The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-07-26
THE WORD OF AUTHORITY.

The coming OF President Louis w. Hill
Of the Great Northern Railway, with
which our own Astoria 4 Columbia
River Railroad is now permanently, and
potently, identified, has left measure
OF comfort and conviction in the simple
fact that what, and all, he said, while
here, in no sense denied nor disparaged
the best hope eyer entertained by the
people of this city and section. He has
spoken as fully a. we had any right
to expect he would, and his comments
have lent assurance to the program we
had previously conceived to be the one
his people must follow up to make the
most ot their possessions here.
This was his first official visit to this
section of the country and he came to
gain personal knowledge Of what he
was controlling here and to ascertain the
scope OF things needed in the big future
he and his colleagues are charged with
building. He came to look at his ter
minal facilities at the mouth OF the Co.
lumbia; the spot that is to be the key
OF the northwestern wheat situation be-
fore another year has passed; and his
scrutiny evoked certain guarded, yet
optomistic, remarks that were tanta-
mount to expressed convictions and were
ment to be so construed,
1t is folly to expected man in his
position to make positive and unquali-
fed declarations on an initial trip of
this sort; and while we are eager to
make the most of all he did say, we are
still governed by the rule OF reticence
he, himself, observed.
In relation to the future OF the wheat
situation he said, unqualifedly, "You
have the situation, here, unquestion-
ably!" and there is no reason to think
he was simply philandering with US, for
the Situation referred to is not only
ours, but his and his companys, and
means as much to them as to us; and
this remark was amplifed later in the
interview with Mr.. Hill, when he said,
with specific emphasis, "This should, un-
questionably. be the grain shipping port
OF the Columbia" These statements are
terse, to the point, free from garniture
and susceptible OF direct and wholesome
construction, as they should be, coming
from the man and concern they effect
the most deeply; and they are credited
here because they are applicable and
were meant to stand for something;
ambiguity has an infinitely different
guise from this and leaves nothing Of
certain emphasis behind it, as these
expressions do.
We believe we are not exceeding ra-
tional limits when we say that we be-
lieve that ere long there will be unmis-
taxable signs Of the real purpose of this
company, hereabout, in the way Of prep
aration for the introduction Of terminal
improvements, in order that their com
pletion may be co-incident with the
driving Of the last spike Of the Portland
& Seattle Railway (now being swiftly
builded down the north bank of the Co
lumbia), in the City OF Portland. 1t is
radically essential that these great
works shall gibe, materially, and expe-
ditiously, and that one shall not wait
upon the other; and the Hill doctrine
Of expansion will be demonstrated nice
ly in such dual conclusion, this being
the way Hill does things.
Where these great facilities are to be
placed depends largely upon the spirit
with which Astoria meets the new
scheme Of development, and she must
rouse herself to the big exigencies pend
ing in such way as to make her interest
in their location the paramount feature
of the event.
With water-leyal rails reaching from
her docks to the heart of the great
wheat-belt Of Oregon, Washington
Montanan and Idaho, the hour for hel
triumph as the shipping port for the las
grain Of it, will be of her own sounding
if she rises intelligently and promptly t.
the occasion; she has the supreme posi-
tion and must stand up for it and max
good every phase of her natural am
acquired right. The immense interest
which President Hill stands for hav
hardly spent twenty millions OF none,