Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-05-08
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST be-


WHAT WILL THE HARVEST Be-
The Portland Journal of Sunday ha,
an editorial under the above head, a,
| follows:
"The people of Oregon have been ex
cecdingly kind TO the railroad compan.
les They have practically given them
Everything they asked and have got
nothing in return. Millions Of dollars
have been contributed to the railroad
treasures, and they have seen these
millions diverted for improvements,
costing staggering totals, TO make traf-
ic glide with ease and expedition TO
San Francisco. They have seen four
ffths Of the state left entirely without
railroad connection, to worry along as
best it could; they have rarely seen a
feeder built. On the other hand they
have had reason to know that independ-
ent railroad enterprises have been throt.
tied, and that the state has been ef-
fectualy bottled up to prevent the very
development for which the people have
been clamoring.
"North they see giants inthe railroad
world bestriding the Sound cities, di.
verting traffic there which legitimately
belongs here, and making herculean eff
forts to build them into centers of over
shadowing consequence. Thus we have
the upper and neither millstones with
Portland in between.
"It is then no longer a question that
concerns alone the merchants cr even
the property owners, but all the people.
What are we going to do about it, and
what are the o. r. & n. and the South
ern Pacific going to do about itl The
present relations cannot always be
maintained; it cannot always be a case
of give everything and get nothing, Of
being fed on promises which are made
only to be broken. We have earned the
friendship and good will of these cor
porations, and are repaid by something
worse than neglect IL has now become
a question Of self.preservation. The
time for temporizing has passed. The
embargo laid upon us must be raised.
This is now the temper of the people.
They are now beginning to act for
themselves in the river projects, but
they will not, for they cannot, be con
tent with that alone. There is an OBJ
vious duty for the railroads to perform;
they realize it better than they can be /,
told. Will they do it, and go hand in
hand with a friendly people, as in the /
past, or will they temporarize, and thus
rupture these cordial relations, bringing !
about frame of public mind that will
find expression in something more tan
gible than mere newspaper expressions
Or even resolutions of public bodies,
however clearly they may mirror the
public mindg' :
Business men and citizens of Oregon
who can read and understand the above
statements should begin to do some
thinking.
The ideas promulgated by the Port
land journal were first enumerated at
the Willamette Valley Development
League convention at salem, March
Esd.
They have been expressed in other
newspapers, in the orogcnian, and 9th
sr newspapers in the valley.
The most powerful influence exerted
by these statements lies in their truth.
fulness.
Yet there are public men and rail
road managers who will shut their eyes
10 the facts and klink at them, and re-
fuse to learn.
There are alleged politicians in the
state who will get of columns Of slOb-
Der about some good old pioneer who
has been with the shades for quarter
Of a century.
They will Aatter some great newspa-
per or some one in authority to get
little notice or liberation in return.
In the meantime the facts remain,
aud what are we going to do about
them.
CTJTTDREJ cRy ron