Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887, February 10, 1882, Image 4

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    I "J
I
Ifgg
lusurd every Week bj the
WIIXAMKTTr. FAKNF.R PIIU.ISIIIMS 0.
TEIIMS OF SUIISCIUITIO.X.
,mycxr.(roupaid) InnUvnn J 2-M
III months, (l'ottase vsclil), In dwot .. . l.
Um than six month will lus, ptr month is
AI) ElcSISINO KATES:
A4tsrUeniiU srill be Inwrtnl, provMIng tn rc
encUblo, t tho fo1lowln;r table ol rates :
Oa Inch of space, put month HS
ThJW Inches ot flaec ytr month .'
One-ha.lt column per month l.w
0 col'imn per month ... Mm
jaj-Himnlf coput Min ircu on ..mi.uii.
Publication Ofllce: Xo. 5 uhlagton Street,
tain, rooms Xo. 5 ml M
Vv
The Lakcviow Entminrr closed iu 2d vol
ume on Jmi. 2S, 1SS2. It is an ablo exponent
of Lake county and its resources, ami c use
Jt freely as an exchange. We w uh continuc.1
.success may attend there.
A subscriber wrote us tho other ila., asking
to liavo lus pspcr changed to Wells post
office instead of Albany. The gentleman for
got to sign his name, and we will change lus
paper when ho sends us the proper address.
The Salem Statesman nctd not take tho
troublo to invent anonymous correspondence
to have a text to base an editorial slauder of
tho Fahmeh in future : it will be more manly
to make the attack openly, and more manly
etill to designate what in the course of this
paper justifies the charge thrt it has sold out
to monopolies. We challcnce it to quote' a
word that justifies such an accusation. I he
worst w e hav c done in that line has been to
republish al1 the editorials of the Statfman on
Anti-Monopoly.
TnE Daily Stamlanl discuses the ability of
the Southern Pacific railroad to carrx w heat
2100 miles from an Francisco to New Or
leans, for $12 per ton, and sax that would be
only "four cents a bushel." Keally, that is 3(5
cents a bushel, and ought to be sufficient pay
for its tratispoitatton. It seems to us the
question ought to be: Can they carry wheat
for ten dollars a ton? That vv ould be o0 cents
a bushel, and is all it ought to cott it wheat
growing is to bo encouraged by it and the
railroad proposes to be lto encouragement.
Fonsomc reason that wc cannot understand
the tools of the Central Pacific railroad, w ho
are fighting Villard under the borrowed mot
to of "Anti- Monopoly," have made a special
effort to injure tile Wlumette Fakmlr. So
we devote enough space to thoroughly tltmol
Jsh tllc'ir pretension in this isne. - It seemil
necessary to protect our fanners from imposi
tion, and having done tins w e drop this sub
ject. All who wish to discuss monopoly m a
fair way, or to have reports made of Anti
Monopoly League meeting, are luformel that
wc have room lor that purpose.
JnGE BolsE, who ha Leen on the bench to
many jears, is also master of the Oregon
State Orange, and well known as an ant:
monopolist.of v hlch he is our most able advo
cate. We suggest to our anti-monopoly friends
that he is a much safer leader and adviser
than S. O. Elliott; he certainly will not be
suspected of acting from mercenary or vicious
motives, or of bcin in the pay of stock job
berg. Judge Boise informs us that he sees
nothing objectionable iUkA-riTStef- W&
Faujj&p... 'o intend to deserve aud 'have the
support of all reasonable men, and our col
nmns are open to the expression of all honest
iliirerenees. We are far from claiming to be
infallible, but we aim to be right, and are not
afrairt to advocate what we believe to be right
in preference to w hat happens to be popular.
If we are right time will show it, and if we
Tun after things that seem to be popular, time
will certainly show that we have merely been
time serveis. The world respects those who
have the courage of their convictions.
THE GRANGE AS AN EDUCATOE.
We look to the Grange, if it could beadopt
ed as a familiar school by the fanners of the
whole United tatis, as a valuable means of
education. The farmer needs to posses a
wide range of information, ino-t of which can
be gathered from popular journals, but to
meet together and discuss what they know
by experiment and what they read in print,
w ill make their experience more valuable to
them. They are apt to be decei ed. too, by
travelling frauds, and if they meet and talk
over matters together such deception will not
be possible. Wc need to educate the people
of the country to know better than to defeat
tho object of a good mo unuit by useless and
incendiary statements, ami falsehood, If the
farmcis, through the Grange, are educated to
.know their rights, and organized to maintain
them, the icsult would not bo brought about
Jjy violent denunciation, but by quiet but
srise a tion. It is not the intention of the
order to take part in politics, but we differ
with most and hold that the grange should
be used to disseminate information and then
the people should act on that information for
.their good. So far as we understand the or
der, it holds too much aloof from public af
fairs. It seems to us it would not be amiss
for its members to act in harmony to educato
tho masses of their own class to understand
what is right, ami then insist that political
parties should do, what is right.
Go For It, Farmers.
Through tho couttesy of that enterprising
journal, The Suyttv Jlttt,v,e learn that the
Stand aid Sugar Hcfincry of California has in
augurated a series of pnzes for the purpose of
encouraging tho cultivation of the sugar lx-'ct
in this country. Tho prizes, which are open
to fanners everywhere in the United States,
aro as follows : For tho best 100 acres of
beets, $200; for tho best 7.r ncros of beets,
8100; forthu best GO acres of beets, 100; for
the bsst 23 acies of beets, ?50; for the best 10
acres of beets, S20; for the best 0 acies of
baets, $10; total, S5U0. The Standard Com
pany will in addition give etch winner of a
prizo oiio year's subscription to tho ftiiyur
ttl.
FARMERS IMPOSED UPON SKETCHES OF
RAILROAD HISTORY.
Wc published, last week, a set of resolu
tions passed by tho Oakville Anti-Monopoly
League, in Linn County, which boar plain
evidct'co that they wero framed by S. U. Kl
liott. After careful reading of tljcm we feol
regret that tho good people of t"at vicinity
were betrayed by an unreliable af I iircspons
iblesourco into giving their hon-st but inju
dicious endorsement of sentiments that in
mot respects ale utterlv false. For tho pur
pose of criticism wc republish tho Mine from
our last issun, and im .te our .readers to re
read them and sen if .they can honestly disa
gree with ourasertifc'i that they aro falie,
libelous, impertinent, and unworthy of those
who are credited with their adoption.
S. O. Klliott is in individual for whom
personally wo have no ill feeling, hut rather
the contrary, iml who would hive no uiikiml
mention from us under any circumstances, but
when he appVrs in tho character of an cmif
sarv, charge w it Ii a mission, and that mission
to commit t! e farmers of Oregon to the decla
ration of fo dish and incendiaiy saying, and
make then, responsible for absurd and scanda
lous fslseh ods, then it is time somebody
should come to their rcliet and expose the
swindle jH-pclrated on them, by contradicting
KUiott't ohsurl lies and irresponsible asser
tions, that are no doubt made in the interest
of the Central Pacific, or other parties w ho
are interested in defeating the building of
railroads in Oregon.
If Anti-Monopoly is a go d cause it "eeds
truthful advocates, and can .'illy be damped
if put in the hands of irresp uibleileiu:igogues
and visionary crank;.. The Fakmek was the
first piper in Oregon t advocate Anti-Mo
nopoly, and to-day we go ivt length into this
bu-iiHst for the sike of truth and to keep this
Col." Klliott (who never was a Colonel and
whose cluni to be so is part of tho traud lie
practices) from imposing further upon this
farmers of this Val'uy. They aro h nestly
encased in organizing Anti-Monopoly league",
as part of i great national movement. Such
oreaniz-itions aro no doubt expedient, but to
make them effective .-nd respected tlioj mint
not be started out with I's or "lander.
Without specifying w tut stocks and bonds
are meant, th1 first ot thee resolutions nc-
fuses Mr. Villard with trvmg to tell stocks
and bonds aggregating f l.i.'.wu vw, issued
on property not worth one-tenth of that sum.
Tho dishone-ty of this ass rtion is sIioaii by
the allure to specify what corporition is
meant, but if it mearg any one, or all, of the
Oregon corporations that Mr. Villard is inter
ested in, it is simpl a lie, as any one must
know who has read the published reports of
the standing of all these corporations, which
give the amount of stacks and bonds is-ued
by them. If b. G. Klliott will specify bis
statemmts wo will specificilly prove Irs
statements to be false.
The attempt to disparage Villard's standing,
in the same resolution, is the weak egotism of
a disappointed man whose sole object in life
seems to bi to revile and accuse thceo who
have succeeded w here he failed.
It was premeditcd fraud on tho part of K.
liott to iniko false statements ml ltduce
In nest farmers to adopt them in the hape of
resolutions, aod j t oj icv;V1C0 to these
fWu",ers""to show the fraud and expose the
authorship. .The Oakville league evidently
took r is word for truth wheli they endorsed it.
This same resolution charactcnes Villard
as an "adventurer and '"grand swindler,"
and advises the people to "make an example"
of him by "having the criminal laws of this
State enforced against him." If the criminal
laws of our State were enforced agauiht the
people who adopted this libl they mightlcarn
more about law thau Klliott told them, for
our Statute makes such publication libel, un
less true, and the worst enemy of Villard will
not care to call him a "swindler." Villanl
will read such stuff with contempt; railroad
int-rests will not sufler from Mich balderdadi;
but it vvi.l not be to the credit of our Mate if
such scurrilous words are hereafter adopted
by men in council.
The time has come when the nation is
riuscd to the danger of encroachment by
great corporatio is. Anti-Monopoly is bo
come a principle that calls fur organized sup
port. To sustain t lus or any good cauc,
however, no lying slander ii needed, for lies
and slanders always react to injury of those
wno ubo tlicm. Farmers' clubs tiat allow
demagogues to mislead them, injur.) theirown
standing a. . influence and weaken thuirgood
cause. T world knows that Mr. Villard's
charactu -tamta high for moral qualities. He
m a ma: jf probity, and his renown as a rail
road financier and man of business is world
wide. Kven if they criticise his methods
these resolutions have no right to abuse him
P'rsonally, and this attack is t-itrply slander.
In behalf of the farmers of Oregon wo inter-ff-re
to prevent them from being imposed upon
further by a man whose history and character
cannot compare m any resptct that inspires
confidence with that of the man he wants the
farmers of Oregon to blackguard to please his
rancid nature.
The second lcsolution favors honcstbuildiiig
of railroads, and guarantees that all roads
honestly built shall earn "a fair return on the
money actually expended." With this assur
ance from the farmers of that neighborhood
capital will now probably pour into tho Pa
cific Korthw est aud cross-cut the wholoregion
with tailroads! If our friends at Oakville
have occasion for another spokesman, they
should find tsoino man who can weigh the
ineaningof wouls as ho strings thtm togother,
and they might improve a little on KUiott's
grammar, if not on his logic.
Ciiminal law is invoked in these resolutions
to wreak its penalties on all scheming oilend
tis! Let us sec how its pains and penalties
might aflect one S. G, Klliott, if his sclicmcs
had miccccdcd, and ho had brcome the rail,
load migiiato of tho North Pacifh, as he at
tempted iu ISO" I
Tho writer of this was Secretary of tho
Company organized to construct tho Oregon
and California Railroad, fifteen era ago.
and filled that position several years, during
which time ho was familiar with Kltiolt'a
schemes. Such men as K. N. Cooke, J, II,
Moorcs, I, K, Moores and Gov. Woods, com
posed the Company, and acted solely for tho
purpose of facilitating the construction of the
road. Klliott protended to have mrausl'and
to be woll backed up; ho suggostod the wiolo
scheme of organization, which included sev
eral millions of preferred stock, and many
more of common stock. Ho claimed to repro
sent what was afterward found to bo a liogus
construction firm (A. J.- Cook A Co,) no doubt
intended to parody the then influential firm
name of Jay Cooko & Co., who controlled the
Northern Pacific rovl. Klliott retained con
trol of the wholo body of preferred stock, ex.
oopt a small block civ on oach director. He
tried to perform all the liinnci d legerdemain
known iu railroad rim's, by which construc
tion contracts were to com millions. The
Oregon Compwiy simply did what they could
to get a railroad construct eel, not caring who
made a profit or did tho work, so long as the
work was done; indeed, wo did not know
what his plans were, fir ho misrepresented
then, and left us all iu lgnoruicr, simplj
keeping the wholo control within his own
reach.
It was proved, afterwards, that ho had no
backing, and wo all considered that lie de
ceived us. None of Ins statements wero veri
fied,; all his promises vveio broken, and his
plans fell tl. rough. The members of that
Company, connstiug of some of the best men
in Oregon. Mt themselves swindled by this
man, but had too much .-olf respect to lay
ttioir grievances before the public. When
lien Holladaj can.e they turned Klliott and
all his bogus coutiacts over to.tliat worthy,
and retired from building railroads out of air
and w itei, as gracefully as they could.
Klhott's assertion that the vv liter and o'hir
directors weie to have a l.ngo ahiru in tlie
preferred stock, is (.Ut: tins stock was left
for him to use iu getting the roid built. The
director considered themselves as iiiciuageuts
to facilitate the building ol tho railroad, and
actei in a very disinterested m inner, "hoy
put confidence m Klliott and were deceived,
exactly as the Oregon tanners are being de
ceived by Ins misrepresentations now.
After his first failure Klliott was a ii.cmbcr
of the firm if li n llolladnj & Co'i and as
.Superintendent ot Construction drev,- a salaty
of ;"i00 a month, set up a carna,'-, owned a
llunkoy, and put on stjle greater than Poit
land wis used to at that day. linn llolladaj
& Co. -played tho regular game to build the
road at a high figure. They told bonds at au
p e to gtt ho.d o! the money of Gorman
U. oiholders, aud bonds were- lssuxl for tluee
t ..ics the actual cost ol building the road.
1 ,uds sold did not ie.ili.u SO cents on the
dollar K liott was never known to object to
anjthin,' so long as he shared 111 the spoil,
and there is no reason to snpMiso ho ever
would have protested, or refused to sharo the
millions of which the Germans wore robbed,
only that Holladay got tired of Ins manage
ment ami "filed h.m out" of the concern.
Kverj thing above stated can be taily sub.
stantiated by t'.ie ov ideuco ol ihoe w ho were
then directors, and by tli recoids of the cor-,
porition. With uo ill will to Kl iptt,-and
with regret that personal allusions aru ueccs
cary, only actuated by a desire to pjotout tho
Jjrmers of Oregon from indiscreet ai.d im
proper action based on false statement', we
have shown Kiln tt to have oeen guilty of all
the chicanery and fraud ho now condemns.
He came here with a bogus power of attorney;
foisted a bogus lirm on an honest boinl of
directors; created millions of stock without a
dollar of capital actually paid in ; Im firm
told bonds fur three or four times what the
toad to It isburg actuallv cost, ami in tho
palmy days w lien Holladay smiled on linn,
he was a railroad magnate with pretension
and display. Such being the fact, wc exam
ine his acts as an auti-iuouopolist to find him
as guilty of misrepresentation now, js hu was
in li07 and ISOS, when he impeded himself
and his scheme on the people ol Oregon. Jf
any brrach of ciiiimi.il Itw is to bo avenged,
perhaps it will bo as well to b gin at the be
ginning of our railroad history and put the
first ollciidei on tnal first.
Another of these Klliott resolutions con
demns the City of Poitlaud tor laisuig jJ.'iGOO
aud sen ung us Mayor, U. P. Thompson, on
to Washington to awst tho On goii dcl cation
in seeming needed appiopnatious. No doubt
Portland and its Major will nor!, more espc-
ci illy for toe appropriations that will most
bunt-lit Portland, but tho whole scheme was
openly canvassed, and money opcnl) contjih.
uteil aud will be honorably expended. No
man can accuse the Willamette Pa hm m of
being t-uluerv lent to Portland. Wt welcome
the prospect of opening V.iquina to our Vulk-y
produceis as a h ppiug point ; wo favor com
petition from the Sound and fiom Astona ; in
truth wo have disappoi .ted worn- carj luitouls
who thought a mat. couldn't live here without
being owned lure, but wo contend that this
town has a ri'ht to defen I its interests f jirly
at Washington, and do not believe that with
all Ins fearful and Wonderful smartness "Dave
Thompson" can corrupt Congress aud make
the Columbia river run tin stream except at
flood tide occasionally with only three thou,
sand dollars.
When we consider that S. (J Miott owns
nothing but a few law suits, more ei less, and
that ho brought nothing to Oicgon, jrigiiully,
but (i liO'jua jiua-er of iiltorxfi , that ho pays
no txes and has no business it may not bo
impel tinent to inquire how ho comes to bo so
much interested in our allairs, and to ask
IIViO uijMm Hit muiiey to pay hi cs petite,
while he betrays honest minded men to pet.
pctrati' n of fulsehood nutl criminal piomul.
gation of felamlcr? Wo behove that ho is
employed fortius puiposo by stock-jobbers
who uic tiyiiKj to defeat tho building of rail,
roads in Oregon I
Thoie who ehooso to penetrate the reason
w hy wo opnoso tticso transparent Irauds, need
go no fuither than to recogni.o that this jour,
nal represents tho farmers of Oregon, and will
,,.., crxwaa KTrrrmcmrnTST
not tee them led off by fanatics and paid
agents of tho New York stock jobbers and
that worst monopoly on cuth, the Central
Pacific tailroad. Neither do wo propose to
nee tho good causi, anti-monopoly, botiayod
by tho recklessness of ndventuters who have
not a dollar at stako iu tho country.
If tho building of lailrovls is a ciiminal net,
and if tho pretense our people have always
undo that they beluivo dueot Cotntuui icatiou
with tho w'otld is a delusion, then Villaid is
doing the count rj incalculable barm, and tt is
a great imrcy thnt Klliotb'a inily schemes
prved failures; but if wo want railroads, and
welcome the progress they insuio, then Vil
lard u a bettor npostlo of pioguss thun Kl
liott Wo wero destltuto of facilities and nt
the mercy of tho most icnioisiless monopoly
conceivable, when Villard came and bouulit
it out. They held us spell bound, and stood
in tho canyon of tho Columbia, wheio thej
oxaetrd t dl without conscience and oilend
no improvoiucdt on existing methods ; thov
taxed us without even piomising futurti liber
htv, whotcas ho his made great nnpiove
incut on upper Columbia transportation, has
lowoied fuights on product and inadu ami
cultute possible east of tho C ados Soon
we shall have, through him, r.clroad connec
tion with t'ui Kvst by both till Northern Pa
o-tie and the Salt I-ake routes, as well as with
Pugct Sound and with San Fincico, and we
also In hew with Astoria. I'ovvo want them'
Ian man iu this country . not, let Inn
jty o in our columns. Wo are open to dis.
eiisMon. If anyone wishis to condemn Vil
lard methods, do it hue. Wo don t care a
snap of a linger for Vlll rd except as ho is of
use to us, and if hejns the genius to build
the railroads wo need ho is of ue to us.
You sav : Hu is e' monopolist who works
onl) to make nioiin) 1 Granted, and then wo
ask what nulioid man is otliiivvise? Did
anj man over build A railroad from purely
buitvil nt motives Dovou think any man
ovei will! Fanncts of Oregon! whoever
builds vour rail mads will ceita nlv do sofiom
purelv eullish motives ; if he didu t believe he
w. uld gam b it hu wouldn't build them. It
is not often that n'lOan capable ot command
ing unlimited confidence of caj ital am s, and
as such a onu has c-omu to our lellef, tho best
wo cm do for oursolvcn is to uso him and then
piotee". otireelvcs from abuse by him. Yillinl
mav own our rail loads, but wo, the people,
still contiol the franchises under V'hieh hu
builds them. It will bo our i wn fault if wo
let linn direct tho legislation of our State
ac-iiust our interest'.
People of the illamettu Valley have for
jears hail tho ln.-in.IHoI railroads mat nave
enriched producer while tho capital that
built thtm has never been rewnrdul. 'I In re
mav be- some uufxir discrimination to com
plain of, but certainly, lis a whole, tin so ii.ads
bavi been of great valuu to tho pe. pie. Do
l hey wish to tear up these roads and go back
to fust principles? Of ci urso not, and jot
some t ilk and attas if lailroaiU vv ere n cursi'.
It makes no dit'ercuco to us on what I'ehemo
rai roads aie built if fares and freights nro
reasonable, and if wo can control fare and
freights b constitutional legislation are o
not, uia-i' ers ot t'.,e situation?
Oakvlllo Anti-Monopoly League
Albany HiralJ.
Col. Klliott spoke at Oakville, l it thw coun
ty, on tho 2.'id lust., and after bis address a
leafcue was formed, to be known as "Qakiilln
Anti-Monopoly League," with Joseph Hamil
ton as president and Jas 11. McCoy as secro
tarv.
The follow in? resolutions were adopted by
tho league, which then adjourned to meet
again on Saturday, lamisry -Sth, at 1 o'clock
I'. M :
JlfAolml, That this league condemn the
methods adopted by Henry Villaid, whereby
lio has attempted to sell stock and bonds to
the people of New York, Iindou, Frankfort
and other lacis, inamountagKregatingSl'I-V
0O0.WJO, when too property cfn which these
bonds and stocks are baaed have- not cost, nor
aro thev worth, 10 pi r cent f that sum. That
the attempt of said Villard to advertise him
self as a great railro-id man and financi'ris
ridiculous in the extreme, and while he Ins
Miecf dud in subsidizing some of the new spa
pcrs of this State, we are pleased to sen that
the exhiiiition oi veiiauty oi mo press in the
Stato ot Oregon is only about. in one in thirty,
and we take courage at the fact that the pco
plo arc waking up to the importinco of mak
ing an example of the kind of adventurer and
grand swindler represented by this man, II.
Villard, by having the luminal laws ol tins
Sutc f nforce-d against him.
I'fAolftl, That we favor tho building of
railroads when conducted honestly, aod we
pledge ourselves to defend all invotmi ntn iu
tuch'impiovemeiitH, to i fair return on tho
money actuallv cxpuidid in tho building of
railroads; but no mllatingof the costs of tools
nor the watern g of stocks, shall bo p rmitled
within our State; and the party f violating
the rule of honed dealings chall be subjected
to tho severest pena'tj of our criminal hw ;
and all aiders and abettors may take notice
that the people of Oreyon will not heitato in
treating their frmdiileiitly issued stocks and
bonds as void.
Ilfunhnl, I hat we wero pleafed to learn
from Col. T. K Hogg, in his epoech at Cor-
vallis, that the Oregon Pacific railroad would
bo built on cornet business principles, and
that all that company would expect would bo
a fair return on tho actual cost ot their road;
and wo take pleaMirn in cominc tiding tho plan
adopted by the 0. P. H It. (it being free fiom
inflation of its cost and tho watering of its
stock) as one that will give satisfaction to the
prelim er of Oregon.
Jtrnohfil, That wo regard tho Hz-nding of
1). P. Thompson, Mayor of Portland (by that
city,) to Washington as a lobbjist, us degrad
ing in tho xtreine; for any one can only un
derstand tho most powerill inlluenco of the
naiil Mayor Thompson wi'l bo used iu corrupt
ing members of Congress. And while wo have
the fullest confidence in our Semtors and
momb-rH of Concrcss iu protecting the inter
ests of our State, wo beg to call tho attention
of tho Hon. M. C. Georgo to tho great impor
tance of obtaining an appropriation of not less
than 200,000 for opening up of Yaquina bay,
as the natural outlet of the Central Willam
ettn valley.
Jttnolml, That as the amount of money
that will bo received by the general govern,
luent as duti(H on the steel rails that will bo
used in tho construction of tho 0. P. P. It ,
(which will all bo landed at Yaquina harbor)
will bo three or four times the amount asktd
ns an appiopriation (the 8200,000,) that fact
should do iifcd as an argument iu favor of
such appropriation,
UfHolretl. Tint a copy of these resolutions
bo forwarded to our Senators and Koprou-iitn
tiv.J in Congress, and tint tho ptcss of thin
Statu bo furnished with copies for publieatii n.
J, li, ilcCov,
JOSKI'II JIAMILTO.V,"
Secretary,
President.
CENTRAL PAOIFIO RAILROAD SOHBMES.
The peop'r of California liavo been dinar,
pointed inr-vitiunly of lalu iu relation to a mat
ter of vital importance to tlioin. An Kaslcrn
compi'iy was pushing a rallioad through from
Santa Vo towards the Pacific, and they looked
to it as a possible competitor for tunsconll.
tieutal hade, when, suddenly, they hear that
the Central Pucillo inngnatoi have bought tlid
contiol of it, and so their chains aie nveted
tighter than before. Thuso incii have mai'o
over a bundled millions of dollars -twice as
much ns alt the taxable piop.-ity of Oregon
out of tho bounty of thu people, and they are
using this imiiicnio wealth to control legisla
tion in Coiiguifs to piovent any attempt to
testiaiu their eaieuras licensed highwaymen.
They own C.difoi nia so that even a common
citizen is nfi.tid to criticize them; they permit
no merchant to succeed iu business who
doesn't comply with their method, and now
thty ate striving to defeat all eiitel prises that
may in tho future come iu competition with
their insatiate greed. They compel the Pana
ma Itadtoad mid tho Pacilio Mail Steamers
to coinu to their terms! Tiny make no oppo
sition to the Panama Canal, because it may
not ever bo completed, and if ever it is it will
bo many years hence. It is this terrible power
that is now lighting the propo.ed ship-railway
ot Tehuantepec, and will piobibly succeed lu
piuveiituig action of Congress in its favor.
Hut tho deadliest ollorts of this absolute
monopoly atodiicctcd against the completion
of a I ouil fiom Chicago to Portland which
shnll make competition possibly on that lino,
thev have scoured themselves, bj combination
and by put chase, against competition ol any
known loute. N't o have advices from NN'osh
liigtou that they aie lighting the Noltheili
Pacific with all thnr boiile ol lined bamllltl,
tin what bottoi than biuitittiaio iiicuvvho sell
t'lciuselvcs to a tailroad eoi poiation to assist
in Rclic'iuis that aie intended to mike them
lii.et.tein , 1 the people 7 N ot then- am plcutv
of ineii IxiJtc enough to do this for wagis.
It is not woith while for us to aid this at
tempt to defeat tho building of thu Northern
Pacilio lt-.ilioad li) our own active etloits.
1 hu attacks iu olo on our mill old s stem cm
liavo no other ellect. The money of the Cen
tral Pnciuc can be ntd to se-euiu mercenaries
iu Oregon as well as elsuwbcie, and there are
men litre who are none too good lor that use.
I hu Old) solution wu can put upon tho eoillso
ul some tide- is to heliuve tint the) nlu liuo
lui.'s ot the Cililoiiua ltalltoad ring, who go
about the Mate doing its ill: ty uoik; helping
what they can to ilelent tilu building of i.ul
roads loi tnu .Noith Pacilic legion. "Anti
mouopol),' as ailvoc'tttd l tho California
K.ulioad ring in Ongon, ut tins tiui", is so
palpaolo a Ir.iud that It ought not to need
argument lu piove It.
THEN AND liOW,
Some friend at idicld, who made a mistnku
,n in t .lr" .0 hut 'Vnir naino to his request,
sends iu a leal of nomc-thing that ws publish
ed about Oregonlcs lar back as ls7.", where it
sajs: "A caigfi of wheat can bo shipped
from Porthiuil, Oregon, to Kuiopu for less
money thin from Chicago; ' and b;i)b : "dhow
It to the eluppci wno g.t it up, and then ex
plain how wo are getting a good prieu foi our
wheat, aud how shlppcls lose $'),Wf) on w heat
shipped befe-ie December."
Wu do not ixoctly understand what our
unknown friend wants ol ua, but we will try
to coei the ground so that hu will bo
answered.
A few jears ago we used to notice that quo
tations of wheat at Chicago i.ud Portland
sometimes weru nearly the same, no that a
bushel of wheat hole ami there had thu same,
orueail) thu same value. Now, a bushel of
wlu.it is woith SI .'tl at Chicago, and not over
111 cents at Portland, which is simply tho
dltleieiice ill height lloul the two places to
Kurope. Freights fiom Chicago are a great
deal cheaper than they weiu three or four
yeats ago, and heights from Portland aru a
great ileal ihuier. Freights from Chicago, on
account, of competition between routes lead
ing to ISoston, New Voik, PhiUdelplua and
lialtlinore, and also down tho Mississippi in
barges to vcw Oilcans, have become vny
reasonable; ami because this coast has, within
thu l-ibt four cars, uiuie than doubled its pro
dilution, slupl-iug to cany away our suiplus
loi export has been tlllhcult to get, ami the
pi ice of heights has gone up fiom Iom to 70s,
bill, and, at ouo tune, over !M)s per ton,
Kaiiy in thu Fill Oiegon wheat ready foi
Hliipuuiit was woith in Kiudaiid Tils foi fiOO
pounds, and now It is quoted at IDs lid for
f00 pounds, a ilille-rencu ot about I fi cents per
bushel; ho, when a vessel canying 1,000 tons,
or :i:(,:i:iH bushels of wheat gets tt Kuglaud, it
is worth iiciil) live thousand dollars less than
when It left Poitlaud. It looks mngiilai that
thn prieu of wheat has had no change hero,
but that is explained by the fact that exactly
as wheat has decreased in value in Kuglaud,
freights have also declined, ami the remilt has
been that our market has stood at the same
lignio for tho wholo season, with only trilling
viriations.
If our friend's "many furmcrs" want any
morn iiiloimatiou, pleasu let us know. Wo
have no better usn for tuna and space tlia-i to
explain such iuatt;i, anil wu iuo willing to do
so fully and ficqiieutly.
Mewtrs. Hiram, Sibley & Co. aro specially
desirous of obtaining alt infoimution calcu
lated to fit tlicm for tho most intelligent er.
vice of their many customer iu the South,
To thin end they are offering fi00 cash in
prizes for the best essays on gardening iu the
Southern States, These issays must come
fiom those practically acquainted with all the
conditions alleetiug tho subject; ami the tie.
cision regarding their itspectivo incuts will
be made by well-known and admittedly com.
petuht judges. Full paiticnlais can bo ob
taiucd by addressing Hiiain, Sibley A. Co,,
Seedsmen, at either Kochc-ster, N. Y., or
Chicago, III.
Mr. J. K. Smith, merchant at AiiiuhviIIo
Iiiih kindly consented to net an agent for tho
Fa hm limit that placu, and is prepared to re
ceipt for all business iu our naino, ,, Im
ABHESSMEHT AND TAXATION. t
An Important nuhjont for discussion among
tho people Is to he found lu thu matter of
public taxation, which Includes tho heat
method for piocuriug nMessment of piopcrty
of its full valuation. Tim law of 18M) amrudeil
the existing statute with the Intention of
making it morn olfbotlvo. The statute lias al
wajM npp.nently piovided for valuation of all
propel ly of lis full pi lee, but tho Inw- has been
avolilttl, and it is matter of common notoriety
that the anstsnuiellt lolls of thn dlllelent
counties do not loot up much over oiiu.thlrd
of tho full valuu of the piopcrty or the State.
If thin result was attained by an) lalrand no
ctiuito system tho ellect would bo the name.
Taxation would seem cnoi mom, of coin so, a
it ducH now when the tax levy is on Mich a
low iiitio of values, hut the tumble Is that
under the law a gteat ileal ol piopeity tint la
not euaily identified mill fly eseapt h taxation,
notably money and its lepuseutatlves iu the
shape of ei edits, debts and loans, NV showed
some liinu ago that it wax piolmhlo thut tun
millions of money uvadetl taxation in this city,
which is due to the fact that w lulu other
piopeity is assessed with a view to vt hat it
may btiug at forced sale, money is thu aotual
iiipn sontativu ot value, mid itn suuh must be
listed at its full face. '1 he man who has ten
thousand dollars is Imblo to p-iv a tax of at
least V-'oO oil it, if he allows it lu be hshssciI,
wheitas it he puichni.es mil tstate, either ill
town or couiitiy, making however good n lir
gam, ami on a pmclmi.0 ol S'.'i),(XK makes a
10,000 pajuieul, in nine cum out of ten the
ollitot of iiiilchtidiicMi will corn the umotscil
value ami leavu him clear of taxjtiou on the
ten thoiiHiiid dollars he his paid down.
I'litlu i the law iiiusl bo auiiiided iu silell a
positive manlier that Its nitilitlou cannot k).
slid) ho evaded, ami must bu lull) eiilorce-d,
or else suiuu spei lul jiruvis on ah add he made
as to taxation in inoiii) and its leprtueuta
live.i. I Ills I still to te lolllbltld by the
elausc oi the eoustltittioii 1 the Mate ol Ore
gon that tequiic'A that all nsscnsiuviit nhull bo
iiiiat, lluwevet, theiu mini bo some way to
ellect tun denied r.ttilt, ami that wa should
lio dmcoMIid and aitop'.ml.
As it is now, leatmiale iavthe giiatest
plup Itiun ol taxeet, ami the leillit Is lliiough
llm couiili) aie too tax n)t-M. line matter
ol iiupui tiinto is to compel thu ueoi to re
qmu nu iillulavit hum tsieh tax V" l piop
i tv lioldei. I.Mi) man should lilt out a
hUiii. iiuil stibseilbo an uattl to Its eeiriit tloin,
and Uio law should lornle its win. I penaltioa
lor ihe eilizcii win, nnil.ea a lalsu return. In
lact, we Nlioilld luivti an none ml oath to
evil) letiirn ami aeo piupeil) at lt actual
hill . aluu.
t.i'iopi.iuit is made that attcniiieiit iu dif
lei out eutintliu IB nneij lul, vtliic-li call onl) be
avuiiied b) liav im,' an ii.nessine-.it law that
shall be .ut explicit ns wonUt can make it, and
thun Have a )tuii ul oqualuing aantineiit
b) a coinpc ei.l buaiil tn.tt sliail leview the
won. ul count) nuixuisittnl pioKirtiuu taxes
in a Liu mauiie-r. Auc-ii a Ihjiu.. wa once at
luinpted to oe pioviiled lor l) law, but the
net piuved not lu bu eiiiisluulional aim was
null unit vuldallei a decision ol t le cuiitU. It
la luuud that latin cuiiutv llim ) car Ion Ueli
asesctl lui a million iloilnn moie lliaii Mari
on, and nun) uimiiiiiu that .vtanoii ami l.iuu
do nut actuall) vatv much iu value ol prop,
tity, thu assumption u tnnt tliu pruH.rty
owiieis of l.iuu pa) tvveiilv per ciut. morn
Stale tax than d'j tliosu ol .Maro.li, lb. I being
about tlie piox;iliuii ul jurineul ul the ivvu
counties. Iheiu is no n lit I htnn this impusl
tion it it is one. tt urmes uieieJy Iroin diiler
euce in valuation udupte-il b) too two audi
tors, 1 no)' weru e ue li nuut i iiutlgh, no
iLmilit, ami, working iruiu a ihlliiiut basit of
valiiex, thu citizen oi I. inn niiiuty think tiny
aim iiii'lid) taxed whlili Is an imposition,
using tne wont in its highesit nt'imu. A Hoard
ul Lqualizaliuli could e-iuill) adopt u kc'.tle ol
values lui tliu liltli lent couutiiM, uinl, lullovv
ing llus out, could suoii adjust all mith III
itunlilliM and ileculu il injustice had been
done.
Ihu highest stntemmiusbip of the vtoild ban
never flamed a ierlict law to levy taxes til
pruptitv equally uiid juttl),but tntio u great
impioveiuuiit illictod In most cf the Mates
our ihu eruile way projierty is aetoietl in
Ou-goil. Wo need the bent eilorln ul the tnnt
nun. Is ofllr. goii to provide a law that thatl
bu 0. ore just and a great ileal moio ellicient
'hau our piosent ).stuiii -or rather waul of
s)Hte-m of taxation,
barbed Who Tor rcncini;
Wo timl that much utieiust i takiu in the
use of bailn-d wiru for feiieiiig ns nuiy in.
qmrii-H uie on o about the wno tint in adver
tised in tho Faiimiii. 1 1 netius tu ho a dlllc-r.
ent thing html the monopoly ni tiele tliat Inn
so impost tl on tho people, ami foi which those
who use it have to pay no dually. Those who
sin it kpeak well of It, and we team that a
simple ol it in III this city. Ah the mattel of
fencing is very important to out patiuin, we
eill attention to the ad vet tint mi nt, and all
l.iteie.tcil can leave pitticulain by writli'g
thu ugi'iilH iu .San I'ranciscu.
Marlon county Pomona Oranco.
Mat ion County Pomona (Jroiige will meet
with Hound Piairio Orange at lliookn Sta
tion, in this county, at 10 o'clock tint fourth
Satuidi), the 2.ith day of this month. All
member of the Order ate laniently invitid to
incut with us. A good time is ejepected. Hy
order of the Kxicutivo Committee,
J. VimmiHM, Montr.
Information Wanted
NVu dcnii e to ancertain thu pottolllce ad
di ens of tlie following named piuticn, and any
ono who can enlighten us will do a favoi. Tho
names are ;
CI. Da vim,
I'. II IlLDTMt, "
Tho Southorn Cultivator.
NVu have received the January number of
the Suiitiern Cultivator uml Dixie 'mmti', tho
oldest, as it is tho best, agricultural journal in
the South! in States. It is now published by
.lainen P. Iliuiieoii & Co,, of Atlinti. Dr,
NV. I,. Jones, for years the editor of this pop.
ular journal, retains his position; Dr. ,1, S
Uwton is the asso iato. Under this maiiago.
inent, tho Southern Unltinitor will not only
maintain its foiiner high Hlandaid, but, with
the i imsiHt-inco of ample capital and ineicaied
facilities, and contributions of the most oml.
uent mid popuhr writem on Agriculttito in
this country, will attain u higher standard
than ever,
,. Jt.