Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-02
DAILY poST-INTEluGtNcER


,..a,.;on in the hands of land grant
.ompanies of that portion of the grants
mot earned in conformity with the terms
thereof, that, although the House OF
Rsnre. ntatiy,s may '.nl prob sbly VII
pass bills for forfeiture OF snSn iAi'7'
the ae.t,u of that b,dy will lie naiiiiea
nv the ssnate. Still others. admitting
the pos ,ibility that sach leg sia'i'a VIZ.
secure a majority il both HOUSES u
Cnnore,s with apparently serene comb
a.,.. mint 10 the fact that all sncn
hills must, before becoming laws pass
the scrutiny AID receive 'ne approval
Of tho President. IL Ii assuihea ny
o,hsrs that tie action thus far taken by
the Hou,e both in its committees ano
A a whole has been bat an attempt 20
make political capital or 70 dep'e0,a'e
stock values At the instance Of al 'n'"
ested lobby.
With neither predictions nor assami-
tions de- We agree. II II. ve 'niDA'
manifest that the action thus far ssHen
nv members of the lover House Das
been moved BY an undercurren' Oh
..r,;hls earnestness. To "a It appears
that a. last Congress has awakened to
,..,;zatiou OF the fact that 70 preserve
the confidence Of the people An honest
effort 70 do justice between them and
the corporate monopolies who have %
long held tho whiphand, has become
imperative. The publication OF the
Huntingdon Cotton letters, by revealing
the ssoret methods in which beneficial
,soistation il defeated and corrupt laws
are enacted cast shadow upon Congress
and il We may uss the expression, pat
that body upon its msttle. Coop'eo
w;,h mi. tbsre is q strenuous demand
for a positive, definite and final settle
msnt Of the important questions now
psndinQ with respect to the vast areas
Of public lands withhold from oocspa-
ration under cover of grants in aid OF
railroad corporations. For several years
past tho public has been growing more
and more dissatisfied with the situation
and tho outlook. Lands granted TO
thsae CORPORATIONS have been locked mp,
though unearned, and those earned have
by vilful neglect Of the grantees escaped
taxation until sold TO private pur-
chasers. Meanwhile, by ill-sdjusted
and extortionats charges she people
have been forced TO contribute enor-
mona suns in excess Of what was
equitable. To cap the climax Of wrong.
q eoodly portion Of this booty has been
used TO rivet more firmly the chains
which these plutocrats have drawn
around the lacesated bodies of their
victims.
The Americas people are long suffer-
iap. Realizing that they are self-Rov-
srninp freemen. and that the ultimate
mover Of government inheres in them,
that upon them as a LAST resort security
of property and personal liberty de-
pend. they hesitate to go outside estab
lished forms and laws which they them
solves, through their sgents in isgis'a-
ture and court, have established. But
a revolt Of the people 10 resistless. A
united public demand must be Needed.
When, from the East and West, the
North and South, there comes muir
muir Of vsices in stern expostulation and
indignant cutlery, il 10 time to listen.
Such in the case today. and he who can
discern in this united claim Of long
suffering public for measures Of relief,
nsught but political rivalry or stock
jobbery IL poor judge Of the temper OF
the American people
II is our belief that before the present
session Of Congress is ended bills
will have been enacted which will re-
store to the public domain fully l00,-
100000 acres of land now claimed BY
corporations under broken contracts !;
that law will be passed compelling the
survey and acceptance bv railroad CON-
paniss Of land already earned. and that
another enactment will be made forbid
ding pooling by competing lines, and
discrimination between persons and
localities. II 10 true that the senate 10
. conservative body; true that Il 10
largely composed Of wealthy men true
that some Of its members were elected
by railroad monopolies, and may be re-
lied upon 10 do the work of their pre-
dsoeous masters. hut VI 10 also true
that this 10 to b long session; that
the methods Of defeating Legislation
hostile 70 monopoly interests. which
have heretofore obtained, are now pub
holy known that bills cannot. a. here
tofore, b piReonholed and left 10 alum
ber in committee rooms, without indig-
nant protest, not alone BY those who in
trodaced them, but by the people for
whoss relief they are intended. The
Senate must face the music, and il Ia
well that this ID ~. II u time for the
American people 10 know who. among
it elected representatives wears the
livery Of monopoly, Who. II any. are bat
the lAckeys OF corporations. The Re
publican and Democratic parties. moro
over, are interested in this mattsr. The
House 10 Democratic. For all action
taken by that body il 10 responsible. Il
will receive either condemnation or APP
prevail. just In proportion ~ it, action
comports with the public demand. The
SENATE h Republican. and thus occupies
from . political standpoint a aimilAr
position. We venture the assertion that
it will not stuItify itself and incur pub
lilo condemnation by emasculatins or
defeating bills Of the character named
that have been sent il from the lower
HOUSE. To do 20 will be 10 raiss storm
OF indignation which in The coming
Presidential ooutsst will be- po,en. and
perhaps decisive for defeat. Il 10 our
judgment that since the war no quss-
tons have been presented for Congress
sional action in which there has been %