Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-08-29
Tell the Truth.

OF Pierce County.
Tell the Truth.
\ petition Is in circulation to rc-incorporate
the city Of olympia as city of the Sd class I'M
passed By the recent Legislature. II should be
signed and placed before the City Council for
action as snor as possible. The present city
charter is useless for a growing city. There is
scarcely an Ordinance that will stand in the
courts Tribune.
A cynical philosopher once observed
that Language" was " given to man
to conceal his idea," and one who can
read between the lines cannot help
being impressed with the afnth OF the
saying in passing his eye over the above
extract. Since the Supreme Court
decided that the charter relating to
street grades was of vital i)rce, there
has been no dispute as to the legality
OF any of its provisions, s. far as Ian
guagc can delegate authority to legis-
latiye bodies. The case under the fire
ordinance now before the Supreme
CouttiyIis not based upon any inherent
defect in the charter, but on the gem
eral principle involved relating to how
far public safety Will adnitof restraint
of full and free enjoyment of prop
erty uses. The assertion that there
is scarcely an ofdinaee that will stand
in the courts" is unwarranted by
facts, so far as the fundamental law is
concerned. There may be, and doubt
less are, defects in the ordinances-it
) would be surprising if there was not
but to base those flaws upon the
groundwork of ous. municipal .organi;
cation, looks very much like a subter.
fuge, designed to cover some deeper
object. 1t is, well, therefore, that
those who are asked to sign the peti.
ton should give the matter some con.
sideration before affxing their sigma
.-tures. If. this were always done
there. would be less need for subse,
quent explanations by signers, and
less cursings l,eaped upon the heads
of those who induced them to express
sentiments and desires altogether for
eign to their intent. This has been
verified frequently of late by petitions
presented to the City Council, and
sope Of Our most prominent citizens
are placed in the trying position Of
riding two horses which are going in
opposite directions at the same time.
The origin Of the proposition for a
new charter is believed to center in
the late trouble relating to the grade
of Union street A change Of the
original grade was made in due form,
after the ample notice was given pro-
:vided for, and by a unanimous vote OF
the Council, and it was not until grad
ing operations were commenced that
There was any objection raised to the
new lines. "A petition then came in,
numerously signed, demonstrating
,agaiAst tle new grade, and recom-
me ,@9gladcptica Of the. former pro-
file.- This was referred to the Street
Eenmatee, .sWhdse 'chairmsn IL ire
senior Councilman from that ward,
and during its consideration no less
than three of the signers TO the re-
monstranee informed the committed
staa* their names had been appended
without consideration OF the subject,
and that they favored the work as it
was being prosecuted. The chairman
Of the committee strenuously opposed
q change, for the reason that it would
probably delay work for the season.
MHer16siif "Reminiscences lhs majos-
ity Of the committee reported adverse.
1 lyao the proposed change, but the
y mhiesitF ssssthe Council, under the
',.spur Of vigorous Lobby influence, did
not adopt the report of the committe ,
and passed an ordinance re-establish.
ing the old grade - ) .
There Was; of course, during the ad.
justment Of this neighborhood quar-
rell," considerable feeling displayed
butt was hoped that the excitement
would subside and that the work, o.
grading would be prosecuted as vigor
ously undet the changed conditions a.
: it aspossibls for It to be done.
4 h i nsw charged that Mr.. O'Brier
will. in his official capacity, delay thu
wotk, and that in order to. defeat this
object, he -'nf,st be removed. Blu
howf Aye, that was the question
, .Firet the" JUDAS. Kiss" Of a tender, o
.Hatoralty for MI. Conveys undxpiret
A@h of two months, was made, buI
tliai 1d not work; and now we have
: the dfolt of . modern. Sampson to
overturn the temple, that an enemy
may be crushed by its downfall.s =
Utdef q aiberal' construction of thu
privileges conferred by our glorious
stpYsEnnaent on her citizens; this may
/ bs right, but the true object should b.
= Waited ssTheke should be no misehood
or deception In, the matter. Were il
stated p exact accord with tbeobject
OF fts 6riginatofs, lind no effort wer,
made to cajole the credulous public, il
would, nevertheless, dosbtless receive
signatures. There are 90 mspy, who
have axes to grind % Sm&ny have
!. as ttdGt4 80 abusive; $50 man,
whose COINS have been touched by The
wheels Of the car Of progress now re
vQls<as' after 90 long Hest .+Aas /,
sxoult be. indeed,sprEifsing if the sci
fish nature of man should not cror
out uuttxWJ on other occasions.
Mr.. O'Brien, like other men has his
faults, but want of zeal for Olympia j.
not one of them. He has made one o.
the most indefatigible, stadfast, and
useful officers the city has ever .llad
sHeshas giyep years Of his time to; The
public, without one cent of compen
satiOn and II doas soor, fhot IN x,;o,,