East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-04-15

sociation and the adoption of a con-
stitution and bylaws at the Third
Annual convention, held at Lewiston,
Idaho, October As, 1912, placed the
work of the association in practicable
shape and the growth of the organ
ization since that time, while not
large, has been of a substantial, rep
resentative character, and its activi-
ties have been projected on immensely
practical and constructive lines.
Delegates in attendance at the
third annual convention will recall
the fact that the slogan of the ses-
sion was, Adequate congressional ap-
preparation for the immediate COM
pletion of the Cello canal and the
opening of the Columbia and Snake
rivers to free navigation" The reso-
lutions adopted by the convention
contained a ringing paragraph on this
subject, and gave it prominence as
the first and most important work
to engage the attention of the asso-
citation. I need not say that every
officer, member and commercial or
ganization connected with the asso-
citation has labored with energy dur
ing the past six months to carry out
both the letter and the spirit of this
resolution. The association united
with the Idaho Washington Develop
ment league. the Idaho State League
of Commercial bodies, the Lewiston
Commercial club and the Charleston
Chamber of Commerce in a memorial
I,a Tnft n1 Cfatn
requesting the appreciation of ST.
250, 900 for the Cello canal. This
memorial was accompanied by data
from the L. S. engineers office show
ing the saving in construction pos
sible with an adequate appropriation,
and copies of the same, accompan-
led by a personal letter were sent to
every senator and representative in
Washington and Idaho, urging con-
gress to grant the appropriation,
which were pressed by the three
states. Many personal letters and
kilograms were also sent to congress
men and to governors of various
states by the officers and members
of this association. The result has
been to our entire satisfaction. The
money is now available for the COM
pletion of the canal. which will make
the Columbia an open river by 1915.
improvements Discussed
One of the most important i'm
provements discussed at the last an
nual convention was the canalization
of the Columbia and Snake rivers.
| Some of tn delegates, even including
| our lamented DR.. Blalock, were insist
| ent that this subject should be taken
IN Immediately with congress; but
! the convention finally decided that
action on this might properly be de-
/ ferred in the interest of the more i'm
portant question of increased appro-
priation for the Cello canal l sug-
gest now, however, that the slogan
for the association for the new year
be. Immediate Canalization of the
Columbia and Snake rivers by the
general government" The necessity
and value of this will undoubtedly be
brought out in the reports and dis
cussions of this convention.
The association during the pas
year has taken an active interest II
the problem of continued operation
of independent steamboats, on the up
per and lower rivers. and several con
ferences have been held between thu
, officers of the association and steam
boat mn of Portland having this OBJ
} ject in view. The discontinuance o
the Open River Transportation com
, pany of Portland has brought thi
) question into prominence, and nego
tiations are now pending betweeI
steamboat men, the open River com
pany and citizens of the Inland EN-
pire looking to a solution of tn
: question. DR.. Blalock gave sucl
| time and effort in. his last days t
this matter 1t was his wish tina
= competitive steamboat service shoul
5 be maintained on the Columbia an
F.. Snake rivers.
--0ae Of the resolutions passed b
= the last annual convention related