Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-14
..r,aR PROTEST AGAINST TIE
LAND GRANT.


LAND GRANT.
..,., of settlers Of Ea.'crn wash
tngi"n at ColfaA.
-Palcuse Gazette
~, Saturday afternoon the settlers
IA their third meeting. which WAS
Ie largely attended and enthusiastic.
a. meetine WAS called to order by Hon.
ru Warner, whs. In an earnest and
,.,o,hv address. said that while the set
800 hid met 70 adopt a constitution.
md 10 perfect a permanent Orc.niza-
.nn for Whitman county. in order that
,hs neoole might better protect them
sa.vss against the encroaohing power 0f
roonopo!,es, he hoped a similar organ
;.a,;on. in time, would extend to ever
sonnty in the Territory. He spoke of
,he resolutions passed in Portland.
hsck I'd bv $l5. 10000. 1t Was his opinion
,na, il the railroad company were going
20 endeavor with resolutions backed by
.apital to influence legislation in their
h.nslf. il Was time resolutions were
oassed. backed by the Whole people Of
This Territory. iu view that they might
understand whether this waa a govern.
ment of the people and for the people.
ar for the protection of nrasping mo
noDolies. He then dwelt some time
opoI. the letter published in the last
1azetie. written by the General Land
AGENT ut Portland, setting forth that
that had been said in these meetings
vas not true and that it WAS the policy
of the railroad company to deal fairly
and literally with the people aud sell tho
lands only to actual settlers. lie reiter-
sted what had been said in the other
meetings and loft It With the people to
iudpe Of its truth. A. regards the lib
sral policy OF the company. he had al
vays found that Il railroad COMPANY
had but one policy and that was, to
exact every dollar that Was possible.
both in the way of freight and sale of
lands, and then to gst legislation to
exempt them from taxation. or at least
reduced to n very small amount In
order to prove these assertions il was
only necessary to look at the rates of
freight for the last few years and just
dealing and liberal policy could be ssen
in the course they pursued with those
sett lers who had filings on railroad land,
stating that they should have the first
right TO buy and at the price fixed by
the company, which at that time WAS
$2G0 per acre, and then ignoring this
contract by forming n company within
themselves and turning over TO the new
company fourteen townships of the beat
land. thus compelling those settlers TO
ray frum six to eight dollars An acre, or
leave it. He viewed corporations only AZ
individuals, and they should be held to
the strict letter of the law. They
received their donations from the peO
pie for the better dsvelt pment Of the
Industries of the country, not to rob and
Oppress them. He favored, il they
failed to get any relief from this Con-
Rress, to carry their cause To the courts
and fighting il there until another Con
gress. He WAS earnestly in favor OF
entreating and petitioning Congress, if
they continued or renewed the grant, 1t
should be upon condition that they
build the road to the Sound, have no
right to indemnify the lands. and all
lanes uns0ld at the present time should
only be sold to actual settlers and at a
pIice not to exceed $l.25 per acre. He
favored legislation IN regard to inter
state traffic. to prevent extortion, and
discriminating in favor of Portland or
other places.
After hIs speech Mr.. Warner intro
duced resolution condenning the re-
snutiOns of tho Portland Board of
Trade, which asked that the grant be
not interfcred with IN any way. His
resolution favored tho renewal of the
grant on conditions that tue road
should be built to the Sound at once and
all lands unsold ut the present time
should be disposed of to actual settlers
at government prices, the money given
tA tha ApAsr nd hxA 60,
already sold should be confirmed tn the
company, thus protecting the settler;
also, that settlers on lien lands be
allowed to complete their title under
the public land laws. and thereby svoid
litigation.
Mr.. Kinkaid then presented the fol-
lowing resolutions:
WHEREAS. The Northern Pacific, the
Central Pacific. the Union Pacific, the
Texas Pacific and Southern Paoific
Railroad Companies have formed q
combination aud have agreed among
themselves not to compete with each
ether for the transoontinental railroad
traffic. and have, rs is we'll known, pool
I'd all through freight and.
WHEREAS, The Northern Pacific Rail
road Company has established rate of
through freight to the city of Portland,
Or.. and have, by such freight charges,
discriminated enormously in favor of
the merchants Of that city, and most
anIustly against the people along the
line III tho Int rlor and,
WHEREAS. The BOARD Of Trade Of the
city of Portland and other towns. moved
by tho mighty influence of the talisman
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany, have bssought Congress with sup
pilcatOry resolutions not to declare for
ielted the grant of lands made by the
Act Of July =, 1864, inasn, uch a. it would
work great injustice t, the blOated
bondhoders and Stockholders of the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company
VINO are residents Of the city of Port
and, and result in incaloulable injury
~hs interests of the many land shark
s~oalators of Oregon and the Territory
OF Washington, and thus bring misfor-
'uhe to the many homes of tire afore
1id dbondhOlders and stockholders aud
prevent the aforesaid land shark specu-
ls'ofs from, stimulating the growth and
@vslopment of our country; and.
"HEaEAs. The grant of lands made
Wths Northern Pacific Railroad Com
nhy expired. bv express limitation, ON
1e tth day of July. 1878; and.
WHEREAS, The said railroad company
,alled 10 acquire any right To very
large portion of said grant Of land, by
,easoh af failure to construct the road
'nain the time SO limited and,
WHthEAs. The Northern Pacific Rail
.osu company, In order to have its lost
.R'ts to the said grant revived, must
sscessarily have the old grant renewed,
saich' IN effect. amounts TO a new sub
ndy and,
WHEREAS. The land grant subsidi les
Saoe heretofore 10 railroad companies
W acts Of Congress have been the re-
, OF impelitlc aud unwise legislation,
auo Too often procured by corrups
Means; and
WHEREAS. The railroad corporations
me United States, grown powerful by
oonbinations of immense capital,
,N o 10 their iron grasp the rights Of
1 o. punic and menace the stability of
1 eoVernment by using the NEST Ques-
aAole means Of controlling the legis-
Se and judicial departments Of our
"ernment. Therefore, be il
Mso'esd, That the osnfederated ac-
40; OF the three great transoontinental
Asay Companies to share equally the
1 n,,ou nouRn freic ht traffic without compe-