Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-09-09
DAILY POST. INTEIuGENCER.
TuE NEXT BEST THING.


1t has been done ai'ei
obstinate and vigorous assauits- y"
man who reads Is unaware that ITO"
.,,s,.,;no and Bullying that corpora
.ion has come 90 be sycopoan' Ano
beoear for public lenience and cnaf''s
To the late Republican Convention u
eame an masse. For weeks iss emi'sa
riss had been at work at primaries anu
- .opntv conventions setting up the
n,ns. 40 ,ha. a fair expression OF Tue
oarty NJ light be defeated. IL came INV
the convention with ms ority oil de's-
gates and proxies thus obtained. FROM
Int two counties in the Territory were
Al, the delegates elected by the peop's
personally present. The first move was
70 capture the organization OF toe ,on'
vsution. The next WAS to reject uDl1S
,ifiably, without shadow OF 'ee''i"'e''
or even plausible excuse, whole county
delegation, regularly elected by a lie
publican constituency. Tue sTeS"
offsr-d for this hiRh-hsnded proceed
inc vas technical and untenaole' lh'
r,a,.n Was that the rejected delegates
we're a unit in favor Of prompt ana ah
conditional forfeiture OF the Northern
Pacific unearned land grant.
This outrage sccompli -hed then came
the nj .tform. In the vigorous iroIe'
ment In the preamble. declaring thA'
the maQniiicen, grants OF the pnoi''
aomsin made TO the Northern fac'n'
Railroad Company by the act oil ieo'
and the several amendments thereto
and the rights and privileges therein
we're sou.ade and given u and accep'
ed by said corporation upon and SUB
,eot Ia. among other conditions, th'
condition that such road Was 10 I"
completed by the 9Th day OF Jdly. IL"
and since extended to 1879 That 60"
orss reserved the right 10 declare .fo'
f,,tuy, NJ these lands {. edss II breach
Of any of the conditions u sEeh grant.
IL silsntly acauiesced. With a resolu-
ton declaring uncouditionally forfeited
thu land grant from wallula junction
westward, 1t sullenly agreed. To the
adop,ion of another declaring strenu
GUS opposition to the selection OF lieu
,.,as optside the forty mile limits II
consented, and finally IL permitted the
passape of resolution demanding the
prompt repeal Of the Law enacted by the
last Territorial Legislature taxing the
earnings of railroad companies instead
of their property. All these demands
which have been constantly urged by
the honest portion OF the press OF this
Territory, IL WAS deemed prudent IL
soncedc.
But when the matter of the uneerned
land grant was brought before the Com
uittee on Platform there came the Ions
anticipated conflict between the claims
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany and the just demandsof wearlec
and outraged people. The railroad men
Who. although largely IN majority
therein, had hitherto been quiescen'
forced through resolution Ia favor OF
extending for three and a bali years
the time for completing the Cascade
branch, with proviso regulating prices
at which the lands TO be earned thereby
should be sold. Ostensibly this was .
concession. Really IL vas bat trap
Il did not secure the construction of the
road. Under il the company could stol
work at any time and avail itself under
its charter Of all lands earned mp to date
Of lite ceasing construction. Neither
did IL compel the company 10 sell III
coal lands to the public upon applica'
ton TO purchase. but merely that they
be seld lat the option of the company
az the Government price. The minori'
~ report demanded unconditional for
fixture Of the unearned lands Upon
the adoption OF the minority report the
full railroad strength OF the Convention
was shown. II was rejected by vote Of
so 10 l00-two 10 one.
There was an ominoas silence, and
after fsx Intellectual attempts by the
minority to add saving clause to the
platform. the convention recessed until
evening. In the interval IL became ap.
parent to all bnt the most sersile and
ignorant servitors of the Northern Pa.
ci6c, that TO launch the Republican
party into csmpaigu upon the plat
form as adopted was 10 invite assur
defeat that II would not be accepted
by the party AZ large, aud could not re-
ceivs the support Of the general public,
There was much discussion and sub
dued excitement Finally 10 Was de
cided by the friends Of = leading candl
date 10 make an s,,emps 10 tinker uE
the platform, 30 that il would not be 81
positively repnsnant to the uncondi
tional forfeiture men. This proposition
vas met at Hrst With nnequivocal hos.
tility BY the railroad leaders, but by al
lance with the minority the point ws'
carried. and another resolution attached
10 the platform.
This resolution, obtained under as
snrance Of o,herxise undoubied defeat
h step far in advance Of What th,
friends and advocates Of unconditional
forfeiture had expected or even dsrec
10 hope for. II 10 Just about ~ neal
20 declaration in favor Of unconai
tional forfeiture ~ could be made with
cut absolutely taking that position. IL
our Judgment IL would. II the provisions
thereof we're enacted BY Congress int
q lav, amount 10 practical forfeiture
for ne do 70. believe that the Norskerl
Pacific Railroad Company intend q
bald the Cascade Branch either within
three or ten years The resolution pro
vides that the lands thereon be promptl,
thrown open TO purchase under the pro
visions OF existing laws: that tie pro
eeeds Of all lands sold and the hAianc,
remaining unsosd January l. lSsS shsi
be given to the railroad company, ea.l,