Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-10-05
The RALLY
For Voorhees, and Popular
Rights.
one of the Greatest De
monstrations ever Wit
messed in Seattle.
sessd Doctrine SET forth 60 an Ap'
preeiative Audicnce-synopsis
Of the speeches.

Seattle never witnessed a greater out.
,,nrinp OF the masses than that which
srasted Hon. G. s. Voorhees, last eve
ling. Long before the hour announced
Cor the meeting had arrived, stead,
cream of humanity began pouring int
yssIer's Hall, and by half past seven
the large auditorium was crowded
standing room and all The stage VA
b,ouQbt into requisition, but this alss
vss soon crowded. Every availabl.
foot of space was occupied and befor.
so,clock crowds had been turned ava,
from the door. The audience was q,
sne a one as a speaker could wish q
meet. Many ladies were In attendance
,bey comprising probably quarter Of
the entire audience. Il could not be
saIled a purely Democratic asssmblags
far Republicans were present in large
Numbers, as we'll those who stand 20
dsy on the side of popular rights, AZ
those who cling to the railroad faction.
Anumber of the prominent leaders of
the latter occupied prominent seats, and
seemed to listen with close attention to
the speakers.
Promptly at eight O'Clock tho meeting
vas called to order, and on motion
@. MORRIS HALLER
Was elected chairman. On assuming
the chair Mr.. Halter addressed the audi
snce in brief speech, which was sub
stsntially as follows:
Fell0p-C Citizens - In assuming the
ehairmanship of this meeting, assem-
bled on this most important occasion.
and in the noblest cause that ever call
ed people together, 1t is fitting that
should review the situation which has
broaRht out the intense earnestness and
enthusiasm of our people, and has
caused each one to take up the shibbo-
letb of absolute forfeiture and protee-
ton to the people in their right 10 the
public lands. We are about To write a
uace In the history of Washington.
which shall stand out prominently
shall be--whether il shall be the bright
est or blacklist in all her story--dspends
on you. The issue Ia joined between
the people on the one hand and the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company on
the other. The railroad asks, through
the Republican platform, for the right
10 retain six million unearned acres Of
our public lands, for the right TO crush
the people to death by means of the
most degrading system of landlordism
that America has ever seen. To this
the Democratic platform says, No ~
To this the Democratic candidate, Mr..
Voorhees,. says "Nop' You are the
Jury of American freemen, and on you
Il depends whether this modern car of
JuQcernaut shall be allowed to roll on
over crushed and bleeding people, or
whether its progress shall be stayed for
ever, and the rights of the people main.
tanned. II the tide Of defeat roll over
rs nov, il will roll through all the
future red with remorse. and history
will blush at this prostration Of n ffee
people before the power Of a soullesa
and heartless corporation.
In 1864, when Congress created the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company, il
endowed il with an empire of land,
stretching in unbroken length from she
shores Of the Pacific TO the shores of
the great lakes; which stretches In n
broad band one hundred miles in width,
from one end Of our Territory 10 the
other. The shrewd men 20 whom this
great domain was given had inserted in
the charter provision CIV ng them the
land contiguous to every twenty five
mile section as soon as that section was
completed hat is. for every mile of
road completed the company was to be
presented with land worth much more
than that portion of the road cost. The
Government, indeed, gave TO the com.
pmny land capable of being divided
Into 362, 200 farms, or which, II divided
up, would afford l60 acres TO every
white man, woman and child in the
Territory, with enough over TO give
every siwash q good iiiahee, and to give
a garden patch to every Cninaman who
has passed the Custom House aimee the
restrict ton law was passed.
Time and again has the Government
extended the time in which this road
was to be built, and now the company
is before You asking you to endorse
their request for another extension Of
time. They do this although they have
long oppressed our people by demand
inc extortionats prices for their land,
and by issuing 60 settlers the most In.
famous contract OF purchase that II
possible under the laws OF free gov
ernment. By that contract they reserve
forever a strip Of land four hundred
feet wide through the land granted, 10
be used IL ever they may desire to build
road In that direction; they reserve
the mineral lands; they reserve the
water; and they provide that the settler
and his heirs and assigns forever shall
maintain a good and substantial fence
on each side of their track. Indeed the
only rights that are absolutely granted
the settler are the right TO live on the
land, the right 10 breathe the air, and
the right 10 maintain that fence on each
side Of the railroad track. Yes; and
even the air must come 20 him choked
with the dust from Northern Pacific
locomotives.
When President Harris was here some
months ago to make peace with the
people Of Seattle, the question was
asked him whether the Railroad pro
posed o. seiI its GOAL lands. His answer
vas that they did NOT propose 70 sell
them, bat would lease then on such
rents and royalties a. they c,uld secure.
Now, anyone knows that Il would not
pay 10 build railroads. docks and bunk
ers 20 develop single section OF coal
land, and 40 Ions ~ the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company occupies every odd
section Of such land and forces from 70
tribute 10 the shape OF royalties. IL viii
hold an absolute monopoly Of the entire
mining interest Of Washington Terri
tory.
That Il not all. The Northern Pacific
Railroad Company has constructed q
railroad from Lake Superior TO Walluia
Junction. while this vas being dsne
the Oregon Railway q Navigation Com.
pany, without any land grant. pushed
Its line through the Cascades 10 the rich
valleys beyond. Nov the Northern Pa
cife demands that the settler In Eastern
Washington and Oregon shall pay 10 fos
hauling goods fron Like Superior the
same rate that 10 would charge TO haul
the same goods on down 90 Portland
and back 10 the point OF delivery.
Getting out ell that the trafzle will
bear" IL what they call 10.
But that is not all. AZ the last session
Of the Legislature the Northern Pacific
Company, through lis brilliant agents
and more brilliant champagne, induced
the Legislature 70 pass iaw providing
that the railroads in the Territory
should pay no tax whatever, exceps a
tax Of two per cent on their gross
earnings. believe this law to be void,