Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-07-11
COUNTY BONDS.

day evening to consider the propriety OF
an issue Of county bonds in aid of the
Olympia railroad, was not as large as
the importance of the subject warranted,
or that the friends of the measure had
right to expect. If the success of the
project is at oil dependent upon popu-
lar demonstrations, those interested
must at least put themselves to the
small trouble of attending these meet
ings. The speakers announced, espec-
tally, should be present. Their names
are paraded to the public view, and ample
time is generally given for thorough
preparation. The public have right
to expect them to fulfill the engagement,
and to even attempt something more
than an extemporaneous argument. If
the gentlemen whose names are used as
magnets fail, who can blame the audi
ence for leaving the hall with q glim-
mering of an idea that they have been
caught by decoy arranged expressly to
deceive them. And this course, so per-
sistently enacted during the whole pro-
gress of the railroad campaign, is, We
believe, the cause of small audiences
and an apparent apathy on the part of
our citizens which in reality does not
exist.
On Thursday evening Rev. J. r.
Thompson, one of the speakers an
nounced, did appear, and made very
fair argument, but as only one-fourth
of the work had been assigned to him,
it was of course mere epitome of the
subject. Mr.. Thompson showed very
conclusively the Importance of railroad
communication to the town, and the
unity of interest which necessarily ex-
lists between town and country. He
was followed by Mr.. H. D. Morgan,
who was called up by the audience more
as counter-irritant than anything else,
and to add zest to the debate. Mr..
Morgan's speech surprised most of his
friends. His language was we'll chosen
and his manner calculated to carry con-
viction of his entire honesty of purpose.
His deductions were logically drawn,
and but for the baseless nature of his
premises, might have made some con-
verts. AS an instance of this, he as
sumed that the tax to pay interest on
the bonds would fall with crushing
weight upon the farmers without COM
pensating benefit, and, as a result, their
farms would be mortgaged and they
and their children become "bond-
slaves without power of extrication by
sale of property or other means from
the burden. But he failed to state that
this tax would amount to but about Sc
per annum on average farms, which
sum would be more than realized on
the profits of single load of pro-
duce with ready sale and a fair price.
The experience of the farmers the pres
ent season should prove this, to their
satisfaction at least. The past few
months fresh butter has retailed at 25
cents per pound, eggs at Is cents per
dozen, peas at Is cents per bushel, and
all other farm products at proportion
ately low rates, simply because the sup
ply exceeded the demand. Such low
prices have never prevailed before in
the history of the county, and can be
attributed alone to the fact that the
business of the town has decreased in
exact proportion to the loss of popula-
ton. The next objection of the class
OF people represented by Mr.. Morgan
is quite as unsound. It is that taxes
will be increased by the enhanced value
of real estate, and in the same breath
they affirm that they will thereby be-
come "bonds-men," and unable to re-
lieve themselves of the burden. In
other words it is claimed that they be-
come absolute dependents and bond
slaves, when they can sell their prop
erty for double the sum it will now bring
Such proposition is SO absurd that ii
requires no argument for REPUTATION.
The speaker likewise alluded to the
prospective decay of Olympia and Tum-
water in terms almost of. exultation,
and appeared oblivious of the fact that
these towns pay three-fomths of the
amount required to pay the county ex.
penses, which would be quite as heavy
if either, or both, were blotted out OF
existence; nor did he appear to have
pondered the idea suggested by Capt.
Blinn, that in the apportionment of the
school fund alone the country receives