Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-22
"GREED"-A NECESSARY TRAIT

The word greed is much in the condition of the dog
that has been given bad name It's spoken OF UNIVERSAL
Iy in terms of condemnation and yet it is far from being
bad trait and certainly much farther from being an
unusual one Webster among other meanings defines it
as eager desire" Now eager desire for anything Is
surely not in itself either bad to be condemned,
In discussing the lumber rates from Portland and
Valley points at the conference held in Portland last
week this term was used by each side OF the contention
sometimes with the adjective, 'enordinate prefxed.
AS matter of fact if it not for greed that is
an eager desire for things there would be stimulus
and no effort made to get them So the word taken at its
real meaning is the power behind nearly every effort to
better ones condition The person who ardenty desires
an auto or Ford is moved by greed to rustic the money
to procure it. He is greedy for the money until ne gets
it, and then he is greedy for the auto than the
money he lets go of the latter IN order to satisfy MS
greed for the bubble wagon.
1t is therefore, greed that moves the Portland lumber
men increase the cnch they already have on the rest
of the state to rates. and to prevent the other lumber
men of the state from having the better of them in even
that little section Of the state of California lying north
of Sacramento and which really supplies most OF its
lumber wants from its local mills.
1t is also greed that eager desire that prompts
the umbermen of the valley to insist on preferential
rate for this section They that with shorter
haul they are entitled to this preferential and also that
as Portland has in practically all other sections prefer
enta rate that shuts them out of the markets. that they
are entitled to claim this little section OF California With
out any kick from Portland millmen.
1t would seem to diSintereSed person that there was
merit in their contention If the valley mills must pay
more to get their lumber hauled to eastern markets,
having to be hauled from the valley points to Portland
in order to ship it, why should not lumber coming from
Portland through the valley to be shipped beyond it re-
ceive the same treatment? The haul from valley points
to Portland must be paid by valley millmen; why then
should not the haul from Portland to valley points be pad
by Portland mimen? Each sends his product through
the other and to points beyond to reach market why
not then treat both alike?
There has been disposition to jump onto Portland
generally and call it all kinds of porcine names yet Port
land as whole has nothing to do with this lumber con
ention 1t is as much to the interest of Portland to have
the whole valley prosperous as it is to have Portland so
for indeed she cannot be prosperous unless the balance
of the state is in that condition. That she sometimes
overooks this fact is admitted but at the time it il
pointed out that when any of these cases are traced bacl
to the real parties behind it, it will be found that it is
the city but Just that portion of its business that thu
especial matter affects If names to be called in this
lumber case let at least be honest and specify th
brand of "hog" Let us not blame Portland generally
but lay the blame at the door of the Portland lumber
hog"
AT the time Portland cannot afford to allow an!
Of her industries big little hog pig to throttle tn
industries of the valley. Our big metropolis whethe
rightly or not we do not pretend to say SIN bad will
the valley generally, and such disputes and contention
as this of her umbemen is not going to make the stua
ton any better All the valley asks of her fair shake
Will it get it?