The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-07-02
SUNDAY REFLECTIONS.

"For whatsoever man soweth, that
also shall he reap" And now the law is
that we reap a harvest of happiness
that our fathers sowed; and that we
in turn are 10 sow harvests of well
being that other hands will reap. That
man is worth the most to Astoria who
sows the greatest harvests for the COM
ing generations, That man is worth
the least who lives for today and to-
day only. There has been a determined
effort in Astoria during the past month
to SO improve the moral conditions of
the city that it will lend an attract
iveness to visitors. There has been an
effort to sow seeds of civic righteous
ness that win spring up and bear fruit,
that will rebound to the future glory
and grandness of the Venice of Amer
lea where grand and enobling impulses
will supplant viciousness and immoral
ity to the end that the rising genera
tion who shall reap the harvest will in
turn plant for those who are to follow;
those who are to step upon the worlds
field of action and uphold and direct
our commonwealth. It is q mistaken
idea that Astoria is peopled with an
immoral element, and that their pat
ronage is the life of trade to the busi-
ness community. Some five years ago
Astoria contained population of
about 5000 people. Twenty years ago
it had a population of about 5000. To-
day it has a population of 1880. The
increase of over so percent in its popu-
lation has not been augmented by the
vicious class, but by the refined and
cultured people of the east. Those
who pander to the lower strata of So
ciety will reap what they have sown. If
a decrease in the population Of the
undesirable element, affects business to
the extent of an irreparable loss to the
merchants, then it is not giving those
that comprise the moral element credit
for their efforts to save the rising gen.
Grafton from the wiles and snares and
temptations that constantly beset them
by the small minority. If the patron.
age of the low and viscious is the in
eentive for reactionary methods, then
it is the duty of all catering to that
trade TO designate their place Of busi-
mess as the rendezvous of that class of
people If the patronage of the better
element is of secondary Importance
efforts will be made to provide res
pectable place of business where they
will not be contaminated by the In.
auence Of class who have no regard
for our laws; for happy homes, for
refinement and culture, but who are
willing to tear down the structure upon
which society is founded in efforts to
allure the young from the paths of
Tectitude to lives of sin and shame.
For whatsoever a man soweth that shall
shall he also reap. The many noble
women of Astoria, enlisted in the
cause of civic improvement; in the
beautifying the homes of the city; in
honest efforts to improve the social
and moral condition Of society, have
banded together for the Detterment of
the city in every branch and in every
department. The conservative element
of Astoria comprise fully two-thirds
of the population. They are numbered
among the men who labor in the various
mills and industries, who take excep.
tions to the statement that merchants
must rely upon the vicious. for their
patronage and who are lending their
aid and moral support to the purifca.
tiOn Of the city. and whose patronage
is worth ten times the amount derived
from the class, which it is alleged have
been forced by the so-called moral wave
to seek fields new, and pastures green,
for plying their vocations. There have
been too many tares sowed in Astoria
The harvest has been a disgrace to the
city and to its people. What the peo-
pie in the past have sown, that have
they reaped. Compare the conditions
and sentiment of Astoria with that of
twenty years ago, and is there a single
merchant. that would be willing to go
back to that time when Astoria's rep.
utation was anything but elevating and
Tefnedi The contest for civic and