East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-04-30

Umatilla, April 3O.-(Editor East
Oregonian.) )-On April % the PEN
dleton Tribune contained an editorial |
headed, THE Disadvantage Only Tenn |
porary" Editor Geer, usually so
forceful with his pen, found himself |
up stump attempting to apologize
for the neglect and recreancy of the
Pendleton business men in not secur-
ing and retaining the trade of that
rich field around Milton and Free
water in Umatilla county.
One could but sympathize with Mr.
Geer in his kindly attempt to save
his neighbors from censure by the
wide awake observant BUSINESS men
of the two states.
The Tribune says "the disadvantage
is but temporary" Why Is the advan-
tage not permanent to Walla Walla,
and why need they have any fear of
rivalry in the future. from a people
that have failed utterly up to date
to take advantage of the many and
varied opportunities going to waste at
their very doors? What has Pendle-
ton ever done that might lead a dis
appointed and suffering public to be-
| lieve that her local capitalists VIII
ever invest in anything other than
Umatilla county wheat lands or brick
blocks in the city of Pendleton?
The Tribune says, But this line
from Walla Walla to Milton is as GER
tain to be continued to the Columbia
river by the way of Pendleton as is
any other thing in the future which
has not yet taken place"
Now that has always been the trou-
BILE with Pendleton. She has been
imbued with the idea that she is the
hub" of the Columbia basin, and that
her great advantage as a strategic
point commercially, would forever
protect her from the attack of her
rivals, and the fact that the city is
nestled in the center of one of the
most productive spots on earth, her
people could fold their arms and only
wait for the fruits of the toll and en-
terprise of the rural people around
her to fall in their laps without any
considerable effort on their part.
And thus it has been in the past,
Z but will such continue in the future? :?
It may be possible, but is not proba-
| BILE.
Walla Walla has fitted on her goth
century working harness and every
&, unit of her population is leaning hard
;. up into the collar. We have seen the
!, result of her first practice heat, and
she has annexed permanently to her
domain the most valuable slice of ter
$ ritory that Umatilla county has, as
II the result.
. Now if they have done this as anna
u teurs, what may we expect when they
{ have become veterans? Walla Walla's
gain is Pendleton's loss, but is the
n capture of that rich territory all they
e have done?
e Not by any means. BY their shrewd
n tactics and business methods they have
= been inducing wealthy farmers from
It around the north part of the county
and even down to within a stones
If throw of Pendleton, to take up theii
II abode in Walla Walla, there to make
e. their permanent homes and such Of
J. the farmers as have so gone to Wallf
n Walla, have taken with them al
1t their worldly belongings and will builc
up new social. domestic and bushes!
% relations. They will transfer theil
- financial accounts from the Pendle
= ton banks to the Walla Walla deposi
ID tories thereby making the centra
"a wheatfields of Umatilla county trib
,r utary to Walla Walla.
As the Tribune says, 1t is to be ex
:. pected that these electric lines will
=. be built on through Umatilla count!
" to the Columbia river, and may cal
in at Pendleton.
II the Walla Walla lines are ex
:, tended through Umatilla county undo
- the auspices and management
walla Walla people, it may be ex
pected that said lines will not be 81
1t laid and constructed as to be to tn
g disadvantage of Walla Walla and th
Is benefit of Pendleton, as her rival.
st In other words, those proposed line
ID may be so built that they would be o
r no benefit as feeders to Pendletor
RS On the other hand they might be al
m expected to point directly to Wall
Walla.
I might, with propriety, be permit
L. ted to suggest that II Pendleto
hopes to acquire any benefit fror
is these networks of electric roads
spoken of by the Tribune, she wi
ts have to get in, and get in early, an
,r make no mistake, but seize the rigt
,d horn of the dilemma, and havin
= seized it, then like Walla Walla, sta
70 with 1t.
nm Walla Walla has not trusted her for
m tunes to the tender mercies OF Pen
IN dleton Neither should Pendleto
trust hers to Walla Walla.
an Will Pendleton get in and proteo
m herself against her enterprising rivs
rs by making start on the constructio
NJ of this network Of trolley lines" tha
"a is to traverse all parts of this sectio
n of the county," and thereby make
10, easy to hold the trade of the ric
at county around her? Or will sh
n continue to insist on becoming a sui
ri urb of Walla Walla?
AN ORsERVER