Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-25
OLYMPIA, fEIDAH EVENING, JlNE.5. 1856.
An Impending Crisis.

enc naliTOdu, udteu Ou VIC Aotu III
slant, to Paul Schul.ze, says: You
can say to the people Of Washington
Territory that if bill 1872, the Dolph
bill (amended by Van Wyck) be
comes q law, the Northern Pacific
Company will be obliged to stop
work on the Cascades Division. and
that the company will have 10 choice
in this"
Investigation shows that the opin-
ion expressed by the STANDARD, last
week, tina. this action Of Congress
would not materially affect tue
course of the company, is erroneous.
The costly work now in progress
will tax the resources OF the company
to the utmost, and anything which
tends to impair its credit at this crit
ical juncture. will be fatal to the en-
terprise. We have not merely the
word Of The company for this, but
the testimony Of its most determined
enemies, who watch the moves on
the financial chessboard with won
derful assiduity and are ever on the
alert to suggest any move that will
checkmate interests opposed to their
own.
The position Of the Oregonian on
ell measures which may tend to ad.
vance the interests OF this Territory
when brought in rivalry with those
of Oregon, is too we'll known to re-
quire extended comment. 1t has al
ways been found ready to place OBJ
structions in the way of development
on tho northern border and to make
every prominent business enterprise
center in Portland. In the present
emergency it sees another opportun.
ity to advance its selfish and MERGE
nary policy. 1t takes exception to
tho action Of the Oregon Senators.
who are doubtless controlled by
quite a. high sense Of devotion to
public duty o. itself, because they
are disposed to be just in this mat.
ter, although the benefits resulting
from their action may not be circum-
scribed by State bounds. The Ian.
guage of the Oregoniam is not ambig'
uous. and is only capable of this in
depreciation. Here it is:
ut seems odd, though perhaps it Is mo-
strange when all the circumstances are
considered, to find the Oregon Senator.
commended by resolutions drawn by thu
literary and political bureau Of the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company-the enem!
Of Oregon and Of Oregon's interests-fo
pursuing . course which, 1t is boosted
will cut b&siness of from Oregon ant
transfer 1t to points outside the State"
The cause Of enmity Of that jour
nal is summed up in the last claus,
Of the sentence quoted. The com
pletion of the Northern Pacific I.
tide-water will "cut of business
from Oregon and transfer it to point
outside the State" and this i
deemed sufficient Justification To-
villifying Senator Dolph, whose sill
is that he recognizes q duty to sh'
public at large, as we'll as of Senate
Mitchell. against whom it bears be
aides an implacable personal hatred
The Oregonian is ut no loss to grass
the situation. 1t realizes that for
fixture means suspension of work OF
the Cascade Division, or its process
of reasoning is illogical and absurd
II the protest of the company ant
its statement OF the effect of forfei
ture is only intended O. a forlorI
hope of inducing Congress to rsced'
from its contemplated action, as il
assumed, end the results will net b.
what are stated by Mr.. Oakes, wh!
does that journal sndeavor to us'
the Congressional club as mean
Of knocking the life out OF o projec
that will il it succeeds" cut business
off from Oregon and transfer it I.
points outside the State?
It will indeed be q sad disappoint
ment and grievous hardship if worl
is suspended on the Cascade Divi
sion and the project abandoned fol
an indefinite period. We had JUS
begun to feel . revival of business
incident to the demand for labor ant
supplies Of various kinds, used il
the prosecution of this great enter
prise; We had begun to copgratu
late ourselves that Oregon would
soon be compelled to yield her gril
upon the tbroats of our people; ".
had almost begun TO shout the glad
hozannah announcing the completion
of work that has been sustained by
the prayers Of Q lifetime; when al
at once the news comes that worl
will be suspended if the land subsidy
is Withdrawn.
Now we ask, in the name of rea'
son, why should it be withheld. just
as the company is making the final
energetic struggle to complete the
great direct thoroughfare? Will
anybody snswer? Would the thou.
sands Of miles Of desert waste have
been utilized, or the scattering tracts
ofarable lands cultivated, had not this
great life-giving artery been opened
Did anybody dispute this self-svident
fact, until TOWNSHIP rivalry made il