, 1886-06-24
Tie Forfeiture QUlst!uC.

I2tpIna " e'cS-
The people of eastern Washington
are becoming thoroughly aroused
over the threatened danger to the
Cascade road by the passage Of the
bill in the senate forfeiting the land
grant along the uncompleted portion
of that line. The statement issuing
from the management of the North.
prn Pacific, that If this bill becomes
a law, it would so effect their securi-
ties and their money supplies as to
cause suspension of the work. has
thoroughly alarmed the inhabitants
of the inland empire and led to eDer
getic measures on their part to bring
influence TO bear to avert the danger.
No people We're ever more thoroughly
alive TO the importance of any con
temp!ated improvement than are the
residents of eastern Washington to
the benefits which would be brought
to them by the completion OF the line
OF road. The interests Of western
Washington in this enterprise, as
great as they uay lie. bear no ccm-
parison TO those Of OR trans-mOun-
tain neighborS. To this they have
looked iUr relief from the eXactiOus
ana extortiops which have been
placed upon al their products. Tc
this t3ivy have looked for that
healthy competition which should in
sure them better profit fer their
labor. They have regarded with the
utmost satisfaction their promised
early connection with Puget SQUAD,
and every section of that great grain
producing country has been making
exertion to form direct connection
with this road
Thus strongly does the Wglla
Walla Union state it: upon the
completion of the Cascade branch
depends the solution OF the question
whether it will be possible to protita-
bly, raise wheat, the chief, if not the
only, product for export of eastern
Washington. Ii it IS decided not to
complete the road those who are now
residents of eastern Washington will
be compelled to submit to the enor
nous exactions OF the o. Il. & n Co.
indefinitely"
Rousing meetings have been held
at different points and resolutions
adopted expressing in the strongest
language the sentiment of the people
against the passage of any law that
shall interfere with the speedy COM
pletion of this line, of such vital i'm
portance to all sections of our terri
tory.
The people of the territory who
allowed Themselves to be carried
away by the forfeiture craze at the
last election, are now beginning to
experience the first fruits of their
folly. Hundreds of those Who al
lowed themselves to be thus deceived
and led captive to a sectional idea,
prompted by revenge, in direct oppo
sition to their own interests, have
seen their error AID will join in these
memorials to congress to 'counteract
as much as possible the result of
their former action.
But in this matter the people Of
Washington Territory find them
selves IN very embarrassing posi-
ton In what light do they stand
before congress? They have placed
themselves upon record by their vote
as favoring forfeiture and in opposi-
ton to railroad construction. In
what position, then, are they now
placed in crying ''hold'' as soon as
congress has taken the first step i'll
carrying out their expressed wish
It is astonishing how men, by mere
demagogery, will be led, contrary to
reason and sense, to rob their own
| pockets.
In the face of what has been done
by the former expression of the peo-
pie, it is doubtful what influence they
can now have in attempting to re-
verse their former demand, but the
people are now awake to the i'm
pending danger which threatens
calamity to the whole territory, and
will do what they can to avert it.
The action of the senate adopting
Van Wyck's amendment to Dolph's
bill, and the action of the house In
still further loading down the meas
ure with a seeming attempt to legis
late in the interests of the people, by
insisting on forfeiture of all lands
not earned when the grant expired,
is directly opposed to the public good
in more respects than one. In the
first place it threatens the road with
financial embarrassment and the sus-
pension OF work on the Cascade line,
which would be serious calamity to
the territory at this time. Dolph's
original bill proposed to declare for
felt those lande contiguous to the
proposed line from Wallula to Port
land, about which there was no
question as to the right of forfeiture.
since the company had abandoned
the project. But undertaking to load
this first measure, which should pass
at once, with other propositions
which must occasion contention and
delay, still allows the conn any to
keep its hands on the lands along the
Columbia and withholds it from set
tlement That this measure Is IN the
interest of competing lines which de
sire to cripple the Northern Pacific,
no one doubts, and they are bringing
to bear all the power of their wealth
a1d influence to secure the passage
Of this forfeiture measure W neither
this same influence can be directly
traced back to the last election or
not, it is certain that these other cor
porations were the only parties to be
benefited by the results. When the
demand is made that railroads keep
their hands out of the politics of the
territory it will be well 10 include
other roads besides the Northern Pa
cific.
THE POINT ROBERTS REsERyATIoN.-I
In the light of recent events the public
will clearly recognize that the time has
come when it behooyes the citizens OF
Whatcom county TO make earnest appeal
through petition to the authorities at
Washington to take some proper action
tho military reserve at Point
Roberts-for proper control of the fishing