The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-18
i. PURELY PERSONAL

its structures ON the action of three
members of the nine composing the
promotion committee Of the Astoria
Chamber Of Commerce, in regard to the
treatment accorded to William Reid in
the matter Of his negotiations for GER
tain right -of-way, privileges on the
Portland Oregon & Seacoast Railway
project, should have evoked so pro-
nouncedly personal response from
MIR. G. G. Fulton as appears in these
columns this morning. We had no idea
that Mr.. Reid's overtures were con-
strued upon SO purely personal grounds
as is rendered unequivocally certain by
this communication; nor that deals,
referred by the ASTORIA Chamber of
Commerce to its leading committee.
were disposed Of upon such hypothesis
We have always felt, and held. that the
Chamber of Commerce was quasi
public body, taking its authority, its
sustenance, and its prestige, from the
major sense of it's membership, not
from the personal inspirations or preju-
dices that possess its committees, In
whole, or in part.
That it invests this, its most promi-
nent committee, with such immutable
prerogatives as are indicated in the ac-
tion of this particular minority of this
particular committee, is, to say the
least, dangerous policy in the handling
Of affairs Of this nature when so many
men and interests are involved. We
deprecate such ose-corporation"
methods in an organization to whom
the will of its majority should be as the
@breathe of its nostrils,' on the ground,
that no good, no safety. no genuinely
authoritative action, may be counted
upon, especially, in cases where spon-
taneous prejudice appears to have
swayed as it did in this instance.
However well justified that prejudice
may have been, insofar as this particu-
lar protestant is concerned, is not to
the point, and should have been beside
it, to the very end Of this negotiation
of Mr.. Reid's. 1t is peculiarly sugges-
tive that nothing of this sort was
broached during the earlier phases of
his dealings with the Chamber of Com
merce, and only appear at the moment
he comes to make good on the only stip-
ulations set up by the Chamber during
the six weeks or two months his propo-
sition has been before this body. To
the ordinary citizen it looks very much
as though Mr.. Reds final proof of his
willingness and ability to do what was
demanded of him in this relation, could
mot be negatived, now he forced from
the field. save by the application of a
mixture of bias and temper, and bluff
in the shape Of an impossible and extra
ordinary rider to his privilege, bond
of $25o,000 to assure the doing of the
work and the paying of the men en-
gagged upon it.
We beg to disclaim Mr.. Fulton's
Wholesale charge that this paper or the
people employed upon iH have ever
done less than their entire duty By the
Astoria Chamber of Commerce. 1t
strikes us that we have manifested
about os much real interest in it and
its work, as he can justify to; and we
beg to assert our privilege, and his. to
criticise what of it's actions are amen
able to criticism, as is the one in which
he has just figured so conspicuously.
And we have the advantage of writing
this quite free from any prejudice to-
ward him, the Chamber, and Mr.. Reid.
The conclusion that MIR. Reid is abso-
lutely without backing and sponsorship
is merely a gratuity and is not qualified
in the communication under eonsidera-
tion. Beside, it was not the time to
demand nor expect any definite assur-
ance on this score. That phase of the
situation could have waited The issue Of
the compact we were pledged to and
which we fatty discarded, to our own
discredit.
This paper is edited for every man
in this city and county to read, and
with the sole purpose Of passing upon
public and popular questions in rational
and wholesome terms, and upon the
dearest understanding Of the public
puview of those questions; not to do