Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-10
IN TEE nOusE-klSc
CogNTY TO TEE sRosT.
EDrToR Posr -IxrrLLIsKscxH:


On Fnsay the all in portant matter
OF forfeItinx the railrsad land grant
had an airing In the House, the question
being on the passage Of Duubar's me
moral praying forfeiture Of the lands
from wsiIuis 20 Kalama.
Aanday offered Q substitute, praying
the unconditiopAi restoration to the
public domain Of ali lands IN Washing
ton Territory granted 70 aid the Nsrth-
ern Pacific Railroad Con pang.
Dunbar, IN the chair, ruled the sub
stiiats out Of order, and en- appeal to
the HOUSE. the ruling vas sustained By
party vote.
Mr.. Dunbar then came down on the
noor. and ID short speech urged the
passage OF his memorial, citing tue fscts
- set forth In the memorial.
Monday opposed the passage Of the
memorial IN the shape II vas, and
urged that il did not go far enough;
taat II asked for only smsll portion Of
What the people Of this Territory de
mAnded asd were entitled 20 receive.
de Vas opposed 10 any halfway meas
ure, and urged that il the memorial
passed 10 its present shape it would be
construed by Congress as surrender 10
the railroad claims, inasmuch az Is
prayed for only that stion the raIlread
bad signified their intention of giving.
be doubted II the gentleman from
kliekitat was correctly representing the
sentiment Of the mass Of bis constita-
ents, and TO support his proposition
read extracts from the Goldendsie Tri-
base, protesting against the passage Of
la.a ma nd ha hS
land forfeited would be at once covered
by lieu land selections BY the railrsad
Company.
Donbsr, in reply. said the measure
vas local measure and did NOS cos
hIcI with the claims made by Mr.. Nun
day, that the whole of the unearned
land grant should be forfeited that
the qaestion of forfeiting the lands
dosn Ihe Coianbia and forfeitina the
lands on the Cascade branch were dis
tinct propositions. and tbe facts we're
rholly different
Mr.. kinnear said be fully agreed with
the position taken 10y Mr.. Munday II
regard to the dsman ls Of the people,
that the whole of the unearned lands
should be forfeited, bat he thought the
memorial offered by Mr.. Dunbar should
pass. and he would vote for it, and
when q memorial as suggested by Mr..
Aunday Was introduced, he " Juld vote
for lt, also.
Judge Lewis favored the passage Of
the memorial introduced by Mr.. Dan
bar. he thought it was a righteous
measure and saould pass. Bot the for
feiture question was q question which
the House would have W face It vas
something about which the people of
the whole Territory we're deeply IN
earnest. We have Just seen Repab-
lioan majority of SIX thousand IN the
Territory overcome, and the Repubii-
can psrty hurled from power because
they we're not sound on this question" !"
He gave notice that he would prepare
and introduce a memorial on this suo
jecs IL Mr.. Munday did net; bat he did
not see any objection 10 passing the
memorial in Its present shape, and shsn
passing another sskinR for more.
Mr.. Goodeil of Cnehaiis opposed the
memorial 10 It's present shape. He said
he lived IN a place forty miles from tbs
line of the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. and his people felt the blight
ing effects of this enormous grant. Hs
urged that the matter shsuld be oonsid
cred a. one affecting the whole people
Of the Territory, ssd not as . merely
local matter.
Munday said he opposed the memo
rial because it was what the mover
claimed it TO be, merely local meas
ure. That the forfeiture question was
. Territorial quostioB, one an which the
people Of the Territory AZ q whole were
deeply interested. aud the question
shonid be considered as question
affecting the whole Territory and not
any particular locality. be argued
strongly that sne question of forfeItin2
the land grant was an indivIsibie qaes-
sion. and should not be considered in
parts; that the grant had been IN sde az
an entire grant to the road as q whole
line from Lake Superior to Puget
sound, and while he was az strongly IN
favor Of forfeiting the lands down the
Columbia ss the mover OF the menorial
could possibly be. be must oppose toe
nemorial ON the grounds that II vas a
local measure vniy. aud was mere
chiid's play, and would be construed BY
Congress as q Surrender to the positiou
occupied by the railroad company.
When you had q claim against a man
You would not divide ths claim ana sae
for part Of it nov and part at soiae
other time, but would sue IN the Hrs,
Instance for all you we're entitled TO.
A motion 10 reoommis 10 was lost by
q strIos p,rty vote, except that IehI
tR. Of Cnehaiis voted With the Demo
ofats.
Inc memorial then passed: Goodell
Mccall, Munciay ani Ostrsndu votins
| "Ns."
Mandsy then asked consent to intro
duee the memorial which be had offered
as substisate. and leave being granted
he introduced q memoftai praying the
anoondrtionai sarrender 10 the pabiis
domain Of all lands IN Washington Ter
ritory granted to aid in the constrnctioe
Of tne Nsrthsrn Pacific Railroad. Be
fore the memorial was reached 10 tL'
regular order Of business the Houss nd
ioarned.
The Court bill has passed, fixing fh'
times Of holding court. will send yot
q schedule In fev days
| OCCASIONAL