Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-05-21
Relief for Inland Empire
(Oregonian.)

(Oregonian)
With Western Washington contain
ing by far the larger proportion OF the
population of our neighboring state.
and with railroad sentiment predomi-
mating throughout that population. ir-
respective Of party affiliations. the pro-
ducers OF Eastern Washington. who
have been fighting long and strenuous
ly for lower freight rates TO the sea-
board might reach their goal a little
sooner by taking a new tack. The rail-
roads contend. and they back up their
contention with schedules of other
roads. that rates are no higher in the
Pacific Northwest than in many of the
more thickly settled states lying farther
east. They also point to the cities they
have built and the wild territory that
they have made available for reclama-
ton and development. Amid such de-
velopment and enterprise it is but nat
ural to find the beneficiaries. both di-
rect and indirect. remaining loyal to
the railroads.
1t is unreasonable to expect a rail-
road employe or small merchant whose
earnings Of half a lifetime are smaller
than those Of many Of Eastern WASH
ington's wheat kings for a single sea-
son. to become enthusiastic over the,
cause Of the latter as against that Of
the railroads. Whatever the merits Of
these divergent opinions may be. these
are the facts 10 they exist and must be
faced by both parties. Eliminating the
political soreheads Of both parties. an
accurate census report would show the
Evergreen state to be railroad by =
goAd. safe ma jority. But the railroads
arr not ihvulnerable. and the wheat
growers Of the Inland Empire can Sc
cure lower rates to tidewater by an
easier method than perpetual political
warfare. Their easiest avenue Of es-
cape lies through an open river.
The improvement Of the Columbia
and Its tributaries from the Big Bend
and Lewistop to the sea would be a
more effective freight regulator than
all Of the railroad commission bills that
could be placed on the statute books
This improvement would also meet
With the approval and enlist the sup
port Of men who are today friendly to
the railroads because the railroads have
accomplished Just what the river Inn
opportunities for internal development
and the creation Of wealth. An open
river through the Inland Empire wou1d
be fed BY q score Of electric tram
ways for mich there u cheap power In
abundance. and tho economic influence
on thu entire Pacific Northwest would
be Of vast importance. Waterways the
world oyer have always proven tie
great regulators Of freight tafiifc. and
what can be accomplished In this d.
rection 10 most strikingiy illustrated In
the case - the 500 canal. Between
1887. when hat waterway first attained
promihHnceS a. a carrier Of tranic, and
1908. the rate on coal declined from 90
cents per ton to So cents: on flour, from
- cents per barrel to IL cents: on
wheat. from cents a bushel to rs
cents; on iron ore from S1.75 per ton
to IS cents and on lumber from - per
thousand to $3.50 per thousand feet.
Similar results have followed the OPEN
ing of natural waterways in other parts
Of the world. and in but few cases have
the railroads made very fierce fights
against them.
1t does not necessarily follow that
the opening of the Columbia river will
drive the railroads out of the carrying
trade. or that rates will be materially
reduced. What would follow. however.
would be the establishment of rate
that was just and equitable to both
river and rail lines, and as the river
route would be open to all corners. rates
could never be juggled by such monop-
olies as are possible only among rail-
| road combinations. If the wheat kings
OF eastern Washington had worked as
hard for an open river as they have for
rate reductions on the railroads. the,
would have known ere this whether OIL
not rates were exorbitant. and the rem
edy for modifying them would have
been near at hand
Consult us before buying a watch
HanAS