, 1892-12-05

He AeAbS ABOUT AaAaNAOm ana DIS
cusses Various Phases of City
GOvernment-HOw He Trans
ferred the Smell of Tide Flats.
Columbia hall was filed Saturday night
with voters of every possible shade Of
political belief or form of conviction. Re-
publicans, democrats and populists, were
represented by their acknowledged leaders.
Long before the meeting was called to order
all the seats were taken, and before Judge
Robinson had finished his Introductory
remarks the space back of the seats was
well occupied by standing listeners. It
was a representative gathering of the tax
payers of Olympia. Prominent citizens
and heavy property owners occupied con-
spicuous places in the gathering and lis
tened with close attention to Judge Robin
sons address.
When Judge Robinson appeared at the
doorway and marched straight up the aisle
to the speakers stand, he was greeted with
applause that betokened a hearty welcome
and warm sympathy. The buzz Of conver-
/ satiOn and comment ceased when Hon
Allen Weir was called upon to act as chair
man of the occasion. In well chosen
words Mr. Weir introduced Judge Robin
son, the speaker of the evening.
Mr.. Robinson began by asserting his
| perfect freedom from any aspirations for
| the position of mayor. He had taken the
nomination for the sake of the people and
for the sake of seeing enforced the princi-
pies that had been enunciated by the citi-
zens' platform. As evidence of the sim
cerity of these statements he referred TO
the fact that the position of mayor involved
a sacrifice of time and money. 1t was
quite plain that where man was willing
to sacrifice money for cause that he must
be sincere.
Referring to aspersions that had been
cast upon his integrity, he defed any living
man to point to a single act in his official
and professional conduct that had not
been fair, Just and honest.
After the general introduction to his ad-
dress, Judge Robinson referred to the
charges that had been made against hi IN
for not payinghis taxes. He referred to an
instance where he had graded down his lots
Ton Fifth and Jefferson) to the grade fur
nished by the city engineer, and was after
ward left in the hole by the grade being
raised two feet.
He cited this to show why there was
such protest against paying street grade
assessments. But at the same time he did
not particularly urge the injustice of the
assessment as a reason for not paying it.
1t was question of couldn't" He said
he had q good many city lots and if he
could sell one he might possibly be ablestO
pay his taxes. During his discussion Of
the question of municipal taxation he
made the startling declaration that tax
had not been laid in this city within the
past two years that would stand the test of
any lawyer on the bench
This statement was greeted with applause
In treating the merits of the different
platforms he literally riddled the prnci-
Piles represented by the so-called ''republi-
can" and democratic" platforms. The
citizens platform was taken up, plank at a
time, and clearly explained. The speaker
had adopted an easy, conversational style
of address, in which he made keen thrusts
at his opponents that provoked frequent
shouts OF applause. AT the outset he set
forth the principle that a man must allow
others the same privileges and rights that
he claimed for himsef. This meant that a
man who criticises others must expect to
be criticised. He said there were men so
narrow that they could not bear to see an
individual succeed unless he paid a heavy
tribute for that success. Such mems souls
were so small that they would rattle around
in peanut shell. This aroused enthUsi-
astic applause. When the speaker an
nounced that he was no coward and would
not be bossed by anybody, there was am
pie evidence of approval.
In dealing with the question OF non-pay-
ment of taxes, Judge Robinson demon
strated that it was no greater crime to be in
debt to the city and be unable to pay, than
it was to ask further time from private
creditors.
In one of his assertions Judge Robinson
said that he would transfer the smell of
the tide flats to Mr.. OBrien before he
finished, and this he proceeded to do in the
most approved style. He showed in the
first place that Mr.. O'Brien's scheme was
built on false basis. 1t was not a proper
thing for the city to undertake and would
result in endless litigation between the city
and private parties who had filed upon the
land. Another important point was that
it would cost the city at least 100000 to
get the % per cent interest in tide
fats belonging to the ate. The
scheme of the Olympia improvement
company was explained, showing that it
was organized and designed to assist man
ufacturers in securing advantageous sites
in Olympia without being compelled to
pay unreasonable prices. The filings of
private citizens on the lands was made for
the purpose of protecting them until the
company could be organized. 1t was an
arrangement among the business men of
the city, whereby capitalists could be in
duced to locate in Olympia upon terms
that would be agreeable to all concerned.
Toward the close Of his address Judge
Robinson said there were people in Olym-
pia who would like to see him forced to
leave town because he would not join the
"ring," but if they ever got him out they
would have to take him out feet first. At
the meeting tonight Judge Robinson will
in measure review part of his speech.