The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-13
The Press and the Ballot--.The
Safeguard of the People.
STANwOoD, May Z, 1878.

oIANHOOD, Sles q, 1870.
ED. INTELLIGENcER.- Many intel
ligent persons are Of the opinion, that
wars and panics are no more affected
by human legislation than the orbit
of the comet; yet the laws thst control
tie speed and course of the comet, in
its flight of thousand years, are we'll
understood, and its return is calculated
with accuracy, almost TO a minute.
This is the result of careful irvestiga-
ton and study.
Careful investigation and study of
social statistics and dynamics have
led many to conclude that panics and
wars are governed by laws, intimately
connected with national and inter-
national legislation. Montesquien points
out, that though men make institu-
tieus, that institutions in return shape
and mould the character and destiny
of men. When Guizot, the prime
minister said: "It is a gross delusion
to believe in the power of political
machinery" he referred to the increas-
ing influence of modern newspapers
and public opinion biased on discus
sion and publicity to social state"
The Geneva Congress settled con-
troversy, that threatened to plunge US
into war with England. National
legislation backed by loyal people,
carried the country through q great
civil war, and lifted four millions of
hapless beings into freedom. Think
for moment of the far reaching in
fuence of government. We depend
upon it to protect life; the title to
whatever We possess is derived from
and subject to law. The Seattle and
Walla Walls railroad is a necessity,
great and imperative, but some invsn-
tions "return to plague the inventor. ,
Take the Cen trail Pacific, with all of its
combinations, an immense monopoly,
controlling all tine lines of any length.
in California, and debating the cost of
transportation. it lays its hands upon
the means of every mans livelihood, and
successfully defies the Government itself
to collect the principal and interest.
Booth, CALIFORNIA; ablest statesman,
was made Governor, and sent to the
Senate, as an effort to checkmate it. "A
pistol shot against Gibraltar Let us
profit by this example. Col. Fitch's
plan, which received the unanimous
support of the Pacific Coast conven-
ton. for the State to build and
own the road, was without question the
wisest plan, and the bill which he
drafted received the unanimous support
Of the press, and would, without doubt,
have passed the Legislature, but in the
mean time few men had lobbied bill
through Congress. Iregard his brain
the quickest to analyze and The deepest
to plan on this coast.
The question arises, has any one man,
or any combination of men, a right to
control the highways and rates of
transportation Sumner measured the
constitution by the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. 1t declared the equality of
all before the law. If some can control
the highways, does it not destroy that
equality? Does republic exist in fact
as we'll as name when a few men own
land enough to establish government
OF their own, miles of railroad enough
to control the internal commerce, and
hire men enough to make standing
army when they become starved into
proper submission That land should
belong to the government or the people,
that railroad should be owned by the
people, and when the government
granted few, rights and property that
belong to the whole, it makes
grievious mistake, and to-day, the peo-
pie of California pluck the fruit. "Hc
who sups with the devil needs long
spoon to keep out of his way. The
people OF Oakland wish to keep their
local railroad to its original contract,
made before it fell into the hands of
the Central Pacific; and they sent
Bones to the State Senate, but the rail.
roads men attended the nominating
convention. and Mr.. Bones re- echoes
the will OF ex Governor Stanford. The
workingmen discuss the situation.
Without previous study or thought on
the subject, they commit blunder after
blunder, and follow the lead of . buff
foon, more rascal than fool. who is
quietly filing his own pockets. The
German section Of the workingmen arm
themselves. AS they don't know who
to shoot, they resolve to shoot they
don't know who. A little sober
thought is better ammunition than gun
powder, and discussion better weapon
than rife. The ring-leaders of
Antioch and the Mollie Maguires of
Pennsylvania, but walked into the fire