, 1884-10-25


In full the remarks made by the
Major at the Seattle mass meeting
Monday night. There is no highly
colored flight OF oratory, nor is it
rich in airy nothings, nor is it shad-
owed by tinsel glitter. Of demagogue-
ry. The language is plain, cold facts
and worthy the consideration OF
thinking men:
1t will be remembered by those
who were present and witnessed the
proceedings Of the Territorial rcpub-
lican convention held in this city
last September that the greater pOr-
tion Of the second day was devoted
to the construction and adoption Of
a platform; that after the platform
had been submitted to the conven-
tiOn by sections and adopted a recess
was taken from to 8 8o'clOck In the
evening, and that the first business
transacted after the convention con-
vened was the adoption Of the fol-
lowing resolution as part OF the
platform:
ResOiCed, That 1t Is the sense Of
this convention that the land inclu-
ded within the grant Of the United
States to the Northern Pacific rail-
road company, on Its branch line
across the Cascade mountains be made
subject TO sale under existing laws
Of the United States, the net pro-
ceeds thereof, together with all Of
said lands remaining unsOld at the
expiration Of three years from the
first Of January 1885, to be given TO
said company; provided such branch
line shall then be completed, and
provided further that no lands or
proceeds of sales thereof shall be
given to or belong to said company
until such line shall be completed,
and that upon failure to complete
and finish said branch line within
the time aforesaid, that said grant
shall be absolutely and uncOnditiOn-
ally forfeited, and our delegate to
congress is hereby instructed to do
all In his power to accomplish this
measure at the earliest practicable
moment"
The circumstances under which
this resolution was adopted gives II
greater force and effect and makes It
more binding upon the convention
and the candidate nominated by that
convention than il it had been adopt
ed when the main platform had been
acted on. 1t expresses more fully
the exact sense and will of the con-
ventiOn and the republican party Of
this territory than any other part Of
the platform on the railroad question.
1t was introduced by the Whitman
county delegation, and supported by
the King county delegation, as repre-
senting as nearly rs possible their
views on the subject OF what action
should be taken by the republican
party in regard to what is known as
the Cascade land grant This resO-
luton, which must be accepted as
the final expression of the views Of
the republican party on this ques-
tion, Is, in my judgment, free from
any ambiguity; its meaning Is plain
and is susceptible Of but one inter |
pretatlon: that is, the government
shall Immediately take possession OF
the lands included In the Cascade |
branch land grant and restore them
10 the public domain, to be disposed
Of under existing laws to actual set
tiers in quantities not to exceed 320
acres, to each settler at S2.G0 per
acre. The effect and meaning Ofthis
declaration is immediate forfeiture,
as the only way by which the gov
arnment can resume possession of
the grant Is by an act Of congress re-
storing the land embraced therein to
the public domain, and rendering
them subject to sale under existing
land laws regulating the sales Of pub
lie lands, both mineral and agricul-
tural. The term "mineral lands, in
this connection applies only to lands
coal and iron, as those are
the only classes of mineral land
which pass to the Northern Pacinc
under the grant. BY the
terms Of this resolution the govern
ment would become the trustee of
the railroad cOmpany-the proceeds
from the sale OF land embraced in
the grant would be held in trust by
the railroad cOmpany-set aside by
the United States as a separate fund,
and turned over to the company only
in the event of the completion Of the
road from AinswOrth to eastern
Washington, to tide-water on Puget
sound, by the first Of January, 1888.
contend that the course advOCat-
ed by the republican party will ac-
complish better and more speedy re-
suits than that advanced by the DEM
Ocratic party. 1t not only in effect
works forfeiture Of the grant but
renders the land subject to settle
ment while the road Is being con-
structed. 1t places the railroad COM
pany in n position where it cannot
oppose this course IL the company Is
sincere and honest In its intention to
build the road, and cOmpels the COM
pletion OF the road within three years.
II not completed within the time
specified the forfeiture will become
perpetual and the company will not
be entitled to an acre Of land or a
dollar Of the money received from
the sale thereof.
The main objects to he accomp-
Iished is the speedy completion Of
the Cascade branch road and the i'm
opening up Of the land in
cluded in the grant to settlement. II
these objects are accomplished l do
not Imagine that It will make any
difference TO the people Of this terri
tory whether the money received
from the sales Of these lands ulti-
mately goes to the railroad company
Or is retained blythe government.
The government Of the United
States made this grant; it made it
for the purpose of aiding in the con-
structiOn Of this road from Aims
worth to Puget sound. II Washing
ton territory would be benefited |
either directly or indirectly by the
forfeiture OF this grant, the case
might be entirely different II King |
county or any other county was re-
the proceeds from the sales
Of these lands-but here is a dOna-
tiOn made by the government for
the purpose OF bencfting this terri |
tory. do not believe there Is any, |
body here before me tonight, or
in the territory who has the |
interest and welfare Of this territory |
at heart, who can stand up and Ig- |
more that by which our interests |
would be materially advanced. 1t |
has been stated by quite a number Of |
..f1 1..v i