WEST SHORE.
103
The moat abeurd portion of Eaglish criticism of our new tariff is that it
will affect the receipts of oar railroads. Tney predict great falling off in
values and a decline in receipt). This i the height of folly. Oar railroads
have been built by home traffic and have grown with the development of
our home market. When we import goods the railroads secure but the
transportation of them to the conaumw, but when wa minufacture them
from our own or imputed raw materials, they secure the transportation of
the raw materials, the machinery for making them, and the supplies for
the operatives in addition ti the goods themselves. In view of this the
railroads may well look forward to increased business and prosperity. In
a few years these self-blinded Britons will see their error and be more
eager than ever to invest in American railroads.
The position of the press of Oregon with the exception of a few dis
gruntled editors who are deeply sunk in the mire of mossbackism or have
some fancied personal grievance to nurse on the question of a proper rep
resentation of the state at Chicago Is one most creditable to its intelligence
and enterprise. It strongly endorses the two positions assumed by Wist
Shore, first, that the legislature should make a large appropriation, and
second, that some form of organisation must be had at once, for the purpose
of outlining a plan for the Information and guidance of the legislature in
making its appropriation. This latter movement is vitally necessary to the
success of the former.
It is utter folly to expect a large appropriation from the legislature un
less a comprehensible plan of an exhibit calling for the expenditure of the
sum asked be presented for the consideration of the legislators. That body
will not vote a large sum of money without knowing Just what is to be done
with it. There can be no " blind pool " scheme worked at Salem. Flans,
sufficiently arranged in their details to show what will be the general nature
of the exhibit, the method of its management, the approximate cost and the
probable results, must be laid before the house, the senate and the govern
or, if anything satisfactory is to be accomplished. It Is well enough for
organized bodies to pass resolutions, for they show the drift of public senti
ment on the subject and show the representatives of the people that there
is a general call for action, but nothing practical can be accomplished with
out organised effort and intelligent and diligent labor. The time is short,
and none can be wasted. The legislature will assemble in ten weeks.
Not only is it of vital importance that the legislature shall know just
what disposition is to be made of the (250,000 to be asked for, but it must
also know, and decide, who shall disburse the money. An organisation of
representative cititens will command more respect and confidence from the
legislature and the public than any possible executive or legislative appoint
ees. Fublic confidence is an essential element of success, since both finan
cial and personal aid will be required from the people of every section of the
state. Let the people feel that they are doing this thing themselves,
through the medium of agents selected by them, and enthusiasm will
prevail ; otherwise the usual public apathy will militate agiinst the complete
success of the movement. This is exemplified by the absolute lack of ap
preciation of the Importance of this subject existing a few weeks ago, which,
happily, is now changed to a widespread Interest In the success of the
endeavor.
A plan of organisation somewhat slmlltr to that adopted in California
would meet the requirements of the case. Oi the eleventh of September a
convention of delegates from all the counties in the state assembled and or
ganised a California World's Fair Association. A board of directors, con
sisting of one from each county was selected, whose duty it was to choose
an executive committee of twenty-one, in whose hands the entire manage
ment was to be placed. The board of directors has elected the executive
committee, consisting of eight of the most enterprising of the business men
of San Francisco and thirteen representative men of prominence from other
sections of the state, whose names carry weight and confidence wherever
they are known. J. D. Fhelan is the president, and W. H. Mills the vice
president When such men actively Identify themselves with a public
movement something great is certain to be accomplished. Here, then, Is a
summary of the practical steps taken In California. Let us be equally sens
ible and alert. Let us have a convention of delegates from every county,
which convention shall decide what is the most equitable plan by which
every section of the state shall be represented in the management of the
state's interests. When this has been done, and the managers selected,
there will be but a few weeks for them to work In before the legislature
meets. Valuable time Is being wasted. Die Oregon Bard of Commerce
should take action Immediately.
One of the most rural of the scenes In Portland is the huge piles of cord
wood and slab wood that obstruct the streets or line the curbstones. It Is
too bad, of course, that the founders of the city made the blocks but 2u0
feet square and without an alley running through them. With an alley in the
rear of the business houses the streets could be cleared of much needless
blockade and the sidewalks could be used for people to walk upon. As it is
now, a pedestrian must take a few lessons from a j tck rabbit to successfully
navigate the business streets. In the residence portiou the alley would
remove the unsightly piles of wood and the olorous and never pleasant
bun from the street. But we have no alleys, and for this reason It becomes
necessary for us to forego the village custom of piling wood in the street.
Cord wood In the summer time is dry enough to bs cut at once and put
away out of sight, and because slab wood la a trill cheaper and requires a
long exposure in the open air to render it fit for use is no reason why the
authorities should permit it to line the sidewalks There are many things
the individual may do In a village that he ought not to be permitted to do
In a city. One of these Is the grating of a cow in the public streets, and
another is the vilage woodpile, looking about as attractive as a red patch
on a suit of broadcloth.
Speaking of cows brings up the subject of dogs that are used In villages
to chase them with. Portland has no cows in her streets and needs no dogs
for the pleasures of the chase, nor for anything else. If we must have
either, give us the cows. They give milk and are good to eat. Dogs give
nothing and are good for nothing. Cows do not howl and bark during the
midnight hours when dogless people expect to sleep. Slumber visits the
eyes of the dog owner. Undisturbed by the barks and yelps of his use
less cur, he snores placidly, while his distressed neighbor Indulges In
expletives, in which the dog and the name of its owner are Inextricably
mixed. Many of our cltisens have beautiful lawns and beds of flowers,
unprotected by fence or gate and would that more of them would remove
the unsightly fence from around their otherwise attractive grounds and
great, hulking, utterly useless dogs, coming from nobody knows where and
owned by nobody knows who, prowl about them, destroying choice flowers,
frightening the women and children, and making themselves a general
nuisance. The law permits any person who may choose to pay a dog tax
to keep as many utterly worthless brutes as he may be foolish enough to
pay for. This part of it may be all right. Good hunting dos are oi some
value, and no one objects to them if they are properly kept In hand. Of
course, the city can not maintain a dog commission to decide upon the
merits of an animal for which a tax tag Is desired. No standard of quality
can be set up for a dog, any more than a standard of common sense for the
person who owns it. But the city can require that it be kept confined, and
it can require the owner either to make it hold its peace at night or else
hold it forever the latter preferred.
AN AIR CASTLE.
I built a castle In the air
When first the mountain violets
Wove aiure webs amid the grass,
That time of year when earth forgets
Her feet rest on undying snows,
And wreaths her brow with blossoming,
Such time of year I reared Its walls
When all my heart was full of spring.
I said, and should my castle fall,
The sun will never shine sgaln
And nevermore the lark will sing;
Above the hills will drill the rain,
With not a blossom following.
And, raven-like, a dark regret
Will haunt the spot, and sadness build
Her nest where dry leaves linger yet.
The grasses grow within the moat,
The ivy crowns the crumbling walls,
But still across the sunlit hills,
The swallow flits, the curlew calls.
No shadow falls along the sky
Because a ruin lies below,
And In and out and round about,
Forget-me-nots atangle grow.
A vision wrapt in tender thoughts,
Whose sweetness will forever last,
As faintly cllugs a rare perfume
When rose and thorns alike are past,
Above its dust will lilies bloom,
And larks trill forth their melody,
And all the landscape of my heart
Be fairer for its memory.
Mjtl'DI Sl'TTOX.