Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-08-27
IT CANNOT BE TRUE.

III CAM OI BE True.
The Columbia Chronicle claims tc
have had peculiar proof" that a large
number OF the delegates to the Demo
cratic Territorial Convention Travelled
on round trip passes granted by the
Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany This is charge which should
be promptly met, and refuted if un
true, as We sincerely hope it is, in view
of the fact that the convention in the
fifth resolution of its platform declares
in favor Of imposing severe fines and
penalties upon any railway company
or its agents, that shall give, or offeI
to give, directly or indirectly, any
passes, tickets, or transportation to
any member of the Legislature, or Off.
Ger thereof, or to any delegate to any
political conrention." Those who en-
act political code for the guidance of
others, should themselves be above
suspicion, if they would have their de-
clarations to pass for anything more
than mere subterfuge to catch votes.
The gravity of the charge made by
the Chronicle is enhanced when we
consider the source from which the
favor is said to have come. n
corporation whose interests CEN
ter in Portland, and which has
made almost superhuman efforts
to delay the completion of the Cascade
Division of the Northern Pacific, so as
tie enjoy the monopoly of western
traffic and enable it to impose the ex-
Orbitant charges which have reduced
the farmers profits on wheat to so
small figure that shipments have be-
come absolutely impossible with rea-
sonable prospect of profit 1t likewise
affords some ground for the charge so
freely made that Mr.. Voorhees, was de-
signedly acting in the interest of the
Oregon Railway and Navigation Com.
pany in his efforts to secure the forfei-
ture of the Northern Pacific land grant,
when his friends accept favors from
the rival corporation, and join with
him in bitter denunciation OF the COM
pany that affords the only hope of re-
lief from extortion. That Mr.. Voor-
hees is guilty of such a betrayal of
trust We have not, and do not, for 4
moment entertain a belief, nor will We
accept as proven the charge or the
Chronicle that delegates to the Terri
torial Convention have been guilty of
blowing hot and cold in the same
breath, until opportunity is given them
to deny it.
The seventh resolution OF the plat
form is equally imperative in its de-
mand that the Northern Pacific shall
keep out Of politics. We had sup.
posed that this inhibition applied
equally to other railroads and all cor.
porations. If it does not, we would
like for somebody to explain on what
principle of right and justice it is pro-
posed to make fish of one and fowl OF
another? The Northern Pacific Com
pany accepted the situation promptly
and no order was given for the agent
at Tacoma to issue return tickets free
Some of the delegates demanded them
but We, as an eyewitness, was glad tc
observe that the company had accept
ed the platform in its entirety on thi.
subject, and refused to place a club in
the hands OF people who had manifest
ed disposition to use it as cudge
for beating out its own brains.
The Eastern delegates owe it tt
themselves to deny specifically the al
legation of the Chronicle. They
should not delay, if they are innocen,
of the charge. Consistency is O
jewel" and in these times of momen
tous events, there should be no bubble
or evasion. Silence will likewise be
construed into an admission of guilt
A plain and unequivocal denial will
set the matter right, and compel the
Chronicle to exhibit its occular proof,
or destroy its influence in the present
campaign.