Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-24
sra ConMoS oprxEsseE

VIII you PLEASE htAbc iOh tuc oohcHs
OF a great many anxious settlers, labor
ers and victims In general II there ID
any statute In the laws Of Washington
Territory that will compel a wealthy
and aggressive railroad corporation To
pay it's employees when discharged from
its service, the same a. required OF
private citizen and taxpayer
The Northern Pacific Railroad Gem
rauy il indebted TO the settlers along
the line from Tacoma to haiama for all
the wood consumed by their locomotives
for the past eight months, and some OF
the men who have been engaged IN this
pursuit. and have large families to sop
port by their labor. are IN absolutely
destitute circumstances. The company
advertised for VOID last fall, and re-
ceiyed, and duly accepted each moi.th.
all that was delivered until February
10. 1884, when they ordered Us to stop !;
sut thew have newer paid Us dollar
from the time we began, November l,
1879. t. the present time, nor have We
been able to ascertain their intentions
in ths matter. We have consulted rail
road officials both at Tacoma aud st.
Paul. but they are either reticent or re-
fu.e To give US any satisfaction. They
all seem possessed with Hnli mited power
To collect dues and receive money for
the company bat not one of them Is
authorized TO pay its debts. The amount
due for wood all along the line aRgre-
gates several thous and dollars. and II
paid would at once be put into circula-
ton here at home, as most ut II II owed
TO merchants in this Territory and Port
land.
The company have paid their Chinese
laborers promptly each month, out
Americans who have taken their fami
lies into the forests along the railroad
aud settled upon and improved the land,
and built schools, churches and towns,
thereby increasing the value of the com
pany's property Americans whD CON
tribute u the support of the Government
and execution of the laws under which
this corporation enjoys its existence,
whose yearly patronage adds thousands
TO their already enormous revenus,
whose presence, alone, has made 1t pos
sible to maintain railroad, mast stsrve
their families and remain forever In
submission to this monster alliance of
capital.
If the honest hard working settlers of
this country have TO submit in silence
to the outrages of a railroad corporation
whose chief officers are clothed in all
the dignity and impenetrableness of an
Oriental nabob, and whom we dare not
address except IN the most affable and
seryile terms, without being snubbed
win silent contempt; II endurance is
the only means to adjust these wrsnQs,
l appeal to my fellow citizens TO know
il this is not bold step 10 the course
of anarchy, of which capital is the des-
pot?
I admire the spirit Of Seattle in her
efforts to check the encroaohments of
the Northern Pacific in this Territory.
There is no reason why they should not
forfeit the unearned portion of the land
grant. II they succeed in retaining it,
1t will only too clearly prove the sub
servience of the people to the corpora
ton. IL IN well known fact that the
people of Washington Territory are OPP
posed To the land grant. A subsidy
from Congress IL not required 10 stinu-
late the construction of the Cascade
division of the Northern Pacific. The
original idea with Congress- was to en-
courage a railroad 10 penetrate and de-
velop this northern county. But devel-
opment has preceded the railroad. The
company has delayed construction I'm
til the original idea has been sacrificed
by the influx of immigration from the
coast eastward. hence the land grant
should be sarrihced and revert to its
riehtful owners, the people Of the
United States, and the brave pioneers
beyond the outskirts of civilization who
won the right to the land In advance of
the railroad. Congress certainly does
or there would be no hesitancy in the
disposal OF this land grant question.
The Northern Pacific occupies q posi-
ton before the Government in relation
to the land grant that no private indi-
vidaal would dare assume. IL Is eigan-
tic robbery of the Governments in the
face of the people, the plumber of which
involves some of the most magnificent
and valuable lands Of Washington Ter
ritory, and 30 great is the clamor and
contention OF the mighty pirates that
the voice of our Territory IL but feebly
asdibls. This movement, which had
its origin in Seattle, Is gradually becom-
ing infused among the people. The ar
hitrary and impairment manner in
which this company insist for public
aims Is beginning TO attract attention.
Their deceit and treachery, their alb
surd demands and fair discrimina-
ton IN favor of one locality to the
detriment OF another, thus destroy NC
eontdence in their attitude toward the
Territory in general. is creating a feel.
ing OF indignation So intense that il not
checked by n change in the policy of
the Northern Pacific Railroad will do
velop and culminate in such force when
this Territory becomes state that the
people will sit down upon the corpo
ration with such violence the earth will
resound With the crash, and the odor
arising from the writhing mass of cor
porate humanity and compressed ras-
cality, will penetrate TO the furthess re-
cesses Of the globe, until the inhab-
itants thereof will cry out in paroxysms
of nausea. Let mp on them" Jap.