Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-03

fWaiis waiIa watchuar

fwaiia Wallis watchran.l
The high officials OF she Northern Pa
che have made Reconnaissance IN force
over Washington and Oregon. and have
Z fallen back on their monopoly entrench-
rnents. They have sucked syrup from
I the monopoly bunshole. and have dealt
out taffy to the reople. they have
I learned wisdom from political mSu-
ayers. and have buried their purposes IN
| eeneralIties made up of brotherly love
/ and en3earment- President Harris has
relieved himself of a direct answer 10
I the cOnlndrums be encountered BY fe-
| ferrIn9 them for answer to the Board of
Directors. He will absolve himself of
subsequent responsibility IN his help
lessness to counteract the influence of
| wicked partners. And so from hour
TO hour We ripe and ripe, and then from
hoar TO hour We rot and rot, and there
by hangs q tale" Ii is the same old
business over and over again.
As intelligent human beings, We have
bat TO question the reason ,bleness OF
railroad profession, to satisfy ourselves
of its sincerity. R8ilroai nature is e.
sentially human nature. and ve must
De persuaded that every human being
having the whole of an article 10 de-
mand by The p7blic or a monopoly of
any Inns of business will make the most
of his opportunities. The man having
A franchise to a toll road along the only
available pathway of commercs will ex-
act all the traffic will bear, unless re-
strained by tbs strong arm of the law.
The assurances that determinations
will cease in the sweet b. an1 by are
only so far true as they relate to that
blissful period when We will all be run
ming game in the happy hunting
grounds. The pretensions by railroad
officials, and the predict rus by the sub
sldlZod press and monopoly strikers.
that the condition of things will be
more tolerable after the Northern Pa
cine and Oregon Railway aud Naylg l.
ton Company 8 road have been ooasoii-
dated under a lease, are dangerously
delusive. Any such rock-me-to sleep
mother feeling of $ surity is not TO he
entertalned BY people who deserve to be
free. We concern ourselves to regulate
the keeper of a toll road or ferry We
show prudent care that the machinery
of civil government shall not impose
exorbItant taxation but, in the pres
ence of power that exercises the pIwer
Of taxation far beyond any petty gov
eminent tribute, VS. SIT with folded
hands aud crafty our iInaginatlons
with monopoly tafiy. We Fade the
gross earnings, reaching up into the
millions. of orr transportation lines,
aud fail to appreciate that these vast
sums are a tax on our industries and
business. We pay over $500 To send
trainload of wheat less tn an 30 miles,
and do not seem to consider that We
lave right to voice in the matter.
Ii Is high time for the people of this
Territory to assert their manhood, to
cease to be amused by those things
which are for childish imtginatinns.
and lay hold of those things which now
nearly concern their temporal salvation.
The question of party dwindles into In
significance before tits great question.
The people must elect law makers
pledged to this issue, and resolve that
this oonsiderati all alone shall live
within the book and volume of their
brains, unmixed with baser matter.
The people are not helpless. They have
right, affirmed IN a long line of judi
cial decisions, to say to what extent
transportation taxes shall 60, and no
further. They have right to combine
against corporate aggression, and To
run ont lines that shall make them in
dependent of corporate extortion. An
independent line from this place to-
tide water would Immediately enhance
all surrounding property 800 per cent.
Every property holder could we'll afford
to give one half his property for such a
line. The exorbitant rates paid to
transportation lines would, if added to
the wealth of the country. increase local
wealth and improve the condition of the
people. The people cannot now afford
to be amused with promises. They must
act, vigorously and intelligently, under
a firm conviction that they cannot be
great and free without the spirit neces-
sary for the attainment of these condi-
tions.