The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-12-07
NEEDS ITS FRIENDS.

There is not man within living touch
of the vast Columbia basin who can
afford for an instant to lose interest In
the great convention now on at Wash
ington under the organic name and style
of the National Rivers { Harbors Con-
sress; and if his interest has not yet
been awakened, then it is his duty to
his section and his country to get in and
study the program and work OF this
great assembly of men banded for saliva
tion OF the people from the tremendous
and predatory exactions of the affiliated
railway interests of the America.
Nothing in the way OF popular explo'-
tation has ever approached the scope and
significance OF this enormous effort and
it is sure to make history OF incalculable
value before the hour arrives for its
dissolution. It's cardinal object is to
secure from the Congress of the country.
an omnibus appropriation Of $4,000 900
to be devoted, exclusively and entirely.
at the rate of $5O,O00.0OO a year. to the
radical and permanent improvement OF
the waterways of the United States, In
all the fulness, and detail OF such a
magnificent scheme; project absolutely
without parallel in the records of human
ambition. 1t is so immense in all its
bearings that it places every agency it
touches profoundly on guard against the
chance of error and fraud and invokes
the largest possible consideration from
both its friends and opponents.
What Congress will do with the great
petitions remains to be seen, but there
are some minds in that assembly that
know the concrete aptitude of the huge
plan and its uttermost value to the
nation at large and VINO will do their
best to secure the allotment OF this
huge sum; but there are others land
notable among them, the Speaker OF
the House of Representatives,, who are
pre-disposed against the measure and
will DO what they may toward its de-
feat. Yet the project will never be kill
ed; it will live on and on, and the years
will bolster it with larger and graver
reasons for its final success as time
passes. It is really a living issue, with
its final success at time passes. 1t is
really living issues, with vitality SO
immeasurable as to practically defy final
annihilation.
Naturally, the greater waterways of
the country win receive the earliest and
deepest consideration and treatment al
the hands of the Congressional trustees
who shall have control Of this appropria.
ton and the Columbia river and its great
tributaries will figure conspicuously in
the deal that contemplates the full equip
ment of these channels OF commerce
throughout the national domain, and W.
should be ever and always on the alert
to back up this mighty work for thu
sake of all it means to us of the North
west as well as to the whole people.
Everything that is done throughout
this territory in connection with thu
Columbia or any of the rivers that de
bouch into it, must be done with an sy,
single to the ultimate prospects and pur
poses Of this quasi-public Congress who's
1000 members are bent unifedly and de
voutedly to the redemption and utiliza
tion Of the waterways Of America in orde
to strike, and hold, a balance, as agains
the blasting supremacy Of the rail trans
portation systems that are fast engulf
ing the people and their commerce in !
mesh Of miserable dependence ant
despotic extortion.