The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-09-27
Mr.. Burke's Address at the Fair

Space will not permit US to give even
brief outline Of the eloquent addres,
delivered by Judge Burke. before
TIE King County Industrial A..oc;.
sion on Wednesday evening. but We
will call attention to some of the main
points. In the opening part of the ad
dress he gave the following statistics.
In 1870 the number of people in the Z .
5. engaged in all occupations we're - .
5O5 923. Of this number 5,922,47l were
engaged in farming. about one half of
whom own farms, and 1856. 996 work
on and expect sometime to own farms.
The total cash value Of the Z. 8. e..
ports in 1870 was $3.50. OOO, 900 and the
total cash value Of farms 9,272, 500 s61
The amount Of money paid out by farm.
ers that year for help amounted to
1910. 2s6. 2s5.
The speaker then went on to show
the evil arising from the policy of the
Government in granting large land
subsidies TO railroads. He stated that
the enormous grant held by the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company was
working . great hardship upon the
hundreds and thousands Of people who
arc now focking to our shores to pro-
cure homes for themselves and their
children. that by this grant the settler
was obliged to psy . double price for
what he did get or take only half the
amount allowed before the withdrawal
OF this enormous grant from our public
domsin for railroad purposes. He said
that railroads were very desirable insti-
tutions. He was 10 favor of the build.
ing of railroads, but. he said, let the Jun.
migrants and pioneers como in and set.
tie up the country and the railroads
wonld come. He cited his auditors to
many Of the Eastern States, which are
a perfect network OF railroads, and
there are to be found Thousands of poor
and starving people. He ssid, it is
homes the people want, not railroads.
fit is considered the correct thing to
substitute railroads. he said, let this
land revert back to the government and
be sold at the government price in
tracts Of 100 acres ct 81 as per acre and
give the proceeds of these lands to the
railroad companies. but never give
them millions upon millions of acres Of
the public domain, that rightfolly be-
longs to the pioneer settlers who desire
to make homes upon it. He expressed
himself q most earnestly opposed to .
longer extension Of time being granted
to the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany except under the most strict an
rigid conditions, but held that the
enormous tract granted them on certain
conditions. should revert to the govern.
ment
He then drew an interesting CON-
parisou between Great Britain and
Washington Territory, showing that
the former possessed $4,000. 900 acres of
tillsble land aud supported Q populs-
ton of 10000, 900. while Washington
Territory alone has $4,000, 900 acres of
fertile lands, e. 0OO. 600 acres of which 10
slluvial bottom land, the richest in the
world, and 20,0OO.0OO ACRES of other
lands available for cultivation. If
properly developed Washington Terri
tory would easily support ten millions
of people.
The speakerethen went on to show
the great mistake made by farmer boys
and young men crowding to the cities
in quest of fortunes, instead of remain
ing contsnted on the old homesteads. or
in making new ones. He said the
farmers fed and clothed tho world, that
the pursuit of agriculture was . high
and noble calling and the most inde-
pendent one to which men could aspire.
After paying the members of the King
County Association neat compliment,
the speaker closed his eloquent address
amidst loud applause