The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-01-05
MAYOR SMITHS ADDRESS.

Following is the address made by
Mayor Smith at the opening session
Of the new council yesterday. II Is
i finely prepared and interesting
study Of the eity's affairs, and will
well repay close reading.
To the Honorable Members of the
Common Council:
Gentlemen--At this time the duty
is imposed upon me to communicate
to you a general statement of the
condition Of affairs Of our city and
to recommend the adoption OF such
measures as may be deemed expedient
and proper to advance the welfare OF
the municipal corporation. While I
am fully conscious Of the Importance
of the duty, / realize the impossible
.ity Of covering the subject fully and
shall therefore but mention briefly
what seems to me the most import
ant subjects.
The preceding administration has
been so satisfactory, that there is
little to eriticise concerning the pres
ent condition Of the city and we will
be fortunate if able to retire from
Office with the respect and gratitude
that our predecessors now command
The citizens Of Astoria should be
extremely grateful for their present
fortunate condition. They have es-
capped serious loss or damages from
the elements, while many neighbor-
ing cities much more securely pro-
tected have suffered heavily. The
streets of our our city have been inn
proved in a substantial manner and
modern public buildings erected ami
the improvements mostly paid for in
full. The financial panic Of the last
year that paralyzed industry through
out the country scarcely abated in the
least the growth and prosperity OF
lthis city. The present construction
of several important railroad projects
to the mouth of the Columbia river,
together with the vast importance Of
that river as transportation high
way from inland to the sea and the
Improvement Of its mouth as an
ocean port with the enormous weal.h
OF merchantable timber accessible tc
lit that is now in ready demand fol-
immediate consumption combine tc
Insure the rapid and continued prog
lress and improvement of our city
beyond the sanguine predictions o.
the most optimistic. So certain is i
that immediate and adequate return'
must necessarily result from homes
and intelligent effort for municipa
Improvements in this favored loca
| ton, that one of the most importan
services that can be rendered thi
community is to seek by object les
sons and patient reason to dispel til,
doubts Of the obstructing pessimist
and teach very small but extreme
ly active minority that the nursing
and giving vent to the nalevolen
passions Of envy and jealousy is no
lin harmony with centralized popula
tion, and that strict loyalty to~ou
municipal corporation as well as ou
business institutions is the sures
guarantee Of the prosperity Of all.
Equally as important as Our ma
tural advantages is the recent
adopted provision Of our state con
stittution, giving to the voters 3
cities power to enact and amen
: their charters subject only to til
state constitution and the crimina
: laws Of the state; thus placing
within our own power to prescrib
the boundaries of our municipal de
! velopment and work out our ow
destiny. The law passed in pursuanc
to this provision provides that tn
City Council may propose amend
ments upon its own initiative, and aC
cordingly your responsibility as we
as your sphere Of duty has been vas
" enlarged; SO that you may subm
any measure to the people for the
adoption from building an electri