Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-05

is great reason 20 believe that they are
In sympathy with the practices that this
Government Is seeking to suppress, and
that its efforts in that regard will be
more likely TO encounter their opposi-
/ ton than TO receive their encourage
usnt and support. Even If this should
| happily not be the case. the law under
which the Commissioners have been
acting should be made stronger by the
/ Incorporation of some such stringent
measures AS they recommend and as
We're included IN Bill No. 2g;iS on the
call OF the Senate al its last session. |
AIN convinced. however. that polygamy
has become strongly intrenched In the
Territory Of Utat. and that Il is
protitleSs IL attack II with any
1 hUt the stouteSt weapons which
constitutional legislation can make. |
favor, therefore. the repeal of the act
upou which the existing government
depends, the resumption by the nation
al Legislature of tae entire political
control of the Territory and the estab-
lShue nj of a commission with such
power ana duties As shall Ice delegated
To II by law.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULrUEF.
The Department of Agriculture Is ac-
compllshiny much III the direction of
the agricultural development of the
country. and the report of the Cpmmis
sloner, giving the results of his lnvestl
cations ans experiments. will be found
interesting and valuable. Al his in
stance a convention of those interested
III the cattle industries of the country
was held at Chicago. and the prevalence
OF Pleuro- pneumonia and other conta-
slous diseases of animals was one of
the chief topics of discussion. The
convention will invite YOUR co-opera-
ton III an investigation of the causes of
these diseases. anu III providing meth
DDS for their prevention and cure.
THE GOVERNMENT OF ALASKA.
trust that Congress will not fail at
It's present session TO put Alaska under
the protection of the law. Its people
have repeatedly demonstrated against
oar neglect to afford them the mainte-
nance and protection expressly guarau-
teed IN the terms of the treaty whereby
that Territory was coded 10 the United
States. FoI sixteen years they have
pleaded in vain for that which they
should have received without the ask
ING. They have no law for the coliec
ton of debt, the support of education.
the conveyance of property, the admin
lstration of estates. or the enforcement
of contracts none, indeed. for the pun |
lshment of criminals, except such |
as offend against certain Gus
toms, commerce and navigation acts. |
The resources of Alaska. especially in |
fur, mines and lumber, are considerable |
Ill extent, and capable of large develop |
mept while its geographical situation Is
one of political and commercial i'm
portance. The promptinos of interest, |
therefore, as well as considerations of |
honor and good faith. demand the i'm
mediate establishment of civil govern |
ment in that Territory. whose COM
plants have lately been neglected.
RAILROAD MoNoPoLIES.
1t Is urged that certain corporations,
controlling in whole or in part facilities |
for the inter State carriage of persons
and merchandise upon the great rail |
roads of the country, have resorted III |
their dealings with the public to meas
ures unjust and oppressive In their
character. In some instances the State
governments have attacked and sup
PRESSED these evils. but in Others
they have been unable to afford |
adequate protection because of the
jurisdlctiOnal limitations which are i'm
posed on them by the federal corpora
ton. The question, how far the ma
tiOnal Government may lawfully inter
fere IN the premises. and what, If any,
supervision or control it ought To exer-
else, is one which merits your careful
consideration. While We cannot fail to
recognize the importance of the vast
railway systems of the country and their
great and beneficial influences upon the
of our material wealth,
We should on the other hand remem-
Der that no individual and no corpora
ton ought to be invested with absolute
power over all the interests of other
citizens. The rights of railway corpor-
atoms to demand any profitable return
upon their Investments and to reason
able freedom in their regulations must
be recog lied, but it seems only Just. SO
far as its constitutional authority will |
permit, that Congress should protect the
people ut large III their inter State
traffic against acts of injustice. which
the State governments are pOwerless To
prevent.
At this point, l:l5 A. m. the wires re-
fused t0 work, there being n break south
of Portland and near Yreka. We are
forced to offer only about
of the message, the acct
dent alone preventing our publication of
the entire document this morning.-ED.
POST lNTELLIGENCER.