Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-12-27
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING. DEC. y. Isl
A NEW DEPARTURE.

awakened, but that the scales having
fallen from their eyes, they can see
things so clearly. Their penetrating
vision is perfectly astonishing to those
whose eyes have not been strengthened
by that wonderful restorer, balmy sleep.
Possessed with zeal commensurate
with the ambition of new converts,
those who have hitherto been most con-
slant in their endeavors to keep the car
Of progress in motion find themselves
outstrippcd by the energy of their new
allies, and their plans completely sub
verted by the doctrines of new dis
pensation. We find those who pro-
fessed to have Come to reap, not to
SOW" turning their hands to the sickle
aud pruning hook with the complacency
of old cultivators. AS one by one these
distractions are removed, the pathway
appears more clear, and the objects to
be obtained more certain.
We are led to these reflections from
the discovery recently made by some of
our citizens, whose support OF public
measures has been, to say the least, OF
q very quiet nature, that if Thurston
county extends aid in building railroads,
she must own the road, and that if cit
liens contribute anything in furtherance
of the enterprise it must not be as
bonus, but in payment of stock in the
the company that Somebody is expected
to organize and set in motion. We
view the suggestion i'll the light OF
discovery, for the reason that nobody
has for moment entertained the idea
that the ordinary passenger and freight
traffic on the Olympia and Tenino Rail-
road will for years pay more than the
expenses of running and maintaining
the same. The question is Likewise SUI
rounded by perplexitles to unravel and
doubts to remove, an invariable con-
comitant of all great discoveries. But
we ask as condition for our support OF
the proposition, that the gentlemen who
suggest different line of conduct from
that mapped out by the citizens COM
mittee in arranging the terms of the
contract with the Olympia Railway and
Mining Co., shall take the initiative,
organize the company, subscribe to its
stock, and demonstrate in sound or
thodox manner their faith by their
works. The people distrust any enter
prise, no matter how praisworthy may
be, if the policy that governs it is often
changed, or if there is variance or dis
cord among its projectors. Repeated
failures weaken the hope of ultimate
success, and we have cause to know
that some of our citizens who entered
with great zeal and in good faith into
abe pledges to the Northern Pacific
Humbug, and donated literally to the
subsidy of land, have become so dis
gusted with the result of all effort SO
far that they will not listen to any new
proposition. This feeling is not con-
fined to few isolated individuals, and
no matter how suicidal it may appear,
il honestly and firmly entertained. To
remove these doubts, to infuse new life
into those who have wearied of well
doing, and stir up the sluggish nature
of those who are fast returning to the
habits of barbarism, requires something
more than mere talk. We, as a chan
mel Of communication between those who
plan, devise and suggest, and the peo-
pie who are to approve or reject, must
receive proper assurances Of an earnest
endeavor, before wasting more time
and space on the subject. During the
long period of cur journalistic expert
ence, we have never failed to give all
public enterprises q cordial support,
but it now warns us to hesitate until
assured that there is some foundation
for the new fabric to stand upon before
knocking down the old.
The project is to build not only the
road to Tenino, but to extend it on to
cWalh Walla, through the Packwood
Pass. 1t is claimed that by actual
measurement this route is seventy-fve
miles shorter than that from Seattle
through the Snoqualmie Pass, to Walla
Walla. We believe that this claim is
generally conceded by surveyors, and
others who have given the subject con-
Ideration. It is represented that the
grade is but sixty-6ve feet per mile on
the west side OF the mountains and forty
Eve on the east side; that thence the
route would run through valley al.