Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-10-26
eHYPlA, SATURDAY MORNING. OCT. s6, 1872.
Mr., GARrIELDE AND THE NORTHERN
PACIFIC RAILROAD.


Mr.. Garfelde has in the present can
vass taken strong grounds against the
Northern Pacific Railroad Co., charnc-
terizing it rs rapacious and mon
strous monopoly" representing in con-
cert with his friends that the company
intends to reduce the settlers on its
lands to state of serfdom. He advises
those east of the mountains who have
settled on odd sections, to abandon
their claims without. delay. This is
quite different tune from what he
played through the last canvass, when
he was crawling about that big map on
all tours with jay Cooke and holding
fddle-bow between his teeth. What
ever may be the condition of his un-
mentionables at that time, it cannot be
denied that there is now tliAing ex-
hibition of person---sufficient to greatly
facilitate his sporting friends in what,
we are informed, they contemplate,
doing.
The policy of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company is something that
we do not pretend to understand, or
propose to discuss as having anything
to do with the present election. Sup
pose, however, the company to be just
as heartless, rapacious and dangerous
to the settler as Mr.. Garfelde now rep
resents it to be, in what manner can he
explain his opposition to the following
amendment, proposed by Mr.. Hawley,
when the Northern Pacific Railroad
bill was before Congress?
And provided further. that the lands
granted to said railroad company shall he
sold to actual settlers only. and in quantities
not greater than one hundred and sixty acres
TO any one person, and for price not exceed
ing 50 30 per acre."
Mr.. Gar6elde opposed all restriction,
and in his speech used the following
language:
Mr.. Speaker: AS my Territory is perhaps
more directly affected by this measure than
any Othef. portion Of the U nited States. as far
as it's lands are concerned: have sought the
oTrtunity to say word or two upon this
bill. In the first place. wish to refer to the
proposition which has been urged to impose
on this company limitation providing that
the lands shall be disposed Of to actual set
as,s ea at PsSe mot e1 1e y ssf
operate well in Illinois or Indiana or Ohio is
entirely impracticable upon the great plains
of the West. i! have travelled over this line
1s..ea G,,<,
and know, from my own observation. that
there are places where, for five, ten, fifteen
or twenty miles. no water can be found. The
stratum Is basaltic, the heaving is perpendic-
ular. so that you may dig down to any pOssi-
BILE depth without finding water. Now, would
you divide such land as that into tracts Of one
hundred and sixty acres and say that they
shall never be sold unless to a settler who
will go upon them to parch with thirst?
speak of what know. aud say that if you
wish tn throttle this bill. If you wish to de-
stroy this enterprise, limit the control of these
lands in the hands Of the company, and you
will accomplish it,"
Had the amendment passed it would
have been an effectual protection to the
settler, saving him from the possibility
of being overriden by the company.
His opposition is fact that cannot be
reconciled with wise purpose of ad-
vancing the interests of the settler, and
the specious reasoning by which he de-
feated it indicates that he was at that
time acting in one of his multifarious
capacities, as agent of the company.
If Gar6elde really had any Of the
wonderful influence with the Northern
Pacific Railroad Co. claimed for and by
him in the last canvass, and if what he
now says is true, is he not responsible
= tlIat the settlers on the railroad lands
are given over a prey to the company q
"rapacity"? II such is the fact, upon
every argument heretofore used by
himself and his friends in reference to
this subject is it not time for those who
believe that our future is largely within
the control of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Co. to lay him on the shelf?
If it was SO essential that we should
have Delegate who was upon terms of
accord and friendship with the compa-
ny, is he not played out when he takes
the war path against it? Surely it oan
not be expected that he can come out
first best in warfare against this great
corporation. Would it not be suicidal,
in the present crisis, to send man &C.
cupying the position he does towards
this company to represent us at Wash
ingtonf
PUBLIC SPxAKnn.-Judge McFadden
will address his fellow citizens at Steil-
acoom on Monday, at LA. ~, and Of
Tacoma on the same day at TN: al
Seattle, on Tuesday, at 2 o'clock P. NJ,
and at Port Rlakeley, some evening, at
TN. The local committees are re.
quested to make all needful arrnnge-
nAnfa