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About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 1907)
PROGRESSIVE MERCHANTS OF OREGON CITY TELL ALL THE PEOPLE OF CLACKAMAS COUNTY THE TRADE NEWS THROUGH THE COLUMNS OF THE COURIER QON CITY CO TT V 25th YEAR. OREGON CITY. OREGON. FRDAY. SEPTEMBER 13, 1907 No 18 ORE ER CHINESE LABOR GOOD FOR REID Fruit Inspector " Says That Coclies Are Needed. JAPANESE ARE FAILURE Milwaukie Fruit Grower Is cf Opinion That Chinese Ex ercise Intelligence and Work Honestly. That Oregon needs alien laborers to enable It to compete with the foreign tilled lands of the Atlantic coast; that Japanese are unreliable and undesir able and Hjat this state badly needs immigration of Chinese, are conten tions of James H. Reid, of Milwau kee, successful farmer and member of the State Board of Horticulture. Mr. Reid avers in the Oregonian that Oregons' horticultural products surpass in excellence those of East ern states but with difficulty compete with them because of their cheaper cost of farm labor. Add to this handi cap, in favor of the Eastern products, the expense of transcontinental trans portation and Oregon is at immense disadvantage, says Mr. Reed. "The people of Portland," he re marked yesterday, "complain of in creased cost of milk, butter, eggs, wood, potatoes, and practically all of the staple articles of food. Do they know what makes the high prices? Scarcity and hihg price of labor. None to Pick Fruit. "The lack of hands costs the coun try untold quantities of wealth. Fruit is dropping from the - trees in 'or chards all over the state because there are no hands to pick it. Yes terday morning, when coming to Port land from Milwaukee I met Richard Scott, who though a sick man had to turn in and work with the two or three farm hands he managed to obtain. Every dairyman and horticulturist suf fers the stifling effect of scant labor. "Up in Yamhill County an apple grower, Millard Lownsdalo, shipped 43 carloads of apples last year and lost 15 cars that fell to the ground. Nine miles distant those fallen apples on the hillside was a conspicuous sight. This year the crop is not so big, so that the loss will not appear so tremendous. "Is any new land being brought in to cultivation? Little or none. There is no heavy land-clearing any more; only a person slashing here and there to make pasture between the stumps. Formerly the stumps were grubbed out. Now they stay, and from the looks of things hardly any of us will live to see them gone. Had not Chi nese cleared .up the lands we now cultivate we should have little land to use. I'lj "In the '80s and early '90s we had cheap Chinese labor, which farmers could afford to employ reclaiming lands from forests. Those Chinese took no land-clearing jobs from white men. In fact, few white men would do the work. Ahd the truth Is that all of us, including men who claim to have had bread taken out of their mouths by Chinese laborers, are sub sisting on the fruits of land that was tamed by the hands of Chinese. "Oregon has no Hungary or Italy or Greece to draw on for laborers. Its workers must come from the Orient If it is to stand on even ground with Eastern states. Even if it is not to compete with the Atlantic seaboard, It must have more "working hands in order to grow. "No Oriental laborers can equal the Chinese. The Japanese are unre liable. They work only when one stands over them like a slave-driver. When the employer leaves them or even turns his back they shirk. They are tricky, too. When they get a farmer into what they consider a tight place, with a large crop that must be taKen care of without delay, they do not hesitate to hold him up. They are a dissolute lot, wasting their money In gambling and carousing. Cashed Checks In Dives. "In 1903 I employed the last Japan ese crew on my farm. My time-books will show that In that season I em ployed about forty Japanese, eight or ten at a time. The bank checks I gave them were all cashed at Erick son's or Blazier's. My troubles with Japanese were no different than those of other farmers. "The next year I secured a crew , of eight Chinese. They have come back to me every year since. They are just now due, after having worked all Summer in salmon canneries. That crew is entirely trustworthy. I know it is working just the sSme whether I am with it or away. I can come to Portland, sure that the farm work will go forward just as actively as if I were there. Its members will work overtime for the ordinary hour's wage. But the Jap demands double pay for overtime. "The Chinese don't have to be bossed all the time; the Japanese do. The Japanese do Just as little for their wages as they possibly can. The Chinese work honestly. The Chinese exercise intelligence. The Japanese do not. "The labor tussle is a hard one for the farmers. And you can depend on it they are looking into the causes of the labor scarcity." TERRIFIC BLOW TO CLACKAMAS County Judge Dimick Is Out In Defence of County. RESENTS REID'S "ROAST" DIXON'S MANY APPOINTMENTS. Poultry Judge Will Visit Eight Shows In the Northwest Next Winter. Elmer Dixon, a well known poultry fancier of this city, has secured en gagements to judge the following poultry shows: Spokane, Wash., Oc tober 1 to 5; Vancouver, B. C, Decem ber 2 to C; Tacoma, Wash., December 10 to lo; Ellensburg, Wash., Decem ber 17 to 21; Dallas, Or., December 21 to 26; South Bend, Wash., January 7 to 11; Victoria, B. C, January 15 to 18; Walla Walla, Wash., January 20 to 25. ' Statements Made in the Public Press Are Detrimental to the Interests of Every .Farmer. County Judge G. B. Dimick, Thurs day night, delivered himself of a caus tic speech on the views of Fruit In spector J. H. Reid, of Milwaukie, as set forth in the Oregonian several weeks ago. In that interview Reid roasted the Clackamas County farm ers in general for what he termed their unprogressive methods and went out of his way to indulge in harsh criticisms. Dozens of well known farmers and business men have since denounced Reid for his unwarranted remarks. Judge Dimick talked at a well at tended meeting of the Oak Grove Im provement Association. Reid Is a res ident of Oak Grove precinct, and statements will be likely to tend to destroy the work that the Association is doing. The speaker defended the farmers of the county and character ized Reld's interview as one of the most detrimental things that had ever happened to Clackamas, as it had been printed in the Oregonian and scattered broadcast. "It Is a i?Tiflc blow to take our common interests," said Mr. Dimick, "for a man of Reid's standing to make such false and absurd statements in the public press about one of the best counties in the State." Judge Dimick referred to the Logan territory, which is one of the best agricultural and dairy sections in Oregon, and to other parts of the county as well. He stated that he was sincerely sorry that Mr. Reid had gone out of his way to roast his friends and neighbors. The meeting was attended by 70 people. B. Lee Paget presided and reported progress in the effort to bring about a reduction of fare on the Oregon Water Power & Railway line between Oak Grove and Portland and to secure electric lights for the thriv ing little suburb. Mr. Paget stated that the efforts of the committee had so far met with little success, but the matter would be put to the Stata Railway Commission In the hope that that body would take some action. Miss Edith Grey sang several num bers very sweetly and Judge Dimick talked on the first Clacakamas Coun ty Fair, urging the people of Oak Grove, as well as other sections of the county, to make exhibits. He dwelt particularly upon the greatness of SEND IN YOUR COUPONS FOR ELECTRIC FLATIRONS Save Your Time Save Your Health Save Weary Steps Save Your Money Save Your Clothes Save Your Temper Save Your Complexion Fill in coupon and mail to tis Tne iron will be dc-1 livered, with all necessary equipment, absolutely free of charge. CUT OUT COUPON and MAIL TO US TODAY PORTLAND RAILWAY. LIGHT & POWER CO. C. C. MILLER, Agent. Oregon City, Oregon Gentlemen You may deliver to me one Electric Flatiron, which I agree to try, and if unsatisfactory to me, to return to you within 30 days from date of delivery. If I do not return it at that time you may charge same to my account at $4.00. It is understood that no charge will be made for the iron if I return it within 30 dayi. Name . Address , DEPT. O. C. If THE THIRTY DAYS' TRIAL OFFER APPLIES ONLY TO CON SUMERS OF OUR CURRENT. Clackamas County and its varied re sources and industries of which ex hibits ought to be shown. Superin tendent Gary also spoke on the County Fair, asking the people of Oak Grove to come to the front and not only take stock in support of the organi zation but to exhibit their products. He emphasized the fact that many little things go towards making up the big things, and talked also in rela tion to an exhibit by the schools of Clackamas County, saying that the time was insufficient to make a cred itable exhibit this year, as most of the schools will not open until the latter part of September, but he as sured his audience that there would be a good exhibit of school work at the Fair next year. Harvey G. Starkweather talked on roads and placed on foot a movement to secure a division of the road district in which Oak Grove is located. It seems that the district hooks around Milwaukie In a manner that is not giving universal satisfaction. REID EXPLAINS HIS OBJECT. Wants to Get Farmers Angry to Bring About Improved Methods. Discouraged in his efforts to Induce some of the farmers of Clackamas County to adopt methods urged by leading agriculturists, horticulturists and dairymen of this city, Fruit Com missioner J. H. Reid, of Milwaukie, has hit upon the expedient of mak ing them angry with the hope that such action will arouse them to more progressive action. Mr. Reid, in an Interview Saturday admitted that he had not been correctly quoted in a newspaper interview, in which he se verely criticized the farmers of this county, stating that in a drive of 250 miles he had seen only one good or chard, that of J. S. Byers, of Clacka mas, and but one herd of good dairy cattle. He did not, however, leave the county roads during his trip, in order to make close inspections. I did not say more than twenty-five words to the reporter," said Mr. Reid, "and, with newspaper vigor, he ex tended these words into half a col umn, quoting me as making several statements that I did not make. I never saw the article until today, but since it has appeared I em very will ing to back it up, as I believe it to be generally true that eventually it will be productive or a great deal or good. Of course, I realize that I have made many enemies, but I can stand that so long as the desired result is attained. For four years I have been trying, with the co-operation of Dr. James Withycombe and other members of the faculty of the Oregon Agricultural College, to bring about better condi tions in the farming districts of Clack amas, but with little success. The farmers seem to be deaf to practical advice. More institutes have been held here in this county than in any other two counties of the whole state, and as I am discouraged and my re cent trip over the county that I am required to make opened my eyes and was the last straw. Finding that work along the line of education had not been successful, I gave the proposi tion earnest consideration and came to the conclusion that if I could make segue of these behlnd-the-times farm ers good and mad, that they would awake to the situation and discover for themselves that what I stated is true. Once convinced that their ruin ous lack of method Is retarding their own fortunes, there wquld be come prospect of a change In the slipshod way that the soil of Clackamas Coun ty has been farmed for many years. Clackamas County is really a garden spot, that is It has all the natural ad vantages required for raising-fruit, fruit, and there are sections that are especially adapted to dairying. In the last year the dairy Industry has gone backwards, Instead of progressing. No attention is paid to breeding cattle, and when one sees the stock on the ranches they no longer wonder why more cream is not shipped into the markets, where there Is a fine growing demand. The natural advantages of Clackamas County for the dairying industry are far and away better than those of the country west of the Wil lamette River, yet here we have Washington County outstripping Clackamas at every turn. The soil of Washington County is not to be com pared with that of Clackamas, and neither are the conditions, but in Washington there are hundreds of real farmers that have adopted pro gressive methods, who are always looking for something better and find ing it. 'Clackamas County should raise the finest fruit In the world and when we investigate, what do we find? Why, for the most part, scaly, wormy ap ples, for which there is no sale, and some of the grocers of Oregon City are compelled to go to Portland to purchase apples that people will buy. There is no reason In the world why such conditions should exist, but we cannot deny that they are here and must be met." Fruit Commissioner Reid's strictures on the methods employed by the farmers of Clackamas County have aroused no little resentment here and in other sections of the county. While there may be some truth in some of his statements, It Is general ly believed that his published utter ances have done more to retard the growth of the county than anything that could have been done. Home seekers are not likely to settle in a locality that has been given such an unsavory reputation. Richard Scott, of Milwaukie, president of the Clack amas County Fair Association, and a well known sheep and cattle raiser, J. A. Zlmmermann, of Clackamas, a successful dairy and creamery man; Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue S. M. Ramsby, who owns fine farm land in the Moialla country; County Judge Grant B. Dimick, who has a fine band of registered sheep, and dozens of other men, Including County Fruit Inspector A. J. Lewis, of Maple Lane, are Incensed at the tack that Mr. Reid has taken and they believe his usefulness as an officer of the State Board of Horticulture has been seriously impaired, and that future farmers' institutes where he appear will be very sparsely attended. REAL WORK UNDER WAY Preparations For County Fair Advanced by Directors. MONEY IS APPROPRIATED Cash Premiums May Amount to $500 and Directors Will Spend $200 on the Grounds. The real preparation for the first Clackamas County Fair may now be said to be fairly under way and Fri day the board of directors held a meeting in the office of Judge Thomas F. Ryan and authorized the expendi ture of $700 for the purpose of promot ing the good work. Secretary C. E. Spence will remain in this city until the opening day of the Fair on Thurs day, October 10, receiving $2.50 per day, which will hardly pay for his time. Mr. Spence, however, like other public spirited citizens, has a strict sense of duty and is devoting his best efforts towards making a suc cess of the Fair in the short time that remains. The premium list committee was authorized to expend $500 for premi ums and will commence work on the list at once. In addition to the cash prizes, there will be premiums of fered for the various exhibits by busi ness men of the towns of Clackamas County. Just as soon as the premium list is compiled it will be published and circulated and exhibits will be re ceived. Several displays of fruit are now in cold storage in this city, and others are expected this week. The committee on grounds will be permitted to expend not to exceed $200 in the work of preparing the grounds ,at Gladstone Park for the Fair. Harvey E. Cross is chairman of this committee, and a better selection could not have been made, as Mr. Cross is familiar with nearly every foot of ground in the Park. George Lazelle, of Mount Pleasaut, was Fri day appointed to act in conjunc tion with the committee in laying out the stock yards and other necessary adjuncts. Secretary Snence Is now enpneeri in writing certificates of stock, In sending out notices to stockholders to remit to him for the amount of their shares. Eleventh streets from Main street to jthe water front, connecting with the (proposed public wharf, this year, and tne discussion over the whole propo sition has taken a sharp turn. Frank Busch, who has been the main pro moter of the public dock, and Council man William Andresen, chairman of the finance committee, talked over the matter Sunday, and it is evident that the city will not commence active Im provement of the streets leading to the wharf site until assurance is given that the dock will not only be sub stantially built, but will be large enough for the needs of the public. Mr. Andreson stated Monday that he was not opposed to the construction of the wharf or the improvement of the street but that the interests of the city must be safeguarded and before actual work would be commenced on the streets he would insist that plans and specifica tions for the dock be prepared and submitted to the council for its ap proval. The regular method of procedure relative to street improvement must be followed, and the first step, that of giving notice for the establishment of a grade, has already been taken. The actual establishment of the grade fol lows and then the notice of the Im provement must be given and bids for the improvement asked for. This will probably take three months in the usual course of events, and will bring proceedings into the middle of the Winter, which is certainly not a desir able time for street improvements. It is possible, however, that the city council can rush the matter along by holding extra meetings, in order that no time be lost., Mr. Busch proposes to have a good, substantial wharf con structed that will be satisfactory in every detail and it is unfortunate that the negotiations have assumed their present, shape, as the council stands committed to the improvement. The large number of people interested in the improvement are desirous of see ing the wharf built and the street im proved within the shortest possible time. . GETS NEARER TO SOLUTION U'Ren Plans to Make State ment No. 1 More Effective. ELECT BY DIRECT VOTE Initiative Bill Is Proposed Giv ing People Full Power to Select Their Senators In Congress. GALLOGLY FIRST LIEUTENANT. Quick Promotion of Oregon City Boy Who Goes to Florida. PROSPECT NOT BRIGHT. Improvement of Moss and Eleventh Streets May Be Deferred. ProSDects do not seem to he hri?M for the improvement of Moss and First Lieutenant Arthur Gallogly, of the Coast Artillery, United States Army, has been ordered to Fort Bar rancas, Florida, to join his company. Mr. Gallogly was in town Saturday night and went to Eugene to attend the wedding of his sister, which was held Sunday, and left Monday for his station. He was appointed to West Point four years ago from Oregon City and was graduated No. 19 In a class of 170 that entered and of whom 111 fin ished the prescribed course. Imme diately after leaving the Military Academy last Spring, Mr. Gallogly was commissioned second lieutenant and went abroad for the Summer. His promotion to the grade of first lieuten ant before he has fairly entered into active service Is unusual and gratify ing to himself and his many friends in Oregon. Mr. Gallogly attended the Oregon Agricultural College at Corval lis, and the University of Oregon at Eugene. W. S. U'Ren, the father of the ini tiative and referendum, has a plan to make Statement No. 1 nearly iron clad and to make the people of Oregon dominant over the Legislature and any political party as well. He proposes to have a bill enacted next June through the initiative by which candi dates for the Legislature will be in structed to sign Statement No. 1 ex actly as It is written in the law. The members of the Legislature are fur ther commanded to vote for the cand idate for Senator who is the choice of the greatest number of people. Mr. U'Ren has been working on such a bill for several weeks and now has it drafted and all ready to spring. He believes that if the bill becomes a law there will be no question of the mem bers of the Legislature obeying the provisions it contains, and he says: "When the people of Oregon instruct ' a member of the legislative assembly to vote for one candidate for United States Senator, and his own lnclina-. tion, or his political party, demands that he vote for another, shall he obey" the people, or vote as he pleases, or obey his party? Who is to be master in Oregon, the people, the member of the Legislature or the political party? That Is the fundamental issue In the Statement No. 1 contest. Many of the Statement No. 1 men have suggested ' that the people themselves answer this question at the election next June, through the submission of substantial- ly the following bill by initiative petition; Be it enacted by the People of the-. State of Oregon; Section 1 That we, the. people of the State of Oregon, hereby instruct' our Representatives- and' Sefiators in our Legislative. Assembly that it-Is. our Intention, now and hereafter, at' our general elections, to select our' United States Senators in Congress as absolutely as we do our Governors: that we allow political, parties and other associations to offer candidates,' but' we name the Senators. That we; the people of the State of Oregon, hereby instruct every candidate for the office of Representative or Senator In our Legislative Assembly to sign ' Continued on page 8. Your new Fall clothes ate ready for yot how in out store and we ate going to hold a special opening reception to introduce you to them. You're invited: and when you come you'll meet a lot of the - finest clothes you ever saw. We feel that our good friends and our good clothes ought . to know each other better, These are Hart Schaffner & Marx clothes: and you can put it down aa a fact that better clothes, more stylish, more perfectly tailored, never came from the hand of a tailor. . The new suits are in a number of very, smart models, and the patterns are varied enough to suit every taste grays, browns . tans, in stripes, plaids and checks. The new Fall over-coats are certainly -very snappy; you'll find your kind here. It is hardly necessary to say that Hart Schaffner & Marx clothes are always all wool; you get no cotton mixture stuff under that name. Other departments are full also of fine seasonable goods; hats on the latest block?; shirts and neckwear like a reg ular flower garden of color and rich design. L.ADAMS Successor to Adams Bros. Woodmen Bldg. Main St. OREGON CITY, ORE.