Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-08-11
EHE JOURNAL AND THE PoR.
TAcE ROAD.

uaere Is growing mp a political Is
suae that each public man and publ
NihttRnce ought to take position
aatso1t
T'hat Is the construction Of tn
astane portage railroad at Toe Dale
ef the Columbia.
The State Development league con
wsution ut Portland adopted resoIu
eaonS. rather peremtorily demandinl
saction by the stahe officialp
The Journal, without condemning
ANYONE, Wishes TO review the matter
saS h. appears to it, without prejudice
10 anyOne
Ten years ago the editor OF this
spspsr was elected a member Of the
iksys@t0Te and made a fight for CON
ssaeedution Of the matter then.
II was upon his motion That a com.
Anittee Of the Portland Chamber OF
Commerce got hearing before that
body In 1896.
The editor then challenged the
right of a corporation attorney to
7siso appear as representative of the
weople and oppose the measure.
The appropriation got a smaBl vote
IN That session. only few having the
RemRadiy 10 vote for the apprOprla.
sio0 FOR a state portage
DIT history has been making rapid
" since them The little short por
HnRe built by the state for about $50.
200 at the lower rapids had wonder
ful effect In expedltlng the building
~of the iower canal
Once that httle portage was built.
the United States engineering de.
partment hmstened the completion OF
that part OF the canal that had drag
lsDd along for 20 years.
No sooner has the state again de
~ctdsd Ia undertake the conigtruction
Of tho upper portage than the govern.
ment canal project is reyivel, and Il
~ 10 b. completed with suspicious
haste.
Admitting that the general govern
amont can az best act but slowly. the
psople reason by analogy aud con,
'ehRsle two things:
Nrst, n the state portage Is built
thsl there will be- no further inter
enh n there be any whatever. for de-.
AOtng tho canal
Second. II the state por age Is built.
rhe government canal may be built
Or not be built, the Columbia basin
ipsvshioelD can set out by water
Then. az the Legislature has ap
pIopIasted the money, the state of.
aicials have but one plan To pursue
IA build that portage without delay
Al best Or at worst. II the present
aiahe oficials are not disposed to pusn |
the canal they can delay Il but two |
years
They will get some cn,llt n they
are disposed 60 use all the means IN
their power TO push the state portage.
They will get no credit and a great
,ieal ot discredit and at wurs. cannot
prevent the state portage fiom being
constituted.
otlrer state officials will be elected
wAo viii build the potage II the
present state officials do not see NJ
10 art
1We case Is TOO plain. The issue
~ made UP TIE onb relief Tor the
iniaansi en,plre In the way OF how
lsSaght rstcs must come by the open
river
lsse Journal wishes to 80 on recod
IA this matter as standing with the
lnUi,loelv OF Easern oregon tor state
pofage N'llef
That h. the only open, just. speedy
aasi honorable rchef that can come to
The produooys OF Eastem orogun /.
THIS matter Is too web undentu,d
'u be iugsb'd With or hinderod by
raptious Official DELAY or interference
a. Wasniug,on or In Orcgon. The
pcople ls0tre lhat the gods help thosc
tbo hep themselves