Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-11-21
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING. nov. q. 1874
THE FUTURE OF OLYMPIA.

Olympia, q disposition seems to be man
ifested by some of our citizens to lepine
over what they regard serious calami-
". This is not the spirit which con.
quers difficulty, or that has led on to
successful results in times Of peril. We
are not of those who will quietly yield
when subject fraught with such an I'M
~portant bearing upon our vital inter
ests appeals for active and determined
support. We can certainly present facts
for the consideration of the Postmaster
General, which will induce him to re-
tain the old service, even though it may
cost the paltry sum Of Sc 600 per annum
more than the route terminating at Ia
coma. The main point to determine,
it appears to us to be, is how We can
bring the subject before the Depart
ment so as to have it decided upon its
merits. The meeting to be held this
evening, at Columbia Hall, will doubt
less adopt some plan whereby this OBJ
iect can be attained. 1t has been sug-
gested that series of resolutions be
prepared, setting forth in detail our
grievances. and that copies be trans
mitted forthwith to the Postmaster Gen
eral, to Judge McFadden and the Ore
gon delegation in both branches of Con-
gress, with an earnest request that they
bring the subject up for consideration
and final action.
The petitions recently circulated pray
ing for the establishment OF daily mail
service, do not cover the ground it was
designed they should, by those who cir
culated them or the petitioners whose
whose names were appended. They do
not ask for relief from an injury done
by curtailing mail facilities on an old
route, but pray for increased service on
the whole Sound. Even this re,.y indi-
rect method of accomplishing the OBJ
ject, if it had that object, is not guarded
in most essential particular, the means
by which the public can he assured the
petitions will reach their destination.
If they have been entrusted to the ordi-
nary channels of communication, they
will doubtless be "pigeon-holed' by
some clerk in the Department, while
the people will wait till it is too late,
under the delusion that they have done
all that is required to secure hearing
by the head of the Department.
We do no: believe in fretting, when
zeal and activity are the trump cards
which have won far more desperate
games. And we may say, in general
terms, that our prospects as a town
have been held in check, by precisely
tho course of training which has spoiled
many q fair and promising child. Our
people have not been obliged to origin
ate and sustain enterprises for the pur-
pose of developing growth, like those Of
other places which have no public pat
ronage to keep them up. Our citizens
have become 80 much accustomed to
expect progression, as matter of course,
that they seldom attempt to devise
means or to institute measures for that
purpose. Our town to-day is like
lubberly youth, who has been PAM
pered and fed on sweet-meats until the
whole system is out of order. It needs
an active medicine, and if We mistake
not, it, will receive few doses if the
patient is allowed to worry, fret, COM
plain, and continue to avoid the health
full exercise it 30 much requires.
There IS bright future for Olympia,
despite all our croaking. 1t may be in
the dim future or near at hand: it re-
mains for the people themselves, in q
great measure to determine. just con-
slider the fact that, while we have in
our midst several men whose resources
would enable them to build our branch
railroad and never feel the drain upon
their purses, still we 60 abroad for
money and ask men of greater enter
prise to come to our. aid. The mail
contract might have been retained with
out trouble, if some of our Moneybags
had been content with fair dividend
and bid for contract commencing at
OLYMPIA. A dozen other enterprises
might b now sending their life-giving
currents through the arteries of trade,
If two-per-cent on the brain was not
disease that it appears impossible to
eradicate. in this peculiar climate. The
question that the present generation is
interested in, is not what may he done
sometime, but what can be done now.