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About The illustrated west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1891-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1891)
252 THE ILLUSTRATED WEST SHORE. PUBLISHED KVKKV SATUROAV, AT TUB CORNER Or CoUMWA AND WATER STREETS, PORTLAND, OKKCiOX. New York Omar., No. 4B Triblxe Bi'II.dim:. Sihkank, Wash., Ofmck, No. i Hide Hi.ock. Subscription Price, Four Dollars per Year. Single Copy, Ten Cents. AOMIM AU OOMMUNiCATKWS AND MUCI Au RlMITTANOft PArAiLI TO THE WEST SHORE PUBLISHING COMPANY PORTLAND, OKKUON. INTIAIO AT TnI MAT OtTHf AT POHHANO. OMOM, 'OA TAAMSMlMKW THAOUOM THI MAILS AT MCONO OtAM MATH. SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1891. Ik-ginning with this number of (he West Shore, Mrs. A. S. Duniway will conduct a department in which the cause of womankind, politically, socially and morally, will be a prominent feature. Mrs. Duniway needs no introduction to the readers of the northwest or the nation for that matter. She is well known as a leader in the cause for the advancement of women. Her work will be a regular feature of the paper, and so conducted as to be fair but vigorous always. The West Shore offers this as one of the ele ments which make a public journal influential. This department is made possible by the addition of four pages to the size of the paper, and we are confident that the work will add to the interest of the paper among the people at large. Matter intended lor Mrs. Duniway's department should be ad dressed to her at this office. WE UMGUARDED FROSTIER. The laws designed to regulate immigration into the United States will fall short of conferring the benefit intended as long as the inspection is so im perfect on the Canadian and Mexican frontiers. It is difficult enough to guard against the clandestine importation of dutiable goods, but infinitely more so to prevent unlawful immigration across the boundary. Large numbers of prohibited Chinese have entered the United States by way of Mexico and Canada since the law restricting Mongolian immigration was enacted. Indeed, it is alleged by some authorities that entrance into this country overland is so easy that comparatively few of the yellow nice attempt to get in through the usual channels. Considerable trouble is exrerienced on the northern frontier by reason of the lact that Chinamen caught in the act of coming from Ilrilish Columbia into Washington and Montana can not be le-. gaily relumed to Ilritish territory, except upon payment of $50 a head. Thus on this side of the border the contraband Chinaman is a prisoner, and he will not I permitted to land in the province until the government receives the per capita tax fixed by law, and which, of course, neither the Chinaman nor the United Slates will consent to pay. This is the cause of much vexatious quib bling. Now that a law to keep the most objectionable European emigration from this country is in force, the same trouble threatens the eastern slates that has been exerienced in the west. The system of insection at the interna tional boundary is weak. The districts are too large to be well patrolled by the force employed. In each of three districts on the New England bound ary it is estimated tliat 6,000 ineligible European immigrants will enter the United States by way of Canada, in spite of the best efforts of the inspectors to enforce the laws. If this lie true, the law that was expected to cure some ol the plagues of America or at least permit the bodies politic and social to largely heal themselves will become a practical nullity. The following from a European correspondent shows that (here is a disposition on the part of foreign nations to contribute to the observance of the new United States law, but il this country proves impotent to enforce its own statutes the others will soon relax vigilence : The nei o( llir nn American emigration lus htis caused much stir ill the dcls of emiitrutkin for llnu-rlca. In Hamburg the steamship linn nrr conducting 11 curclul iin. thm i( the emigrant rMwngrn, mid In Ilrilish xiru llie rumination b more than ihs lupritk'bl formalin il used in lw In Sunlt-n, II i Haled, the nuihoriiki prupmr 10 re. vlT Ihe M nile wliK-h h.11 fallen lomrxlut into disuse, of nlhming no one 10 leave the founlry as an emigrant nithout a crrlilicatc of good conduct and ol riluraiinrul qualifica tion! tnmi Ihe luilor uf Ihe wrisli. In Ihe counlry rum of Svnlra ihii role Mill prevails and it ilrk-th rnlorml. but It b awnmrul neglected in the large cilicv rsvially (kithrn burg. In Italy II b pnwml to ithdraw from America entirely the blessings of tudun emigration, or at hsul to seriously rrstnet it. The Canadian and Mexican frontiers need better insiection and better facilities for enforcing federal laws. Unless greater vigilance is exercised in this direction, it is of small account to frame statutes to keep out the vicious, ignorant, indigent or diseased who are hither bound. The customs service would be infinitely improved, too, by increasing the force on the international boundaries. OPEX THE RIVER.' The Columbia river should be open for the use of commerce from the heart of the northwestern inland empire to the sea. The natural barriers to free navigation in the channel of the stream should be removed or circum vented. The inland country cannot expect to thrive to the degree that its location and marvelous productiveness entitle it until the influence of water transportation to the coast is secured. This can only be brought about by making the river practically a free channel. It is gratifying to see this matter receive the vigorous treatment that was accorded it last week at the meeting held under the auspices of the chamber of commerce in this city. Not only was the subject discussed in all its bear ings, but steps were actually taken that place the enterprise on a business basis, and give promise of bringing practical results to the people who need relief. It was agreed to incorporate under the laws of Oregon, with a capital ization of $2,000,000. The incorporators named are well known men con nected with large business enterprises in the country to be affected by the proposed improvement, who will carry confidence with the project and insure the best results. It may confidently be asserted that relief for the producers of eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and Idaho is now in sight, and it is hoped that it will be consummated in time for this year's grain harvest. But it must have hearty support. The plan is to make the stock a paying invest ment, and thus rescue the scheme from the appearance or effect of a gratuity. It is to be a business enterprise throughout. When the portages past the hopelessly unnavigable portions of the river shall have been completed steam ers will be built by the corporation and put on the river to handle the traffic unless private enterprise shall have provided this feature of the contemplated relief. The Columbia will then be open to Priest rapids, a distance of about 500 miles from its mouth, and there will be river transportation from Lewis ton, Idaho, on the Snake, 600 miles to tidewater. The river will then exert its proer influence on commerce, and the effect on present freight rates will little less than revolutionary.. Our esteemed friends, the dagos, are in a hard streak of luck. That New Orleans episode was rather discouraging to one of their transplanted in dustries, and the whole Italian nation is having fits over it. Then a large company of King Humbert's faithful was sunk in the Mediterranean on the way to the promised land, America, and the survivors of that mishap were delayed so long by it that the new immigration law of the United States barred many of them out. Since the law went into operation, a considerable number of Italians have been sent back to the sunny land of their nativity. In Pennsylvania half a score of them were cut down in a labor riot. On the Pacific coast there have been a number of instances lately where Italians were refused naturalization papers on account of their gross ignorance and admitted infidelity to this country. Hut they continue to land in New York at the rate ol about 6,000 a month with their hand organs, monkeys, stilettos, etc. San Francisco is a great city. It has had a brilliant and romantic his tory and the circumstances of its growth have made it known all over the world. Hut it is losing the distinction of being the only Pacific coast city of importance which it has so long enjoyed. The development of the country to the north and to the south has built up important cities on both sides of the nictroHis, and it is doubtful if the bay city will be far ahead of its enter prising sisters a quarter of a century hence. Portland has already taken much of San Francisco's former northern trade, and having three transcontinental railways it will continue to command the market. The Puget sound cities will also claim a share of the business that has made San Francisco great. 1-os Angeles and San Diego, on the south, are active competitors with the big city for business in that direction. The Southern Pacific controls all the railway lines leading from the Golden Gate. Italy's three or four formidable war vessels have been greatly overworked lately by the newspers that wish to -point a moral and adorn a tale I hose who Rally know something about those floating terrors and whose judgment is worth anything on the subject are not quaking very alarmingly at the though, of a conflict in which the American and Italian navies shall come in contact.