Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-01-06
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
OLYMPIA. FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. G, 1855.
Calling a Halt.

NolllHS ndlts
The Chehalss Nugget, which has
always been decidedly ultra in the adj
vocacy of restrictive legislation re-
5arding railroads, opposes the Sharp
stein bill, which has passed the Coun-
ell, fixing the rates Of passage at four
cents per mile. 1t holds that while it
is right to compel railroad companies
to respect laws for their regulation,
" extreme and oppressive measures
are not only senseless but absolutely
void. Five cents a mile in new and
unsettled Territory like this is not too
much. Even when the company
charged eight cents mile there was
not a great deal of grumbling, be-
cause it was time when high prices
were universally popular, and the far
mer, as well as the merchant or rail-
road company, commanded his own
price for the articles he had to sell.
Had this Territory population of a
million or even half that number, in
stead of a mere handful of scattered
inhabitants and the company still in
sisted upon pioneer rates, then there
would he some sense in re, a - .hc
passenger travel to four cents mile
Besides, the Northern Pacific Com
pany, with its long line oftravel, is not
the only company doing business in
this Territory. There is tn Olympia
& Tenino road, built principally by
the citizens of Olympia. The entire
length of this road is only sixteen
miles, and the passenger charge ii
$1.25, which is about seven and one
half cents per mile. In view of the
meageI patronage to which the com
pany is limited, it is nothing short O
an outrage to force it to carry passen
gers at four cents a mile. The hard
ship would not be less upon the Puge
Sound Shore Line or other roads act
ually built or in contemplation. TIL
building of railroads must not be dis
couraged by demagogic legislation"
While we agree with the Nugget il
the main, and deprecate the effects Q
the bill if it becomes a law, upon IL
cal railroad enterprise, we protes
against an arrangement of the motiv
which prompted its introduction, a
is manifested by the caption of tn
Nuggets article" Sharpstein's Bur
combe"-or the use of the word " den
ogogic" in the Objectionable sense, q
at the close of the quotation. This
gentleman is in no sense more radio,
in his ideas of railroad legislation tina
has been the party which elected hin
and if the proposed act is found o
close examination to be oppressive
local enterprise, or unjust to Il
Northern Pacific, we doubt not that
will approve of its rejection by Il
popular branch of the Assembl
There is danger, at times, of the be
conceived measures becoming abe
tive, from disposition of represe
tative men to reflect the exact wish
of the people who elected them; b
it must be remembered that popul
sentiment is transitory in its natur
and that the public mind often
comes aroused to the support of 9
treme views that are rejected win
the heat of political canvas h
passed away. 1t is unquestionably
now, when mild protests are heard
all sides against legislation which m
kill the golden-egged goose SO oft
called into requisition to point a MOI
like that under consideration.
Abuse OF those who make an eff
to embody in legal enactment the {
pressed will of the people, IS "a re
rehensible, however, as the SAL
course towards those who have {
deavored to maintain the golden me
in political action and counseled
conservative course. The perversi
of term, unobjectionable in itself,
convey the idea of selfish politi,
motive, is no better or worse than
habit the ultra Democratic" ne,
papers had a year ago of ACCUSE
conservative men of wearing a-cor
ration ring in the nose. A little mi
of the spirit of candor, fairness a
justice would add largely to the fol
of political comment.