The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-05-08
JOINT CONVENTION.

5csn the naSs convention
JOINT CONVENTION.
THE w'GTLvRs RESOLUTION DKsEavED
M i nxcsstyz ynTx
In the Joint sessions which assem-
hIed as 8 o'ciock. al tie four conven-
fions were together and ex-Governor
E. Z. Ferry occupied the chair.
Judge Orange Jacobs reported the
following resolutions which had been
modified by the COMMITTEES.
wHFExxs. COMPOSITIONS syc creatures Of
the I&w. and the history Of the past has
shown them 10 be aggressive, and aften
acting In . manner regardless Of the
rights ard interests Of the people; Therefore
beit
R<soiref. That anr dess.xnses 10 the con-
tsisufsoua1 convention he. and they are
hereby irxfucsed to vofe aud Ese their IN
flnenec for inserting N the constitution 80
she state 81 Wskhsngtoia reasonable Pro
vixtous for the restrslnf And control Of al
corporations existing CT doing business
witnin the limits OF the state
ExSofsed. TIA this convention instructs
! ifs delegates to guard TO the fullest extent
the interests Of the state OF Washington In
the shore or tide and school lands Of the
people shall NOS be talren from them for
the advantage Of corporations or pirate
spectators.
Mr.. Williams, in order to place the
resolutions before the joint convention.
moved that the report Of the COM
Inittee be adopted.
Judge Jacobs stated that the com
uittee to whom the resolutions were
referred thought TIE language in the
McGiIvra resolution was too sweeping.
that II inclu led in It's scope church
and eiemosenary corporations All
| that was desired, in the opinion of the
committee, was to point out d patent
| fact In current histor,f.
l.. 8. Rutherford spoke earnestly of
the sacred and important duty TO be
performed by the Constitutional con-
yentioD, and did not consider that the
resolutions as formulated by the COM
mitsee were near strong enough.
In response TO IA inquiry by Mr..
McGilvra, Mr.. Jacobs stated that he
had been instructed TO report the reso-
lutions offered as the sense of the joint
committee without Recommendation.
The chairman said the motion would
come before the joint convention on
the adoption or rejection of the report
| OF the committee, and not as substi-
tute for the original resolutions.
oFrERxp AS 4 SUBSTITUTE.
Mr.. McGilvra then offered his origi-
nal resolution with but two words
added as . substitute for the resolu-
tons offered by the committee. The
change was IN the placing of the words
.and mostly before the word Sag
gresslve.n The difference between
Mr.. McGilvra's preamble and resolu-
ton and the report OF the committee
was in the preambles. The one pre-
sented by the committee. he thought,
was not near strong enough TO suit the
requirements Of the situation. Ithad
been urged that the preamble was too
strong and sweeping in its terms.
Because church corporations might be
included in the scope OF the
wording OF the resolution, he
did not oiesire To change it,
as some OF the worst corporations
known TO history Had been those OF
churches. The matter OF resisting the
encroachments of corporations was
one OF the greatest questions OF the
are. 1t was the companion OF the
labor question. He therefore thought
il eIninentiy wise and proper to re-
strain corporations and hoped that
the resolution would be adopted.
l.. II. Compton did not consider the
language OF Mr.. MtGiivra's preamble
any too strong. He favored the curb
ing of corporate power withsas reason
able limits. He held that il tie origi-
nal was adopted the Republican rarity
would surely be successful at the polls.
and thought ii the substitute was
adopted il would be in effect counting
defeat. Therefore. he favored the
adoption Of Mr.. MsGiiyra's resolution
in all its strength.
The language OF Mr.. McGilyra's
resolution was not too strong for
Judge Orange Jacobs. but majority
of the committee had thought so and
he bowed to their wishes. The people
demanded stringent and radical pro-
visions for the limitation Of corporate
power. He for one did not believe the
Republican party should apologize for
any action it might take or language
| il might use toward corporations.
q. III. Hebron asked that the reso-
lutions be read, ard when this was
done he said that while corporations
occasionally did what was wrong, still
they were great factors ia the building
up OF the country. There were GER
tain enterprises which required a.
large amount OF capital TO start and
maintain and were beyond the means
| OF a single individual. A number OF
individuals put ia their capital and
| formed these big companies and car
ried them en- and drew revenue there
from. He was opposed 10 wholesale
dennnciation Of corporations and
thought the resolutions presented by
the committee should be adopted.
! John p. Hoyt moved that the words
s'many OF them be substituted for
aand mostly' before the word Gag
gresion' in the McGilvra preamble
and the amendment was accepted by
Mr. Metiilsra-
/ Governor Ferry vacated the chair
! for the purpose OF making speech.
He supposed the resolution was SIM
ply for the purpose OF binding the con-
sciences Of the delegates to carry ont
the ideas of the convention The re-
port of the COMMITTEES and the prean-
bic and resolution offered by Mr.. Nc
Giiyra were nearly the same with the
difference that on, was little haTsher
than tho other. The Republican party
s QiU not WISH t9 8BN~t 3fsf tVE ftf2lsDEf.
lt was his opinion that Mr.. McGiisra
had in his measure a little pet which
he wished 20 get through. He hoped
the report of the committee would be
adopted.
/ j. III. MeGraw made strong speech
| ia favor of the committees report, as
he did not beliele in wholesale de-
nanciation OF corporations.
Mr.. McGilvra WAS pretty well warmed
up when he rose for the last time TO
speak in favor of his pet preamble atd
said that he was perfectly willing that
his attitude should be known II was
fact known TO all that the charge had
been made that the Republican party
was going into the hands of the North
ern Pacific railroad. The party hid
twice been defeated because II was
charged with besslg in partnership with
the Northern Pasaiic railroad. He did
not believe that the rank and file OF
the Republican party, which consti-
tatcd the brain and conscience OF the
/ country, approved OF such a comhina-
ton. Here Mr.. McGilyra paid q fer
vent tribute TO the record of the party.
He did not waiat 70 see the Eepuh-
liczn party made the tool OF the
Northern Pacific or any other corpor-
alton The gre;ltesf question before
the American people since the war of
/ the Rebellion has been how far cor
i "a &fr -