The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-03-23
TIE SCENIC ASSET

Hood River county has spent and is
continuing to expend no mean sums OF
money annually in campaigns to foster
the fruit industry, to develop it and to
insure il. against loss from insect pests
and disease. The investment pays.
Now comes the era of development of
another industry, which is admitted
second in Importance to the business of
growing and marketing fruit. To
make the process of investing money
in developing the scenic asset paying
one will demand cooperation that
puts Hood River on the world map as
a banner apple district. There is mon
ey in unrivaled landscapes if we but
make them comfortably accessible and
provide reasonable accommodations for
the thousands who will come to revel
in them.
What's the use of spending $25, 900
or $45, 900, or whatever the exact
amount is, in having Frank Branch
Riley, whose wizardry of words is
weaving an irrestible spell and devel-
oping an irrestible impulse, with the
Pacific northwest as the ultimate goal,
of thousands back in the middle west
and east, if we are going to greet
those thousands with indifference when
they arrive? Certainly Ithe tourists 20
somewhere else, to play in summer
snowfelds. They are going to follow
the line of least resistance for their
motor cars. Only the hardy hiker and
the thin line of scientists, who as may
be noted in an article herein this week,
visited Mount Hood quarter of cen
tury ago, will pay us call. Hood
River valley and Portland folk, all of
them, must cooperate in plans for
making accessible the forested wilds
and providing comforts for the visitors
who will come when we get ready for
them.
Hood River folk have not taken the |
interest they should in the manage |
ment of the districts chief mountain |
tourist resorts. In the past there has
been too much of boosting of the re-
sorts accompanied by an ingrowing
smile. There has been too much of a
fault finding. on the part of the hostelry
management with the attitude of the
general public. Hood River hasn't
been behind the development of the
resorts other than perfunctorily. We
might as well come out with it and be
frank. We. and we believe we ex-
press fairly general sentiment, have
reached the conclusion that Homer A.
Rogers will never carry to success the
operation of Mount Hood Lodge and
Cloud Cap Inn, for the simple reason
that Mr.. Rogers hasn't the support
that he should have from Hood River
valley itself.
Mr.. Rogers in measure is genius.
He has been obsessed by a sincere de-
sire to build up scenic hostelries. but
he is possessed of temperament that
uHnln hiui W pS at tic SASSuIiFS hcih
of the enterprises. We do not wish to
appear unfair TO Mr.. Rogers. The
only fair course is one of frankness
and a remedying of the defects that
are preventing our early harvest on
the scenic crop. Cloud Cap Inn and
all other scenic hostelries ought to
have as sincere boosting from Hood
River folk as the big Spitzenburg APP
Piles themselves. We are now allow
ing plans for the scenic hostelrv de-
velopment to drift along uncertainty.
The indifference that now prevails
should be replaced with ardent enthu-
siasm. even if individuals have to be
sacrificed.