Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-07
WHY OREGON INDUSTRIES LANGUIsH


1t is said that the industries OF the Northwest are
langushng.
If this is true it is well that the people understand the
real cause
Our crops are large and prices are high. There is a
good demand for lumber and its kindred productsour
chief industry.
There are however no cars in which to ship the pro-
duce and the lumber to market AS common carriers the
Southern Pacific and its subsidiary lines have failed
miseraby in providing the facilities for taking care Of
their territory.
The Hop Growers association of Oregon located in
Salem is making sales at fair prices but growers are
waiting for their money, of them paying interest
the meantime, because the railroad company will not
receive their shipments and give them the bill Of lading
necessary to release their money Prune growers are
ready to turn their finished product to the purchaS
ers who have paid exceedingly good prices for it-bu
there are Some of these hop and prne contracts
may be cancelled because Of the inability OF the grower
to deliver board the the contract stpulaes.
The story of closed lumber mills and allied industries
with resultant cancellation Of orders, is welknown
the facts having been fully brought out at the Portland
hearing of the public utilities commission
No wonder the industries of the Northwest langush
while the outside market camors for our products and
the output of our mills.
the news of the greatest dividends the railroads ever
Distributed billion dollars OF net profits, OF which the
Southern Pacific received it's full share million two
million dollars for rolling stock and during the past
year would scarcely have been missed from the coosa
pile of gold gamered in freights and fares.
Few cars, and many OF them too eaky for shipment OF
hops and similar products have placed burden upon the
producer of Oregon which makes him borrower at
the bank where he ought to be dposor Several years
ago the S. p Co. announced its intention of building large
shops at Springfield Oregon to take OF the rolling
stock upon the roads convergng there They have not
been built and there adequate facilities Tor taking
care of this branch of railroad operation in the North
west Poverty and poor business has been the chronic
railroad croak in this section for yearsand during that
time the profits of this system have grown into huge
mountain of gold.
Well what are the people of Oregon going to do about
it? Can they do anything? Possibly not-the corpora
tions have become powerful than the people who
gave them the franchises and privileges of common
carriers
But there is never anything lost in making an honest
effort to better bad conditions. The next legislature
might for instance be chosen to represent the people, IN
stead of the corporations if the voters decree The big
railroad and public utility lobby might be banished from
the state capitol next winter and the time OF the members
devoted to framing laws the interest OF the producers
and those capitalists who egmaey endeavoring to
make use of and develop the resources of the state.
Politicians who whine about the passage of laws un-
friendly to the big interests and who shed crocodile
tears over the hard conditions imposed upon the pubic
service corporations might be driven from places OF
power and officials chosen who are more concerned IN
the welfare of the who grows wheat, or plnes or
hops raises livestock gives employment in the mills
and factories of the state
In short the people of Oregon do not know their
power because they have earnestly attempted to
exercise it in their interest," they never realized how
completely the corporation chains had been rveted to
their ankles until the railroad system that had fatened
pon the profits of their labor capital and enterprise re-
fused to provide the ordinary facilities of transportation