Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-02-28
deposited with the Postmaster. Gener.I

ders from Washington Territory will
also be effected by mistakes of this M.
ture. A large number of these checl.
have been drawn payable toJ. Al
Creswell, whereas the law requires thot
they shall he payable to the Postmaster.
General, and the check should lie tbot
Ct National Bank Some of those
from Washington Territory are on a
private banker at Port Townsend. I'm
less these requirements have been strictly
complied with, the bids must be de-.
clared null and void. The Postmaster
General proposes to introduce bill in
Congress which will legalize bids that
may have thus to be thrown out on
mere technicalities. Over many of tbs
routes there are close contests, and Il
will be n long time before the question
OF the contracts is settled perhaps two
months or even more, as there are up-
wards of $4,000 bids.
WASHINGTON TERRITORY IN THE DEPART
MENTs.
1t was proposed in the " Civil Service
Reform that the various States and
Territories should, as far as practicable,
be represented in the clerical appoint
mcnts in the Executive departments.
1t may be interesting, therefore, to
know how many and who are at present
the representatives of Washington Ter
ritory. VIM. II. Wallace, tho son of
Governor Wallace, is in the 81 Audi
tors office of the Treasury Department;
Capt. De Jester, of Steilacoom in the
second Comptroller's; NJ. L. Moses, son
of Simpson p. Moses, former Collector
OF Customs at Olympia, is in the Inter-
nal Revenue Bureau; j. L. Turner of
WILDLY Island, in the General Land
office. Mr.. Clements, late Secretary of
the Territory, and Judge Oliphant, are
in the Department of the interior, but
these two are, believe, credited to the
States of which they were residents
previous to their official appointments
in the Territory. Hugh Allen Colds
borough, for so many years resident on
Puget Sound, is the Chief Clerk of one
of the Bureaus in the Navy Department,
and Judge Lander the first Chief JUS
tice Of the Territory has law office
here.
ALASKA.
What to do with Alaska will be a
pulling question to the present Com
gress. OF course it cannot remain
much longer in the anomalous position
in which it now is. The United States
did not pay seven millions for the pur-
pose of bestowinS it on mere fur-trad
ing company, some of the members of
which are foreigners. 1t is said that
the treaty Of purchase was an after
dinner thought of Secretary Stewards.
and it is very certain that it was ratified
by Congress merely because it was
thought it would be bad policy to Of
fond our good friend, the Russian Car,
by refusing to do 50. AS it has thus
become part of the Republic, it should
have, in fact, us well as nominally, the
laws of the Republic extended over it.
Unless gold or other mines are discov-
cred there to- paying extent, there can
be no hope of emigration, and it is so
thinly settled that it would hardly graf
ify the expense of n separate Territorial
organization. 1t might he created "a
county of Washington Territory, aAtt
made separate Judicial District, an
additional Judge being appointed for
that purpose, but your Delegate does
not believe that it would be any advan-
tage to the Territory to have it so an
nexed. Perhaps, after all, the hest
plan would be that proposed in the CAL
ifornia Legislature, to make it n penal
colony. 1t would certainly relieve tho
Pacific Coast States and Territories of
an undesirable portion Of their popula-
ton, and the labor of the convicts could
be made remunerative and develop other
resources besides seal skins.
TERRITORIAL RAILROADS..
The Committee of Territorial Dele
gates have not, as yet, agreed upon the
bill with regard to providing for the in
corporation and regulation of railroad
companies in the Territories. They
have it still under discussion. 1t re-
quires very careful consideration for the
reason that there are so many conflicting
interests to be harmonized, and then
too it must be prepared in such man
ner that it will go through the House
and Senate without arousing the fierce
jealousy which now exists against rail-
road corporations.
RAILROAD BILLS.
Delegate McFadden has been untir-
ing in his labors before the committees
and Departments. He expects report
from the Senate Committee on Terrific
res on Monday next, favorable to the
Olympia and Tenino Railroad. There
will be some restrictions imposed by
the committee. The Walla Walla and
Seattle Railroad bill, and the Olympia