Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-30
DAILY PoSI.lNTELuGENCtR.
TEMPORARY AND LOCAL

VAILI tUSI-INIILLI1LnS@'
TEMPORARY AND LOCAL
The Herald persists in narrowing DIS
oussion Of the land grant quefion "
ito temporary and purely local enee'
upon the cities of Tacoma and Sea'''e'
IL nroes that because the people OF tins
CITY are unable to construct rAlifoau
over the Cascade Mountains, they should
c.sse advocating forfeiture OF the IN
earned land grant TO the Northern "a
.;fc in aid of that work. The histon-
cal fac. that land grants have never
bnrried rsilroad building Is utterly ~
,o,ed No attention ia paid to the iaet
that the land granted is worth per mile
more than the completed road viii COST.
Tn. fast that the road completed by the
Northern Pacific, will, coupled Win the
cant divert from this city the output
OF its main resources Is disfeeardeo'
The important circumstance that Tue
road ia 10 be operated in the interests Of
another city is pissed by the trnthioi
ebaros that the company has given no
svidence OF its intention to complete
the ,.bole division il unnotioed the TACT
that partial completion would be an
nnmixsd evil, the fact that while We
may suffer from Temporary delay faii-
road ia sure TO be constructed without
landed subsidy, and the fact that Tor
tsmporary Inconvenience, there WILL II
this land grant is allowed to stand, be
substituted permanent and radical in-
iurv. are all thrown aside in the
sophism OF an assumed present neces-
sity.
We do not think that a land grant is
necessary to aid in the construction OF
apv railroad in the Territory or else
where at the present time. As gen
sraI proposition railroads will be built
where present or prospective business
iustifies the outlay. Western Washing
ton is no exception to the rule. Look
,no south and east into States and Ter
ritories even more sparsely settled than
the region to be traversed by the Cas-
oade branch, with resources far less In
value and with production not com
parable in freight paying qualities we
find. even in this time of general fnan-
ciaI strinpency and business depression,
that railroads are being built without
government or local aid. They are
being built on business principles as
good, safe and ultimately remunerative
properties. This 10 the basis upon
which they should be constructed. and
it IL upon this basis that the Cascade
branch will DO completed whether by
the Northern Pacific or some other com
pany. The land grant gratuity Is
neither necessary nor just. Ii will not
materially, IL at all, hasten the COM
pletion of the road. Seattle is not in
40 urgent need of a railroad across the
Cascade Mountains az to render II good
policy to place herself for all future
time ut the mercy Of q corporation
avowedly hostile to our growth aud pro-
gress. Nor are the people OF Eastern
Washington In 30 great stress for rail-
road transportation that they can afford
10 mortgage their future in aid OF the
construction of a road. There will be n
railroad oyer tina Cascade Mountains
az soon as conditions demand 1t as
soon as business will justify. There will
not, and should not be one before that
time, for the good reason that discount
ing the future either of cities or ooun-
tries In the most unsubstantial sort Of
speculation and infallibly results in re
action and injury. We are in favor OF
railroad building. but do not believe
that the true interests of this city, re-
Rion or Territory lie in the giving away
of their best lands TO the extent provided
in the forfeited grant to the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company. We are not
an exceptional people, nor is our city so
situated as to Justify concession such
az Is demanded. The history of land
grant corporations on the Pacific Coast
has already been largely written. We
cannot expect 10 escape she fate of
other communities aatl eommonwealths
IL q like course il followed.