The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-05-31

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SOUNDS THE KEYNOTE.

Resuming the long-drawn argument
1t has maintained for years, the Ore
gon;an, Of yesterday, proceeds to show
that Astoria has the least to lose in the
matter of sea-commerce Of any Of the
three countries, Multnomah Columbia
and Clatsop, by reason of the fact that
on that day the following was the exact
distribution of vessels loading at the
various 3ports' en- route from hte
Columbia bar to the metropolis:
''The reason for Clatsop's Indifference
to the fate Of the Columbia River ship
ping may be found in the figures men
toned. These figures show that there
were loading at Multnomah County
PORTS yesterday. II vessels Of 2s,11s
tons register. At Columbia County
ports there were vessels Of 5516 tons
register ANA at Clatsop County ports,
two vessels of Sss tons register. There
are times during the year when Astoria
makes a more favorable showing, but
she has long since fallen behind the
Columbia County ports in shipping Inn
portance."
Tn going to the trouble to get up
this schedule, the big paper has done
us the favor to sound the very keynote
Of our adeathIess contention" the mis-
erable fact that Astoria, the second
largest city in Oregon; the one real,
logical and usuable port on the whole
Oregon coast, must be ignored and derid
ed in the interest of Portland, whose
hold on the commerce Of the Columbia
Valley is so weak and so uncertain that
she is desperately fighting with such
foul weapons as the "Port Of Columbia"
law to retain it; that this splendid har-
Dor, among the finest on the earth, must
have but two small craft loading at its
wharves where a thousand, of any ton
mage, might be served, because the
wealth and influence of the metropolis
lures them by and beyond this haven liz
miles up couple of rivers so shallow
that only the lesser bottoms of the
deep can be utilized, the greater car
riers going to the Sound is Difference to
the better channels and facilities; that
this last outrage is permitted blythe men
of Portland. rather than exert their i'm
mense influence to keep that huge COM
merce in the Oregon port Of Astoria,
to the alleged discontinue of the me-
tropolis; that the one deadly fear that has
possessed Portland all these years, the
commercial ascendancy Of Astoria should
blind her to the merits Of this port and
urge her to battle and cripple US at all
times in all ways lest we take on the
natural and rational uplift inherent in
our one magnificent quality; that
knowing our great and righteous claim
over all other places, inland, or on the
seaboard, she uses her might to worst
and defeat us always, in the maritime
eye of the world, when she has proven
her own inadequacy to maintain the
place she assumed.
We have nothing to say against the
little ports up the river; they are
sports" only because they have the good
fortune to have certain mills well es-
tablished on their meagre fronts, and
send forth what Of the worlds wants
they happen to have; they are not ports
in the sense that usually applies to tdat
term; no vessels ever clear from them
under the marine laws of the country,
Portland and Astoria being the only
ports from which they can officially en-
ter or depart; their success does not
enter into the big, vital issue between
the metropolis and this city; this is a
city Of $1,000 people and it has moth
ing to do with the intermediate busi-
ness along the river, and the oregonian
knows it, but injects these landings for
purposes of argument.
We have but one text, and plenty Of
time to argue 1t. We, of Astoria, are
conscious Of an impending change in