Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-02-06
FREE LOCKS AND OPEN river
L,d5e w. S. McFadden's Address Before
the Willamette Valley Development
League in Albany Recently.

and substantive matters today.
The open river is a practical
proposition and has much to do
with the development of Western
Oregon. Mr.. Westbrook has re-
duced to a minute demonstration
to you few minutes since that
our people are paying tribute to
this corporation in foliage, an
nual y, at least 500, 900.
Everv ton of freight through
the locks means fifty cents out
of pocket as we'll as on every ton
carried by rail. The grim toll
collector at the locks with its
clam-like hand dots down every
horse and head of cattle IS cents;
each poor old sheep ten cents;
every sack of potatoes, sugar, or
9th + sack of produce, etc., pass
iag through the gilded gates
must pay its tribute; each bale
Of hay a nickle in the slot, and
each bale of hops its stipend of
ten cents. In short, this lockage
charge stands knocking at every
door in the valley-nagging
every purse string. If you look
toward Portland you will always
see it in the river with palm ex-
tended demanded tribute, tribute!
1t has actually chained up the
river as generating power plant
for electrical purposes and exacts
tribute from Portland, at so
much each candle power. We
are, therefore, in the language OF
President Cleveland, confronted
with condition, not a theory. "
Under the recognized system
in which we are to work it must
be in a representative form. The
Individual factor in every com.
munity is always on the ground
floor and we are deemed to ac-
! complish legitimate and propel
ends by and through those whe
are called upon to represent US II
. official capacity.
You may say: "What has ou
. legislative body to do with oul
!, advancement, since we sufe
mainly from the blights of it
! official misrepresentation" Th
f answer is Correct that evil, ant
5 establish different order-hx {
standard for your Legislative
f members in mentality, work an
: character in the channels the,
f are expected to work" :" If W
. are to have an open river, or any
e thing else that is open, we mus
f make a radical departure fror
E our old lines. In the lines Q
progress and an eye single to th
d betterment of our interests,
: would be wise for US to take a
It invoice of that galaxy of states
S men who assumed to represen
It us in the legislatures of five c
d ten years ago, and inspect ther
e carefully. What you will fin
: to be true of them will probabl
:, be a fair test of the caliber {
Il those who have gone before,
i we'll as those who have budde
: and bloomed since. Conside
n that body at any given period i
e the history of the State as a
y entirety. Put them under you
If eye and see the large per cel
e that will average at the rate
l. one fibre of wool to each sack I
II shoddy; and then ask why tt
.e river is clogged and state deve
At opment frost bitten.
S, Your invoice will give you tt
70 right answer. Many of tho
y one-6bre characters are now
at existance in different parts OF tt
lie state under the guise of reforme
- at this tire, yet always promo
IT ers, but with their hauds out f
a. a soft ''snap."
i'd My talk, as 1 before state
a. must be on the crazy quilt orde
or aud Pm to be allowed much la
X tude so long as 1 am within t
ID subject of State progress.
al The need of our day is men
s, standing and identity; men w
be stand for and represent som
thing that concerns the peop
al For sure, winners under the {