Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-05-07
RESUME OF OREGON'S Development
WORK IN VARIOUS SECTIONS FOR 1903
B0vnwes

Although Oregon has adopted the
word Beaver for a nickname in
place Of webfoot, Oregon continues
to fly with her own wings. This is
the secret of rushing thousands of
men into the canyon of the Deschutes
and the pass through the Cascades
from Natron to klamath Falls. 1t
is the fear of the empire builder that
the people of oregon may learn to
help themselves to build railroads,
that is driving the tracks of steel in
to undeveloped portions of the state
in twenty different directions. What
has caused this remarkable change
In the conditions of landlocked por-
tions of the Inland Empire? The
greatest factor in transforming a
territory of $4,000 square miles,
which railroad builders have re-
garded with listless apathy for twen-
ty years, into a seething hotbed of
promotion, construction and even
armed rivalry for occupation, has
been the educational campaign con-
Quoted for the past year by what is
known in the newspapers as the Ore
gon-Idaho Development Congress.
That congress, which celebrated its
first anniversary August 2O-21 on
Coos Bay with a clambake barbecue,
concluding with grand ball and
banquet to the assembled boosters,
has had the nerve to hold ten con-
ventions during the past year. To
this word nerve" might be added
the word "galP' and the term "ef-
frontery", because it has been pure !
ly paper organization, without even
the grace of an incorporation, devoid |
of any financial backing, a com
mercial congress without treasurer,
for the expense of which not even |
collection has been taken up, to say
nothing Of a warrant being drawn |
on the treasury. 1t had these ten
conventions, each lasting two days
held in the cities of Marshfield,
Roseburg, Vale, Salem, Boise, On
tario, Weiser, La Grande and Burns,
a string of progressive municipali-
ties-beads on the rosary of boost
ing communities across Central Ore
gon and Southern Idaho, had pro-
grams pulled off before their aston
ished citizens covering from four to
six assemblages in their opera
houses, where addresses were deliv-
cred, songs were sung, bands played
and toastmasters presided at ban
quets, where every speech made,
every sentiment expressed, every
word uttered was for development,
development, development.
Figure up these audiences any way
you like, there were not less than
5000 people addressed by the speak
ers at each congress This means
that $4,000 heard and applauded the
arguments for development along the
line Of the people helping them
selves. To what? Better water
ways, better highways, automobile
roads, electric railroads, steam rail-
roads anything to break up the
isolation of the great undeyeloped
interior Can you think what this
means to region like Coos Bay and
Curray county, with their illimit-
able forests and immeasurable coal
fields, 100 miles from the nearest
railroad? Can you understand the
thrills 'of hope that fill the bosoms
of the stalwart ranches in the great
Harney valley, a region half as big
as Illinois, all lying $50 miles from ,
a railroad, when there is held out TO Ii
them not only hopes but specific !
plans for bringing to their doors /
modern transportation facilities?
Not only have audiences totaling I
$4,000 people heard the addresses Of I
the brightest public speakers of two I
states along these lines, but the (
newspapers of two states have car
ried to the ears of million people
the pleas for more progressive
policies and the eloquent appeals for
organized self-help.
To two great results to the com
needing development have
been; First, greater confidence in
the matchless Industrial resources Of
the Inland Empire; second, an J
aroused conscience and determine
ton to help ourselves to secure some
of the advantages OF modern civlliza-
lion by aud for our present genera
ion.
In addition to this, and what is
probably still greater achievement.
he eyes of the whole world have
oeen directed upon the undeveloped
portions OF Oregon and Idaho, the
'ichest and most productive virgl
erritory untouched by railroads In
he United States. The attention OF
Millions of people, including the