Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-09-11

21. The meeting was not confined to
any one locality. There were ses-
sions at Marshfeld, at North Bend, a
trip to Bandon and only lack of time
prevented the delegates from putting
in day at Coquille City and Myrtle
Point on the upper Coquile
II was the first anniversary of the
congress. organized at Marshfield
one year ago. There were present
delegates from Eastern Oregon,
from Idaho, Portland, the william
ette valley and Southern Oregon
"Self-Help" was the keynote of the
session and the district plan of i'm
proving oregon portl and affording
railway outlet FOR the bottled-up
portions of the state was strongly
endorsed.
The degelates were welcomed TO
the Coos bay country by DR.. J. r.
Mccormack. president of the Marsh
field Chamber OF Commerce. In re-
sponse, Colonel f. Hofer, president
of the congress, reviewed It's work
during the past year
President Hofcr's Review.
President Hofer. in his review,
said:
THE first session of the Congress
held at Marshheld, August 25, 2b
1905, declared in favor of two spe-
cihc propositions:
a. An enactment Of a general
port commission law, which has been
ecured at the hands Of the oregon
legislature and has been upheld by
The supreme court. Under this act
four port commissions have been or
ganlzed. and are proceeding TO Inn
prove the waterways on the inside
channels of Coos Bay, Coquille.
Sluslaw and Tlllamook From a trans
portatlon standpoint this was the
most important piece OF legislation
ever enacted In the history OF the
state Under is operation the peo-
pie are able TO help themselves TO
secure better transportation condi-
tlons without waiting for the past
haltlng policy on the part OF the
federal government The improve
ment OF the west coast harbors by
the people themselves Is a tremen-
dous argument in favor OF securing
railroads and the building up OF such
railroads to these harbors, giving an
Independent outlet 10 the commerce
OF the Pacific ocean. would build up
large distributing centers. manufac-
mring and jobblng trade, not only at
the harbor cities. but at such inte-
rior cities as Roseburg, Eugene, Al
bany, Salem, Burns, ontario and
Boise.
The other great line OF work I'M
augurated by this congress, and II
has been persistently adhered 10. was
the enactment by both states OF what
is known as the district railroad
law. This congress presented the
matter to the Idaho legislature, after
learning that there were no obstacles
In the constitution of that state. and
the law was enacted by almost unan-
nous vote of the general assembly,
THE first railroad district has been
organized by the bright and progress
sive business men OF the city of
Boise. They have organized the first
railroad district. and with the unani-
nous backing of the banking aud
houses OF that trade center
viii submit TO a vote OF the people
the creation OF the first railroad dis
trict That law, like the general port
commission act, Is being tested in a
friendly suit In the supreme court
and IL sustained as Il undoubtedly
will be, both by the highest judicial
authority and the public sentiment
Of the entime commonwealth, will he
the solution of railroad construction
by the people. Briefly stated. that
law provides that the railroad dis-
trct may be organized on the same
principles as a port district, and on
petition OF the principal owners ami
for the benefit of the district itself, |
and without taxing the safe large. |
or mortgaging the resources Of the
state, The people of the district for
their own benefit and in their own |
selfish interest, will be able to con-
struet a modern steel highway. This |
organization does not stand for state |
ownership or operation OF railroads, |
as has been represented. II does
stand for the district idea OF self /
help to better transportation condi- |
'ons by water and by land, when no
other resource are available