Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-07-25
A farmers VIEW OF TEE SITUA-
TON.

EDITOR STANDARD: Sir, ! propose to
say Il few words in relation to railroad
matters, and accept your very gener-
Gus offer and request q little space in
your columns. | have read the address
~ Mr.. Stevens, the President of the
railroad Union, to the citizen Of Thurs
ton county, and also your editorial on
the Same subject. After what has been
said, with all the facts and figures tina.
seem possible or necessary. ! fear vou,
viii think what have to say is in rather
bad taste, by offering the poor wine at
so late an hour III the feast. What
have to say, however, ] say. and will
stand TO it and sign my name.
Now for IL little plain truth Oh the bond
question. The proposition to vote 49,
coo bonds to the aid OF the Oh vm-
pia and Tcnino Railroad Union meets
with many ohi"c!ions Some Of these
objections [ consider we'll taken; for
example, they say there are many per-
SONS who do not pay their equal pro-
portion OF taxes, according to their bus
mess and prosperity. and say such are
standing back ready to seize upon the
bonds when issued, and in that case
the county or its citizens will have no
interest whatever in the road after hay
ing paid the interest and principal
Again it is said the railroad won't pay,
and whatever market we have, will be
ruined. These three objections, / be-
licyc, cover the whole ground taken by
the opposition to bonds. Upon these
questions hinges the whole matter,
and, if defeated, it will most likely be
upon them.
The first question, unequal taxation.
No one in his right mind can believe
for moment, that to defeat the bonds
will have anything to do with, or miti-
gate III any degree, the difficulty arising
from unequal taxation. We, the peo-
pie of Washington Territory and no
else, can control that matter; and we
ourselves are at fault if we suffer from
unequal assessment or unequal tax
alton.
The second objection, that The bonds
will be issued and go into the hands of
spectators, and the people who pay
the interest and principal sooner or
later vii! be cheated out of the whole
this objection Is well and honestly talk
ell. II is a thing [ nave pondercd
over great deal. In regard to diff
cult things, it is not good economy to
lie down and give up. There must be
some way to make all this right. The
/ STANDARD says: Fellow-citizcns, we
must lool; the situation squarely i'll the
face, and l would add, and take the
animal squarcly by the horns.
Some people doubtless consider the
SIS 600 as II subsidy, so much given
by the people out-aud-out, for the ben
eft Of the railroad, others view this very
differently, and it is this mixed up
misunderstanding of this very impor-
tant part OF our controversy that |
would like to sec Strengthened out If
a feasible plan can be devised, so that
the "peops" can have an option in the
matter, and our stock in the road when
it is done and paid, then in my opinion
one serious objection would bercmovcd.
Now to this end, and in the hopes of
hitting something tangible, l will ven
ture suggestion. Something of the
kind has been spoken of by several
influential persons. I give it for what
it is worth. My plan would be, to hold
the election, all go in for bonds, and
let the tax, whatever it may be, appc az
under separate head. Issue Tie tax
receipts on good paper, and let them
be received on the books of the Rail
road Union for paid-up stock, say in
sums of $40; and 1 can see no objec-
ton in making their receipts transfera-
hle, so,that small holders could avail
themselves of them.
AS to the last objection, "The rail
road won't pay after it is built This
is really no objection at all. 1t is the
case frequently at first. Roads may
not pay for Il long time, and us the
county around grows up and improves,
business increases. 1t is said, at pres
ent the road from Columbia river to
Tacoma is not paying. That is moth
ing. AS Tacoma grows and the county
settles, business will also grow and i'm
prove. 1t might possibly be that this
road when complete would not pay the
county anything, but if Olympia and
Tumwater improved, business would
also improve on the road.
I am fully of the belief that there is
nothing necessary to carry vote for
bonds, but full and fair understand
ing, among the people of the county,
and in my humble opinion, the man
will not be found to raise an objection
at the end of two years. WhenI say the
man will not be found, 1 mean of course
that public opinion will have settled
down, and the great, formidable objcc-
tons which now loom up, will be lost
sight of in the fair prospects of bust
ness. Every mechanic, and laborer
will find enough to do, and good wages.
Wharves, depots, bridges, culvcrts,
warehouses, stores, and buildings of
every kind will be going up, and bust
ness men can pay 500 then as easily as