchants and orIl.
nary business men sign these petitions
The interests OF part OF the state are at
the eastern part Of the state are at
stake. Capital will not come here
and invest when II is burdencd by
such laws. The fact Is perfectly apar
ent that the largest industry OF east.
ern Oregon is being cinchcd for the
purpose OF building a toy thrown as a
sop at some OF the politicians aud
grangers in the middle Columbia riv.
er counties. There Is as much use for
portage railroad as there Is for a
nth wheel ON n wagon. The United
States government Is now at work
building a canal between The Dalles
and Cello, which is the only true
solution OF river transportation TO the
inland Empire. When you use a port.
age railway and have 20 break bulk
twice in transit from the interior 10
the point OF shipment. you destroy
the profits gained by river transpor
tation over rail.
Taking From the Mines.
Then why take $4,000 from the
mining interests and throw II into a
hole at The Dalles. when II Is known
10 every responsible engineer that
$l65,000 will not build one-half OF the
projected road? The bill, further.
more. provides nothing for terminal
facilities and nothing for the opera.
tion OF the road when II Is completed
by the time two or three successive
legislatures have been conveRed and
have appropriated money for the de
hciency In the construction of the pro
posed road and some 100000 OF the
peoples money win have been spent
and the road put in operation the
United States canal will have been
completed The mining men Of this
state are a unit in their opposition to
both bills. swiping money out OF one
industry 10 support another
II will be seen when the next gen.
eral campaign comes on In the state
of Oregon that the people will take
a hand In the distribution OF their
own money They want 10 support
he legitimate industries Of the state,
Mining is the chief industry and
portion OF the Willamette valley and
he middle Columbia counties stand |
n the middle 70 the two gold produc.
ng sections OF Oregon, Wheat grow
ng, sheep raising and cattle produc
ng are all great industries. Allied |
With them are the manufacturing in
erests. All must have a fair show,
'ut II isn't fair 90 tAJ 10 death the
'Oung mining industry Of the state
nd prevent foreign capital and for
ign companies from developing these
atent resourcoes. Thinking men
now where they stand on these prop
sitiOns
The Other Side.
The Democrat according 10 the
pinions OF those taking an opposite
lew, starts on with entirely false
remises, and therefore. reaches enur
" erroneous conclusions u pre-
Uses that all the money that Is 20
0 raised by the tax on interpretations