, 1878-10-24
PUGET SOUND ARGUS,
the sREyrs.CA1ua DISCUSSION


Townsend assembled in FowIeF'S
Hall TO hear the much taIked'ot po'
Itical discussion between the can
d;dates for Delegate. The hall was
crowded, vet when DR.. n. d. Hill
was called to preside and the pro,
,rrsmme was bv him announced all
became quiet and orderly. Mr. Cation
,,ored with an hours address IN
which he took up and discussed the
various questions of significance IN
the campaign, beginning with tho
proposed State Constitution and en-"
inc with his position regarding the
n. Pr. r. Co., and Interpretation
Of the Democratic platform he
worked hard to show that the second
resolution in his platform did NOT
mean unconditional extension OF
time for completing the railroad
From his argument, which sounded
very fair and candid as far as this
ouestion was concerned. it seems
quite plain that his party framed
their platform with the especial in
tention of securing bv it. the supnorf
and influence Of the \. P. r. r. Co..
aid that he (Caton) after perceivlng
that a literal Interpretation of that
document would defeat him, has set
70 work to convince the voters Of the
Territory that it implies, though
does not express, as much upon this
question as the Republican platform.
He was placed in the peculiar posi-
ton Of man trying to patch IN and
apologize for a document which he
had himself been most instrumental
in framing. Alas for shrewd po'iti-
cal lodges; they rarely work well!
Mr.. Caton's position regarding the
Indians was very obnoxious to many.
He proposed to follow out the policy
of breaking up all tribal relations Of
the natives, and doing away with the
reservation system (all Of which is
very proper) but said he would take
those who would not take land and
adopt the habits of the Bostons"
and corral them on one or two res
ervations, there to he guarded by the
1t can easily be imagined
what an excessively pleasant time
would be experienced in attempting
to keep a lot of savages together
from the different tribes Of the
United States. 1t would be inter.
esting to ascertain just how they,
with their essentially dissimilar hab
its, would affiliate. He next volun-
teered a bit Of information to the
effect that, had he the power, every
office holder in the land
should be kicked out of position
whether he deserved it or not by
reason of any failure to discharge its
duties in a proper manner. This.
too, in face OF declaration Just
made by him, that the two parties
we're virtually the same. He com
planned as usual Of having had his
thunder stolen by the Republicans
who framed their platform after his
campaign had begun. In fact, he
Arrogated to himself more virtues
than ever belong to ordinary NOR
ta!s.
Mr.. Brents was next introduced,
and in plain and unSarnished speech
in which he modestly set forth his
claims upon the people, occupied the
time allotted to him. He began by
stating that Mr.. Cation and himself
resided in the same town, we're on
terms of personal friendship, and
that there we're no questions of a ma
tional political character involved in
the present campaign, hence the only
question with the people would be,
Who is best qualified to Gll the
position of Delegate in Congress?'
He claimed that many Democrats of
Eastern Washington would vote for
him in preference to Mr.. Cation, and,