Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-02-09
KNOCKING THE STATE.

The Observer does not believe that
the Central Labor Council, of Port
land represents the sentiments of or
ganized labor of that city. This
newspaper does not believe. for a mo-
ment, that the working men as a
class are fighting the development of
Oregon and we believe they condemn
as harshly as any one, the unwarrant-
ed accusations against the state of
their sovereignty contained in the re-
cent circular emanating in the Central
Labor council and mailed to the gov
ernors of all Eastern and Middle
Western states and to the more in
fluential newspapers in the same ter
ritory.
There can be no possible excuse
for a circular of this kind. 1t is un-
warranted, libelous and a shameful
perversion of facts that brands it's
authors and circulators as enemies of
their state and slanderers of the COM
munity in which they earn their daily
bread What explanation can there
be for the circulation of the state
ment that Oregon, comprising ter
ritory of $4,000 square miles, with a
population of 100000 people, is in the
main, a great wilderness of forests
and mountains" or the further false
hood that "open country suitable for
farming, has long ago been taken up
and prices are very high. Railroad
transportation throughout the state
is very poor. The orchard lands are
held for fabulous prices, in the hope
that Fasteners may be fooled into
buying them. The same trick was
played 20 years ago in Southern Cal.
ifornia when orange orchards sold for
$1,000 an acre"
That the first statement above is
untrue It is only necessary to state
that right here in Polk county, alone,
are thousands of acres of as fertile
soil as the sun ever shown upon,
which may be purchased at very rea-
sonable prices. and which will sustain
I'm afiluence a population four times
as great as at present. Railroads
reach every important territory in
the state. with possibly one exception, |
and new line is being built into
that locality as rapidly as men and |
money can do II. In no state in the |
union, we honestly believe are land .
prices as reasonable as i'm Oregon. I
IA al nd ~
East have found them so, during the
past five years, and new arrivals ev-
cry day confirm this belief
II the Central Labor council de-
sired to warn laborers that the de-
mand for workmen here was not
equal TO the supply and TO advise
Eastern men to stay away from the
state, thus giving an opportunity for
home people to find employment,
there could be exception to a circular
setting forth this condition, but why
he Portland labor body should take
occasion to strike a blow at every in
lustry of Oregon, and seek TO prevent
he development of the state by the
preparation and circulation Of the
'ase slander above referred TO. passes
With all their howl
lhout trusts and monopolies. Is or
anized labor. as represented by the J
'entral Labor council, endeavorlng
o create a labor monopoly in this
tate? DO they fear the coming of
men from other states. anxious to G
etter their conditions and live in a
nore equablc climate, who are look
ng longingly Westward 90 the Pacif- =
, coast where health and fortune
wait alF who come with a determi- !
alton 90 remain, and give Of their I
rain and Drawn to the industries OF :
'hich win assure them n substantial :
sturn In proportion as they employ =
heir talents In its development. .
Nothing has happened in recent Z
lonths that has caused So wide =
bread denuncation as this action Of =
le Central Labor council. and from =
u portions 81 the state come con- =
emnation. Hundreds of Commercial =
-ganizauons In the live communities =
oregon. condemn such action >
hich t. a very great extent. unless =
shall be promptly counteracted BY =
,posing the falsehoods. viii undo the =
'od they are trying to do. New peo- =
e and new blood is what Oregon =
'eds and what she must have III her =
sources shall be developed. and IL
not necessary 10 miSrepresent nor
aggerate, 90 secure them. All the
ople ask is that intending home su
ekers shall come and invesucate Tor IN
emselves. We do not want the Va
OCCASIONAL boomer. We want tire az
IN who honestly wants home and I'M
willing 90 devote such cnerries as IN