Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-08
DAILY T-INTEllIGENCER
.ov. sL.sDggs wsFUrED.

people of this city with nDctuous ma
Iipnity. 1t says, referring to the prs
Of this city, "Only few months ago |
these very Seattle papers we're ardent
defenders of the grant" meaning the
grant TO the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. The PosT ISTELLIdEscEE ~
one of these .'SeattIs papers IL has
n ever been IAN ardent" or any othfr
sort of defender" of the grant. A
wear ago. while the railroad Was being
sperpetically pushed forward toward
completion, while the oft-repeaseo
PROMISES of the company to speedily
connect Puget Sound with its main me
and the Fast were az APPARENTLY TO be fui-
filed, and while it was not evident that
the injustice since attempted had even
been conserved, this paper refraintd
from expressing the opinion, thsn and
now entertained, that neither In Law or
equity 10 that company entitled TO public
lands not earned under the provisions
az the ACT OF 1864 and snbseqnent
amendasory resolutions. The question
OF forfeiture was not then under dis
cussion. We have never been defend
ers of the grant"
AGAIN. this corporation mouth piece
says, satirically referring TO the press
and people of this city " A little while
ago the company was An enterprising,
public-spirited corporation, with wbo-e
prosperity the welfare Of Washington
Territory was closely united. Now It 10
a Qrasping, soulless monopoly, seeking
TO rob the people" This 10 true. 1t
was and il 90 regarded. Many sup
posedly honest man has been disoov-
cred 10 be a thief and rascal. Under
previous management of this company
the people of our Territory had been
assured, and were led to believe, that
not only would the full extent OF rail
road provided by its charter be speedily
completed, but that it would be man
AGED 10 the mutual benefit Of the pub
lie and the company. The whole pee-
ule. therefore, while not ardent de-
Tenders of the land grant," nor adyo
eating its retention Of lands not earned,
were friendly to the company. What
has caused this radical change 7 Not
as this corporate pettifoggsr declares,
an alleged local rivalry between Seattle
and Tacoma regarding terminal advan-
tages. Did this exist. even 10 80 great
a degree as this Don Quixose and its
Sanoho Panza the Tacoma Ledger
6srceIy assert, il would not have infin-
eHced the people of Eastern Washing
ton TO snch unequivocal expressions OF
hostility TO the Northern Pacific Rail-
road and its management, a. have been
made by the press aud IN MAS meetings
OF citizens throughout that region.
They now declare, and truly, that 1t Ia
a grasping, souiless monopoly. Why 2
What has changed their minds, not
with respect 10 the land grant, but TO
the company itself
We give few OF the unnumbsrcd
reasons. IL has not continued railroad
building ~ was promised. On .he con-
rary, with its change Of management,
railroad construction by that company
and its allied corporations in Washing
ton Territory, was peremptorily discon-
tinued. IL raised the price of lands
which il claimed to have earned, and
will not give an nnincumbered title TO
the purchaser. IL refuses 10 sell lands
which contain coal. and ncgleets TO de-
velop them itself, thu ugh claiming title
thereto. 10 refuses TO pay taxes upon
its property. Ii combines with other
railroads and transportation systems TO
maintain extortiona.e tariffs, and pre-
vent heallhful. necessary and promised
competition. II discriminates between
persons and places in its charges. ID
has adopted the iniquitous special con-
tract system of the most lif we except
its own odious railroad corporation on
this continent. II Is attempting TO OBJ
tain title 10 valuable lands by misrepre-
sentation and fraud. IL has deceived
the public respecting its intended routes
of railroad. Il continues to do 30. And,
IL these were not enough TO antagonixc
every decent man In the Territory. IL
has employed the hireline press, as re-
presented by the Philadelphia Railyoad
Record, Tacoma Ledger and other cor
poration mud machines. TO falsify the
motives and vilify the acts. of every self
respecting citizen who lifts his voice In
protest.
This organ-grinder characterizes the
expressions Of the people Of this Terri
tory, and the action taken here and
elsewhere in favor Of forfeitiug these
unearned lands, as q Seattle temp
est" and Is persuaded that ait does
not mott with the approval of the
more sober and ssnsible element Of the
citizens.r II the editor Of the North
,cest had taken pains 20 aseertM.n the
facts, his Judgment would have been
moro valuable even 10 his employers.
In default thereof IL substituted. as his
persuaded opinion. an insult to the |
majority OF the citizens Of Washing.
ton Territory. Expressions in favor Of |
forfeisina these uncarnsd lands did not
originate in Seattle; they we're heard |
all over this Territory befors iefinite |
action was taken here. This city. s.l-
BILE. prosperous, self-reliant, the largest |
in the Territory, took the lead. a. was
her duty, and as ID her pride. in giving |
practical significance 70 well-known,
wide spread public sentiment. We
may add rieht here that this Seattle
tempest,n 20 sneerinely alluded 20, has
already developed into more formid
able storm Of energetic protest and in
telliaent effort against the iniqaitous
and illegal claims OF the Northern Pa.
ciHc Railroad Company than was AN
I