, 1890-03-13
AN uNFoRTUNATE CLASS.

noluerS Oh inc Eastern and Middle
states should resort TO desperate
means to arrest the exodus that is
draining their sections of people and
capital. or course n movement .of
this character, assuming large and
increasing proportions, has an inev-
liable tendency In the direction OF
lowering values In the older states
and enhancing them In the new
field Of enterprise and development.
The cities of Minneapolis and 81.
Paul are suffering from stagnation.
Large business blocks stand empty,
rents are tumbling and values of
real estate are necessarily declining.
Hence we arc not surprised to learn
that the newspapers Of those cities
are doing all that lies within their
power to check the stream Of immi-
grafton now flowing into Washing
ton.
II is expecting too much to believe
that all of the thousands coming to
this state should he contented and
pleased with the country. Among
this mighty throng Of home-seckers
we naturally expect to find some
who, coming hither upon ain inn
pulse, Will return to their old homes
and warn their nelghbors against the
new state. This has always been
the experience Of Western develop
ment, and Washington can not es-
cape II. There are men who come
here, and after travelling over the
state return 10 Kansas, or Nebraska,
or Vermont, or New Hampshire,
and declare that In their belief those
states are better nnd offer greater in
ducements than this magnificent
and vigorous young common wealth.
We can easily spare them, but their
influence will deter others from com
ing who would, in all probability,
be charmed with our climate and
our resources.
A sufficient answer to this class of
disappointed wanderers is found in
the united Judgment of the broad
minded and far-seelng man In con-
troll of thetnnscontinenta railroads.
If Washington did not offer exccp-
tioial opportunities, If her resources
were not remarkable and diversified,
we should hardly experience the
present unique era of railway de-
velopment. With single excep-
ton, that of the Atchison, Topeka
Il santa Fe, which pierces the Pacl-
fic coast upon its southern border,
every transcontinoptai line Is either
within the bounds Of this state or is
exerting all its energies in building
In this direction. This is not mat
ter of sentiment. The men In con-
troll of these lines represent Eastern
capitalists, whose bones are far dis
tant. They are looking to this state
because they are endowed with
the gift of prophecy, and see within
Its borders elements of prosperity
that are certain to make it one of
the greatest states In the Union.
Against this array of critical judg-
ment the feeble voice Of the NAL
content can have little weight.
And what value are we to attach
to the opinion Of the doubter who
compares our magnificent march
upon tue highway Of development
to the wild boom that swept over
Southern California? II may posi-
bly, surprise these GROWERS to learn
that In their palmlest days Los
Angeles and San Diego turned TO
Washington FOR their lumber and
coal; and II Is well further TO inform
them that the little city of Spokane
Falls, with n population Of 25,OO0,
has more railroads than san Fran
cisco.
These are cheering facts, and 1t
does not take the discriminating
tourist or home-seoker long to realize
them, But the malcontcnts come
hero, andafter stumbling over them,
return East and decry the country
and its rps,Illrppg