Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-31
DAILY poST.lNTEluGtNCER



F0ErEITTKE.
Tins far the national political con-
vsntions which have assembled aoop',
al plstforrns and selected Presioen'iai
nominee. have put forth some MOST ca
,a,Ia,, reading matter IA the form OF
platforms of principles. This Is true
not only in a general tendency 70 pas
s,acial attention TO living aid WA
,ssues growing ont OF the relations %
capital and labor, bat may be noted 10
the position taken upon the question o.
f,rfeiting unearnsd land grants in"o'
N railroad corporations
The first pational political convention
which met this year was that OF To-
Anti. Nonopolisss, who. after ad@p'nf
q nlstforn which certainly ieAves little
room for criticism, nominated Genera
and Ex-Governor Butler for President
of the United States. Section OF IT.
platform treats of land grants to corpo
rations in these words: THAT no far
tber grants of pnbiis lands shall BE-
made to corporations. All enaetments
granting land to corporations should
be strictly construed, and all land grant
sbould be forfeited where the terms
upon which the grant were made have
not been strictly complied ith." Tbs
expression OF sentiment, u IN safe v
saw. accords with the jadgmsnt ans
wishes of vast Minority Of the elect ~
OF the country.
Even stronger upon this question Ar
the ut,erances OF the National Conven
ton OF Greenbackers, witch we're pnh
lished in oxr teleprspbic columns Yes
terday. The third resolution in ihei
platform declares that public lands ar
ths natural inheritance Of the psopi'
denounces the policy which has granite
vast tracts to corporations, and demand
that immediate and vigorous measure
he taken to reclaim "all such Ian
grants as have been forfeited by reaso
of non. fulfillment of contract, or tbs
may have been acquired by corrupt LEI
is.ation." This, again, IL exactly VIII
the people Of the county think and d.
mand, and the members OF the Greer
hack Convention have pat themselvs
on record in foil accord with publ
sentiment.
The next national political conventio
OF the year will assemble at Chicago
the Sd proximo. II is an asssmblage {
representatives Of the dominant polit
cal party. the party in power. II 10 sul
posed to represen. and combine an
express the wishes Of large ploralit
IL net majority OF the electors OF q
United States. From it's position, u
power, its claim to continued dominan,
AMI its assumed ability to perpetuate !
control of the government, its Mite
aaces upon vital questions will be I
great importance. Upon none will !
voice be more anxiously listened q
than what 1t shall declare to be its pc
lev with respect 10 the public donna
aud the claims OF railroad corporation
to unearned portions OF lands On
granted them. II must not be forgotte
the fact will not be overlooked by "a
iandless Of this nation, that 1t has bee
under Republican administrations th
INST Of these land grants have be-
made that II has been under Repub
publican Executives and Republisl
Cabinet officers that these grants ha
been extended by . torturing cons.ru
ton Of original enactments, and tn
chs main and prime opposition to IA
fixture. even at this late day and in fl
of q sweeping public demand, com
from Republicans in Congress.
This question will be put to the ool
vsntion at Chicago, fairly and squared
TIE Republican party will be ask
through It's representatives in nation
convention assembled: "What are y
going to do about II y Each delepa
will be made acquainted with the sale
facts and all will be requested to 81
expression to the views of the Repub
can party upen the subject. We do n
think the national convention "
dodge the question. The Republics
party, although slow 20 act, has new
hesitated TO take advanced s,eps wh
in it's Judgment the needs of the cou
try demanded forward movement v
think u win not DO less strong and VI
oroue In It's declaration that the tia
has ccms when more strict .nfors
ment of the law res pectlng lard graz
in aid of railroed baiiding shall be- I
policy and practice Of ia fspr. ~ nj
tivss In Congress aud In the Execute
Departments. Meanwhile, we once no
call the attention OF ,sur friend ,
Tacoma Ledger Ia the fact that this
not q local question.