, 1878-01-05
The Railroad In Congress.

Inc WdIIIOA0 IN OOUSISSos
An ex-member eff Congress
now in Washington, though not
citizen of this Territory, feels
a lively interest in its prospect
ty, writes us private letter un-
der date of Dec. Is, from which
we take the liberty of making
the following extracts:
-" My attention was called to-
day to your leader Of Dec. 1st.
1t was source of great gratifi-
cation, l assure you, to find in
Washington Territory so firm
and truthful an advocate of the
proper measures for the advance
ment Of your great country
The scale upon which the public
interests have heretofore been
considered has been so narrow,
and selfish, that it is difficult to
educate the public mind up to
the standard necessary for an
occasion like the present, and
especially so in cases where the
means of influencing public opln-
ion have been mainly under the
control Of men with little real
knowledge of public justice, and
no care for anything beyond the
accumulation of dollars, at what
ever sacrifice OF principle and
honesty may be necessary to ac-
complish their ends.
at is strange that the Port
land Board of Trade could not
see that to simply locate the road
on the south side of the Colum-
bia river, without any guarantee
for its construction, would be
more damaging to Portland than
to let the North Pacific die oat.
l capnot, if | tried, state it any
stronger than l find it in your
article. You comprehend fully
the matter in hand, and the
press of your section can control
a powerful influence here in de-
termlning this matter. | am
glad to see that, with little ex-
ception and without distinction
of partyeit is taking correct
view. This will not only pro-
duce unity of sentiment, but give
expression to the public will
There being little public senti-
ment in favor of the Northern
Pacific in the Atlantic States, it
has been the object to create one
on the Pacific. Hence the pub
lie expression in it's favor will
be most potent in carrying Sen
ator Mitchell's bill. l am firmly
convinced that if your people
are united and firm and persist
ent, Senator Mitchelfs hill will
become law, and that inside OF
four years you may ride on the
cars from Portland to New York.
am assured of that by men who
have only to say 1t must be done
and it will be accomplished
The passage of this bill will at
once set every thing in motion.
1t will give life and promise to
all the local roads. 1t will I'M
mediately make States of Wash
ington and Idaho; not States in
mere form of government only,
but States In population, COM
merce and manufactures; free
commerce, not pcnt up under the
control Of one corporation. Ex-
tension of time TO the Northern
Pacific without the provisions of
this bill, will be ruin and disas-
ter to the whole Pacific North
west. The people should arouse
themselves to action as though
there was an armed invasion by
a foreign enemy. .
."Again, let me say to you,
much depends upon the press in
the Pacific Northwest. 1t has
spoken all along the line from
Seattle to Salt Lake. trust it
will prosecute the campaign with
courage and zeal worthy a great
cause. This will be the turning
point of the battle. You cannot
appreciate the influence 1t has
already had, and the aid and en-
couragcmcnt it gives to those
who arc fighting your battles
here, who are careful to mako it
known
There are those here who are
of the opinion that we have Civ
en- too much prominence and in
dorsement to the Mitchell bill,