Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-03-13
bnI cannot zee any reason for obiecting to


ali Communication with the outside world
except by the ordinary roads across the
mountains, and we are denying to them ac-
them the privileges herein granted.
Mr.. Freelingfruysen. I think one of the
evils that this country is laboring under now
is that railroads have been pushed forward
beyond the requirements of the country. and
l do not think that they need stimulating by
Congress. If the mines and the wealth OF
this country call for railroad, private cap
ital will build it. The truth is that in all the
the States where this system has been adopt
ed the people are grooming under the burden
of these railroad bonds and assessments.
think It would be a bad example for the Con-
cal taxation of municipalities, and counties
for the purpose Demonstrating railroads.
Mr.. Morrill, of Maine. should like to ask
my honorable friend who hascharRe OF this
bill how much of these counties Is authorized
to loan its credit for?
Mr.. foreman. 1t Is provided in the bill
that 1t shall not exceed 100000 for any one
county, nor shall it exceed per cent. of the
taxable value of the property of the county
as assessed for territorial taxation, ana that
any excess over that shall be absolutely
void, of which all persons are required totake
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine. Has the Senator
the valuation of any ofthese counties?
Mr.. Foreman. Yes here is a principle re-
furnished BY the Delegate from the Territory,
and his statement take to be true.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Maine. What appears to
be the valuation ofany ono ofthese counties?
to the most recent statistics, have property
to the value of $9,GO0,0 900, or an average of
over three million of assessible property to
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Maine. quite agree with
the senator from New Jersey that q policy
of this kind 10 very pernicious. doubt ex.
tremely whether the Congress OF the nted
ties to mortgage their property in ADVANCE
ofpopulation rsuch a purpose. can hardly
conceive Of anything more pernicious than
such O policy.
Mr.. Wright For myself, all of my expe
rience and all Of my observation shows that
wherever this has been attempted, whether
in State or Territory, the people have uni
formly regretted It; and these people, now so
anxious for a railroad, in less than five years,
il the railroad were given to them and they is.
sued these bonds, would resist the collection of
the bonds with the same earnestness and the
same zeal and the same persistency that they
can possibly now ask for leave to issue the
bonds. They might get the railroad in the
mean time. but they have this debt, which
would be ilfinely worse to them than the
benefit of all the possible advantages from
the railroad. For myself, do not believe
that majority or any number OF persons in
any county in this Union for purpose such
as this has the power or can be given the
therefor would vote against this PROPOSE
ton on principle, and would vote against
1t because believe sincerely that 1t would
be the most unfortunate thing for these peo-
pie that they could have.
Mr.. Kelly. Mr.. President, this Territory,
like all other Territories, has no representa-
tive in the Senate, and therefore its people
rely on their delegate to present their case in
this body as well as at the other end of the
Capitol. The Delegate from the Territory of
Washington has appealed to Senators here to
aid and assist in the construction of this
road by the passage of this bill. / may say
that have presented numerous petitions
from the inhabitants of these three counties
asking for the construction of this road, and
despaired of obtaining any assistance from
the United States; that Congress will not ap-
prOpriate any money for this purpose; that
those residing at Walla Walla are isolated,
disconnected with all the sea.board; that
they have no communication except by the
ordinary roads; and therefore they say that
they willing TO suffer taxation, that their
property may be taxed not to exceed per
cent. of tho assessed value for the purpose of
enhancing the value OF 1t. They know that
it is comparatively worthless without some
railway. They know too that they can only
get such road by their own exertions, by
their own money, by their own energy.
At the last session of Congress, as has been
stated, the inhabitants of Thurston county
asked that they might vote under abill SINH
lar to this to assess taxes upon their own
property for the construction of short rail-
road. Congress passed that act The citi-
zens OF that county have gone on to construct
road to connect with the Northern Pacific
Road that extends from the Columbia River
to Puget Sound, and they are pleased with
the privilege given to them from the purpose
of connecting themselves with this railway.
They believe it will enhance their property
greatly. and ] have no doubt. II will; aud
have no doubt that II these people have this
privilege extended to them, their property
will increase greatly In value and their popu
lation will double In a short time. Unless
they can get some assistance of this kind, as
q matter of course the population will not
increase, and the wealth may even diminish
instead Of being increased
II Is for these reasons that the people ask
this privilege, If 1t may be so called; and In
as much as they do not expect assistance from
the United States, Il is simply pr .lege
that we canaccord to them to tax themselves.
II two thirds of the voters of each of
these counties are willing to impose this bur.
den upon themselves, think they ought to
be allowed to do It, AS general principle,
must confess that am not In favor of the
policy OF municipal subscriptions to railroad
pie have repeatedly asked for this, and are
willing that this burden should be imposed
on them, think they should have the priv
lege, and especially, as said before, when
they can have no hope of assistance from
Congress or the outside world, They are
trying to help themselves; they are trying to
build their own roads; and tank VIC ought
to allow them to do 1t.
Mr.. Bogy. / cannot see any objection TO
the bill. The necessity of 1t grows out of
the fact that the organic law OF Washington
is different from the organic law Of any other
Territory. The power of local legislation
has always been conferred upon the Legisla
lures Of the Territories except in this case OF
Washington. There the organic law restraints
and prevents the Legislature from doing that
which 10 asked to be done by this BILL The
question presented to us IL simply whether
We will authorize the local government of
Washington, either In the territorial Lesisla.
turc or in these counties, to do that which
they themselves think Is for their own inter.
est That Is the whole amount Of 1t, AS to