The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-09-13
WHAT WE MEAN.

III mas pccn put up W tHts ohiSS
pretty peremptorily, in the course 9
the past 72 hours, TO declare Just what
it means by its structures on the Com
mon Council and City Officers in re.
lation to the street Improvements and
the Charter Committees report on
the sea-wall, etc, etc, We had thought
to write so plainly while we were al
it, that particularization would be the
last demand made upon us; but since
it is at hand, We are only too glad to
comply and qualify our position 50
there need be no more misapprehen-
sion.
Generally speaking, and in civic
sense only, we claim, and aver, that
the present group of councilmen and
officers have been careless in the
handling of the details Of certain Of
the larger schemes of street improve
ment and that the city is the worse
for that carelessness; is face to face
with entanglements that may cost, in
the end, as much or more, than the
original improvement, for since the
public has been brought to realize the
inequities and blunders attaching to
these, many other lesser mistakes
(but amply appropriate for the pur-
poses Of disagreeable demonstration)
are being heralded frov various parts
of the city, upon which moody silence
was maintained until the subject was
opened up in general fashion.
Generally speaking, and in civic
sense only, we claim that the Charter
Committee was improperly organized
when it was appointed directly from
the majority Of the Common Council
to which its reports we're to be sub
mitted for approval in the end; that
it indicated pre-disposal to, and
pre-arrangement for, the enterprise,
that placed it beyond the touch and
trend Of the popular desire and de-
sign: that the measure it has evolved
is unacceptable because it lacks the
authentic predicate of actual, definite
surveys, soundings, plans, speciilca-
tions. and estimates of cost, absolute
ly essential to so great an undertak-
ing; that it is being rushed through re-
gardless Of the best interests OF those
who shall pay for it, that it expressly
withholds the specific relief that may
be needed and sought at the hands of
the law and courts, save for such en-
try and appeal as the Commission it,
self may want and demand to justi-
fly its own procedure; that the final
sums named in the bill as the total
cost of the work, 100000, is merely
.cpnjectnral and visionary and not
based upon figures attained after exact
and rational inquiry, and that the pro-
ject as it is outlined, is liable to cost
twice that sum before its last impulse
for debt and damage is laid; that it
does not give time enough for public
deliberation, approval and acquies-
cense, and is being so handled in this
regard as to amount to tacit challenge
to all opposition, public and private;
that all customary precedent has been
waived and all preliminary requisites
abandoned, until the people shall have
committed themselves to the huge
debt and devisement and are then
barred from all legal recourse in the
courts of the land, condition at once
hazardous, ambiguous and untenable
by any community, even one better
able to face and bear such an incon-
gruous burden.
FINALLY: THE MORNING AS
TORIAN, AS THE OLDEST, AND
LEADING, NEWSPAPER OF THIS
CITY AND SECTION, is PRIMAR-
lily, HONESTLY, AND WHOLLY
IN FAVOR OF A SEAWALL, Be
LIEVING TT TO BE ESSENTIAL,
VITAL, AND The CARDINAL
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT OF CITY
AND PORT: BUT WE INSIST
THAT IT MUST BE WORKED
OUT WITH DELIBERATION AND
TECHNICAL SCRUTINY, AND
THE ACCOMPANYING ACTUAL
tiles or KNOWN LINEAGE,
DIMENSION, PLAN, SPECIFICA-
TION AND COST BEFORE 1T IS