The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-08
"PoRT OF COLUMBIA" FoRsooTH!

For astonishing. raw and bloodless
nerve, the new bill authorized by the
Portland Chamber of Commerce, and
introduced in the Oregon legislature
by Multncmah representatives, at
tempting TO create the Port of Colum-
bia the sole and specific object Of the
existence of which shall be to main
tain the pilotage and towage inter-
ests and functions at the mouth of the
Columbia river. through the medium
Of taxation upon the counties of Multi
nomah, Columbia and Clatsop, is the
last and worst type of Portland DOM
ination in this state yet heard of. II
exceeds all the bald and reckless ma
nipulation that ever preceded it. and
is so palpably an outrage that the very
Oregonian itself gags in its peurile
attempt to bolster it. 1t is a shame
less and senseless subterfuge, and even
II 1t shall work its fool way through
the legislature, the courts Of the State
will be instantly invoked to lay bare
its rat-like conspiracy to steal the
maritime prestige of the Columbia bar
and fasten 1t to the skirts of Portland,
while the cnus of its cost shall be
shared by two counties 100 hundred
miles away ia rendered ZEN IT II
solitary cents worth of profit or in
crement, and that share dictated by the
subsequent and skillful manipulation
of the metropolitan county of the
state.
That Clatsop county should be in
cluded in the tribune Of counties to
carry the load indicated may, per-
haps, be accounted for on the nypo-
thesis that she lies next to the bar,
and is the most deeply interested in
any scheme of development arising in
that relation, but that Columbia
should have been named as factor,
is the silliest expression made in the
measure, since nothing on earth can
innure to her in the proposition by
any stretch of human imagination.
Clatsop herself, would be- practically,
In the same dish of soup" provided
for her sister next up the river, and
the whole idiotic program is Of a
piece with these screaming injustices.
Yesterday the county court of Clat-
sop went on record, swiftly and plain
ly, with a resolution condemning the
scheme and protesting against its con-
sileration at Salem, and this official
protest will be quickly followed by
Columbia county, and the representa-
ton from this end Of the valley in
the Oregon legislature, will get orders
of the most unmistakeable sort as
soon as the mails can deliver them.
We do not know who the author of
the bills, nor do We care a tinker's
darn; the conception is essentially Of
Portland and is too rankly offensive
to pass muster even in a Legislature
where the interests Of Portland are,
naturally, and quite properly, consid
cred eminent on any air and
square deal Of a statewide character
But this bill out-Portlands Portland,
and will meet the fate 1t deserves.
If the State of oregon has not wis
dom enough to frame up law to bet
ter govern it's pilotage interests, with
out handing over the flesh, blood, hide,
bones and hair of the Columbia river
commerce to the one city whose raw
enous chops are agape for 1t; If she
cannot control a simple and single ell
ement of her own business without
the intervention of such conspicuously
rotten grab" as this, she had better
cast down all barriers at the bar and
on the river, throw the whole system
of pilotage and towage wide open to
the independent skill and business