, 1873-07-03

most in contact: especially is this the
case upon questions where his assocl-
a'es are supposed TO have better know'-
.-dge of the matters CONSIDERED than
.e has himself. Thus it is understood
hat all local or special legislation Is
procured through lobby representations
aud Influences, not necessarily involv-
ing rrnption on the part of the leHs-
lators. In this case, the Commission
ers come here comparative strangers, to
determil this question by cnrsory OBJ
servatlon and snch oral information as
they may obtain by personal intercourse.
and herein is the disadvantage we labor
under Seattle is owned md controlled
bv Its own inhabitants. who have made
their homes here, and in the main
achieved by their own industry IL they
possess, without any vlsw to specula-
| ii n. They have never employed any
runners agents or lobbyists, to follow
mp the railroad officials to set forth the
advantages of their town; never made
any overtures to the railroad land ring;
meyer made any propitia,ory donations
of town lots to railroad engineers, and
never, like all the other competing
points. ntertained propositions made
without authority by agents OF the land
ring, pretending to represent the rail-
road company. When the Commits
sioners came here, fully authorized to
act, thev found the citiZens fnlly alive
to the importance of the subject, and
ready and willing to respond to any
reasonable demand, and anxious to Co
operate with the company for the pub
| tic benefit in no stinted. niggardly or
selfish spirit. For all the benefits they
ere to derive from the railroad they
e willing to pay their Just proportion
of the expenses, out of their own earn
lngs. without resorting to any intrigue.
secret understanding, or corrupt intiu
ences whatever. With them it is far
and open proposition to give and take.
The town plat of Tacoma i ' represent
ed almost exclusively by spectators.
who bought aud hold 1t only for specu
latlve purposes. the railroad being the
special and ouly OBJECT through and by
which they hoped to realize any profit
from their investment; the only means
by which y town could ever lie built up
and maintained t that point. Hence
none of the appliances usual to shrewd
and successful spectators have b ELI
omitted to make theft speculation ii sue
cess. Every man who was supposed 10
have any influence with the Directors OF
the railroad has been rendered an inter
est in Tacoma lands. which many ac'
cepted; the railroad land ring. i'll which
many of the Railroad Directors are in
terested has become identified and are
making common cause with the Tacoma
Interest, and General Sprague and Mr..
smith. the agents of the ring. have dog
gid the foot steps of the Commissioners
from the hour they entered the Terrific
ry: all the most plausible and self
assured land spectators of Portland
are interested III rocoma; in 9act from
Portland to Seattle and back again to
Portland the Commissioners have b. d
,cant opportunity to hear OF a ythire G
but Tacoma; they have literally been
enveloped in a racoma glamour, well
alcul lted to befog the understanding OF
drive to distraction men Of the strongest
minds. Ii the speculatots sncceec by
,heIr superior tactics and tire'ess zeal
which Is not probable nor yet impossi
ule it Will be an sssurauce to the pub
nc that the old laid ring is yet III the
ascendant in the management of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, all other as-
surances to the contrary nOtwithssand
ing. On that event. which We DIP no'
now anticipate. we shal, have som4 hing
TO say Of the alternative which It will
pres. mt to the citizens of Seattl}, and
the certain means within their rfach Of
maintaining the supremacy q thelr
city as the commercial metrq Polls oi
Puget Sound.