Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-09-15

mBNT OF OREGON. The people Of
Oregon and Of the whole United States
have done nobly in helping TO build the
railroads we have and are prepared
10 DO more Oregon has taxed their
property and their lands lightly com
par,d to other states. OREGON HAS
REPEALED ALL HOSTILE LEGIs.
LATIoN. Oregon has treated the cor.
porate interests fairly and literally
and IS ASKING ONLY FAIR TREAT.
MENT IN RETURN.
To tell the people Of Oregon to help
themselves is good advice There are
various ways Of doing this, and one
way is to find out what the corporations
are willing to DO for US. The Harri-
man managers are showing a disposi-
tion TO do more for Oregon than ever
before and they have manifested this
disposition ever since this league was
organized.
Here is another solid bit Of advice
from the Salem Statesman with which
we are most heartily in accord;
"No adverse legislation will aid in
bringing more railroads or better trans.
portation facilities into Oregon. Proper
raiload legislation and adverse legis.
lation are two different things. The
former Oregon will have; the latter is
not needed"
Tho Statesman says the rail-
ROADS ARE FIT SUBJECTS FOR
REGULATION" That is a sound
proposition, but 1t should tell the pub.
lie what it would regulate. Would 1t
regulate freight and passenger faresi
Would it regulate accounting, and re-
quire publicity Of receipts and ex-
pensesi Would It regulate free passes
and declare by law who shall be al.
lowed to constitute the free listi
WHERE WILL 1T STOP WITH REG. |
ULATIONf
THE JOURNAL DOES NOT Be
LIEvE IN VERY MUCH REGULA-
rIoN. II believes in just as little
regulation as possible. But II does be.
Iieve that there should be the closest
and most farreaching cooperation be.
tween the transportation management
and the industries and business interests
Of the country to the end that both the
people and the corporations shall pros
per- That is the secret Of Jim Hills
railroad management and the secret
n the success Of every great railway
system.
The Stateman warns the Develop.
nent League against adopting any
measure for "Drastic legislation or
excessive taxation" win II show its
readers a state In the Union that has
so little legislation Of any kind, and
that has taxed corporate property so
lightly as oregoni
Unless the Statesman or any critic
n the Development League can show
that fact they are in no position TO
attack Oregon or the League for what
they may do. The record shows what
they have done, To raise a howl about
what they may DO is demagogy, and
crying before you are hurt.
II Oregon would for ten years tax
he railroads as California does, and !
for ten years pursue the legislative
policies Of Washington, and Oregon
then not develop as fast as her neigh,
Dor states all around her, they might
employ that argument for the repeal /
II those laws
But until Oregon has done something
" that kind, IL is unfair to attack the
Development League, and, il will only
hasten the adoption Of those policies,
which have not been yet seriously con.
,idered.
II the Statesman's articles are sug.
yested by a corporation man, he should
.ake broader view and give tho peo-
pie credit for acquiring at least a liz.
he knowledge Of what is going on
around them Every editor has
things" suggested to him Some are
good and some are not
The records show that while Oregon
'oads controlled by Mr. Hartman
'ave been piling up a surplus annu
NY, there has not been the construe,
ion going on here that has been going
m IN THE STATES ALL AROUND
OREGON WHERE THERE HAVE
BEEN LAWS THAT THE STATES
NAN WOULD GALL DRASTIC, AND