The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-06-23
County and City Official Press.
Saturday. June %, 1877.


THE n. p. r. r. CHARTER.
The time fixed as the limit for the
completion Of the Northern Pacific rail.
road appears TO be.involv.d in serious
doubt by reason Of the indefnitcness Of
the Congressional eg.slation upon the
subject
The case a. clearly stated by Jude"
in the Oregoniin stands thus
let. The time fred by original char.
ser in 1904. was July 4,h. 1876.
2nd. The time was extended by q
rvs,lusioE in 1866 to July 4th, 1873.
3rd. The time was changei by amend
msnt 10 origin charter in 1868 10 Jaly
eth, 1877
We are left in doub, whether Con:
xress in its amendment of 1868 had 6r.
gotten its action in 1866 or purrosely
ignored IT, The O0goaiah writer
claims that it is conclusive presump-
ton. that when Congress enacted ills,
it was scquAinted with the previous cg
islstion on the same subject" We gree
with him on that point but DO MT soc
ths. his core us"n follows AS sAmatter
Of course, with is that the 'me Was
thereby extended another yea-thas is
three yesrs in oil r until 'nly 18th.
1879. II it not u.ors reasonable to
presume that Congress View what 1t
wss about. and meant to act Just pre-
eissly what the statute &a-viz: That
the time for casu,plstionla o"ld he July
4th, lsf7. Ifthal pssvo y geality ex-
tended the time at IN extension !;
ifit liraited it. imiaation; but
calling it WI nay does not
/. j. u.els ks~aaibb!e u. to
~h.. mus iuss.det, or ~Aa,
me- nav 49,, OF what may
be 4 pst-reaso,.iax from
vi 1m1ssbleness Of those
m tthstk pertinent in the
q 49, what the statue AS
- $3.50 OF course the late
6nes precedence of any
- OBVIOUSLY specified.
h writer quoted. takes
Fal acts of Legislation on
UteSy Congress as cumulative
than salstitutive and that the
:, sding resolution Of 1866 a. kind
f1justible rider to the charter itself.
- slid forward one year in its
sssptioa BY the change in the charter
AAde IN 1893. Tho decision Of this
Joint Is q question for the courts. We
psssuns that where . question arises as
10 the termsof q statute in consequence
ufany ambiguity Of construction. it de-
wolves TO interpre, those terms on the
basis cf.the greatest good to the great
est number."
A strict construction of the law will
-. witty bar he company from its land
grant by reason Of . forfeiture Of the
exact conditions imposed. The force of
national sxiysncy. and the good Of
the people Of tho northwe,t however
require thsta railroad connection shall
DO made between the Columbia and
The upper Mississippi valley. This fac,
viii have its weight IN the remedisl
IA behalf Of the company
thst will build il, requisite TO effect the
desired object.
To re.srd this great and paramount,
object We would not throw ono fsa,h-
sr's weight III an obstacle in tho way Of
ths corporation which stands in the
forefront Of thia advance. Such . pol
10y uoah be suicidal. We shall only
staad cut for strict fairness in matters
Of detail, and will oppose f.om first TO
last any measures that favor the indi-
siduAl 1t tho exp~nse of the public or
propose to sacrifice tho greatest good
10 the greatest number" for the benefit
81 the Few.