Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-24
CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF GOOD TIMES

The most gratifying evidence Of returning prosperity
in the northwest is contained in the daily dispatches
which regularly the sale Of some saWml and
the statement that it would start up in short time.
1t shows confidence is returning and that the purchasers
see a chance for money in the lumber business.
While Oregon is largely an agricultural state her lum
berindsy is the greatest of all her manufacturing bust
nesses in fact is about the only large manufacturing
industry.
Under average conditions Oregons lumber trade
amounts to around $30000000 year. AS it has been
practically dead for couple OF years the loss OF this vast
sum has been felt keenly in all other branches OF business
large proportion of this sum is expended for wages
in the mills and in the timber and this means employment
at good wages for a small army of men, This IN turn
means the putting into circulation from the labor side OF
the business alone that keeps the wheels creased
and business moving.
It is this condition it seems that is again to be with
The most satisfactory feature Of this is that 1t will come
to stay The demand for lumber in foreign cOunres, al
ready large is bound to increase once the war ends and
the world must turn to this country for its supply.
While the southern states are still furnishing great
quantities of lumber the forests there rapidly dlsap
pearing and before long the West will have the market
largely to itself Under these conditions it may well be
doubted if the business will ever again nave so long ana
so serious depression.
AS a matter of fact every mill in Oregon would have
been running full blast long ago had the Panama canal
remained Open and had there been ships available for
carrying lumber to market The lack OF ships IS stl
handcappng the business and will continue to affect 1T
for some time yet 1t will be glad day for the state when
the government either builds assists private capital in
building an American merchant marine. This has to be
done before we are independent of foreign shipping for
carrying on our business and the sooner is done the bet
ter When it is done Oregon will come into her own.
When person community wants thing, 1t can
readily find many reasons Why should have it, This is
the case with the proposition to build firstcass road
around the border of the United States Since the pOpo
ston has been broached there new reasons why
should be done coming to the front daily all camorous
for hearing The main one is that good hard surfaced
road as suggested would be great thing for the country
i'm case it was threatened with invasion There another
reason that is not mentioned and that is that it would
furnish ideal trip for the owners of autos and Fords
Death turks in all places and in all kinds of contrap
tions In San Francisco Wednesday, woman myster-
ousy disappeared and only after several hours search
was it discovered that folding bed she was trying to get
in place due to broken springs had fallen on and killed
her When ones bed gets in an aSSassnatng moo%
where can one turn for safety?
dispatch yesterday read: "The ice damned waters
of the Feather river today backed up through the Sierra
valley and is threatening many houses there This is
no way for waters to act of course but the emphasis
used in describing them was unnecessary.
The senate having confirmed the nomination of Alex
ander T. Vogelsang solicitor of the interior depart
men there should be entire harmony in that branch of
the public service.