The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-08-19
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RANK sUBTERFUGE.


For want of more pertinent answer
to the Astorian's srtictures on the
hide bound policies of Portland in the
development of the state, the Oregon
ian of yesterday seeks to make this
paper amenable to an open disparage-
ment of United States Senator Charles
w. Fulton, something that was, and is.
entirely foreign to the will or purpose
of the Astorian. The name of the sena-
tor is invoked to avert what must, else,
have been a straightforward, if futile,
response to the direct challenge we
made that the 0regonian justify itself.
and for another purpose as well. which
is understood thoroughly. The Astorian
takes it upon itself to apologize, for
both papers, for the needless and heed
less use of his name in the Portland
print, and to aver its freedom from all
intent at reflection, even by inference.
Senator Fulton knows what the As
torian thinks of his work and career in
congress; it has been printed often
enough in grateful terms to obviate the
necessity for any allusion to it. and
the Oregonian win have to stick to the
text of the argument raised, and stihe
us, if it can.
We do not blame Portland for exer-
cising every reasonable energy it pos
sesses in up-building the city and max
ing it metropolis in every sense of
the word; and this city has, and will,
contribute gladly to the consumation Of
Portland's best ambition along all lines
that do not cross our own welfare. We
do blame Portland. as the center and
fountain-head of all the influence Ore
gon is able to invoke, or express, for
directing that power always and domi-
neeringly to- and for, Portland. with
blasting Indifference to every other city |
and locality in the state. The ascend
ency of Portland at Washington is all
it should be if only it were used for
Oregon as well as for Portland. That it
has not been so used, accounts for the
fact that today. Oregon, with vast and
varied resources and boundless elements |
to attract and hold millions of men,
with new blood and expanding ener
gies, is the poorest commonwealth on
the Pacific Slope in population; that |
she is fenced in by policies that make
for her inertia, while the "frst families
are Cutting themselves with the ex-
elusive immunities and privileges forged
two score of years ago; that Portland
has no breadth that is not marked
and stalled at her municipal boundaries;
that she permits nothing to be done by
the national or state government that
does not include, first of all, an enhance
ment of her prestige and development.
She has centered the destinies Of the
state so long within her own precincts
that she has lost all concern for the
growth of her contributing neighbors,
stultifying their very contributory fa-
culties by the over-reaching selfshnesS
that inspires her to thwart and minify
their efforts to live and build up. She
has clung to the moss back principle Of
exclusiveness until Washington, with no
more to back her than Oregon has, in
the way of natural advantages, leads
her with an abounding lead in every
direction. She may depreviate her influ-
ence all she chooses through her press
but the story is too old and to bur
densome to be ousted from the minds of
the people who have got it by heart
by years of disappointment and
chagrin. u