The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-03-18
Monday, March 18. 1878.
THE CONSTITUTION AND
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.

6EGClAL LE110bA I4oN.
The most important political end we
have now to strive for as Territorial
community is State Government and
admission into the Union. Those who
throw cold water on this effort and try
to place distractions in the way Of its
attainment. are enemies Of the people.
Spot them. As Territory we have no
real freedom Our Legitimate franchises
are denied us, and at every turn we are
tied up by intolersble restrictions. A
territorial community can do nothing.
A. people they are nobodies. There
are none 30 poor to do them rever-
ence." So far from it. on the contrary,
o Territory. like the old States in their
colonial vassalage to Great Britain,
only in less degree, perhaps, are only
helpless dependents to be tax-ridden,
imposed upon. and snubbed.
Until we become a State, we never
can obtain any appropriations for river
and navigation improvements. for pub
lie buildings. for Notifications or naval
works. Neither can we get the control
of our school lands or our tide fats,
nor get any concessions or grants to be
used under our State direction for in
ternsl improvements. Our Territory
can have no rights of any nature in the
halls of national legislation which
Oregon or California are bound to
aspect.
Assuming that next summer State
Constitution is to be framed at Walls
Wslla for submission to the people in
their November election, it is of
moment that that Constitution should
be rightly framed. 80 as to subserve the
host interests of the people. to secure
against its rejection at the polls. The
most natural error which il will be
likely to fail into will be that of copy
ing too servilely the example of other
constitution trainers in the older States.
The conditions between the old wealthy
States. where capital is strong and
labor weak, and the young and callow
commonwealth, where capital is yet
to be created. and where labor
is always uncertain of q mar
ket, are. in truth, very different. In
the new State capital aud labor must
be mutually fostered and encouraged
on their common meeting ground of
productive industry. by juiicious as.
sistance As needed, through intelligent
and discriminating legislation. We
need the free, elastic kind of constitu-
tion, which the old States found expe-
dent for their infancy and by which
they grew to wealth and greatness.
rather than the restraining. curb-rein
instruments with which the later con-
ventions of some of those States have
found it necessary to replace the looser
constitutions of their younger days.
No cast-iron system can be forged for
any State which can serve them for.
ever without change, for States out
grow constitutions like children out
grow shoes.
Old Procrustes is said to have kept
bedstead OF . certain regulation length
in his. guest chamber. and every visitor
who was too short, was stretched so az
to exactlv fill this bed, and every one
that was too long was correspondingly
docked to the same measure. This
plan no doubt proved eminently sue
cessful in preventing Procrustes' hos.
pitality from being imposed upon; and
so general laws are excellent for keep
ing things rs they are, and REFRESHING
energy that would improve and open
up new folds; but this Is not tho poll
cy Tor new and undeveloped Territories.
Such system is we'll adapted to China
where the masses of humanity arc
dwarfed to the same level of degraded
and soulless serfhood aud all cut after
the same pattern Of puppet mechanism.
but for our own free. progressive State
We want no straight-jacket instrument
of oppression which will bind us hand
end foot Is tributaries to outside pro-
dacers. but an elastic. mobile constitu-
ton which. in matters of taxation shall
leave the Legislature free to make such
exemptions and Discrimination, "a the
Will OF the people, biennially expressed.
shall declare to be for the public good.
The WAR PRosPgcr.-our lates,
dispatches from the saat - wz~ IA: