, 1892-07-05
Lake WASHINGTON CANAL.

The senate of the United States has re-
oeded from its amendment to the river and
harbor bill making an appropriation Of
100000 for the inauguration of work upon
the Lake Washington canal.
The position of THE TRIBUNE, and what
we believe to be the position of all
the protestants against the action of the
Washington senators, seems to us not to
have been clearly understood by the press
and people who were supporting this
purely local legislation. The proposition
to construct canal from Lake Washing
ton to the Sound, was always presented as
and claimed to be an enterprise wholly in
the interest of the city of Seattle and the
owners of lands on and adjacent to the
lake, Seattle, and Salmon Bay. 1t was for
the benefit of the Kirk land syndicate.
Messrs. Kirk, Alger, Clarkson, Leigh S. J.
Hunt and others in Seattle, not excepting
Watson G. Squire. So far as these gentle
men are concerned, they were in business
for themselves, and while benehtting
themselves directly, they claimed the con-
struction of the canal would indirectly
benefit Seattle and the state.
When it was proposed that the en-
terprise should be adopted upon its merits,
a bill having been introduced in the senate
for an appropriation of $3,OOO,00O to con
struct the canal, there was no protest from
other portions of the state. It appeared
that there was consent upon the part of
those localities interested in the river and
harbor bill that any independent appro-
priation for internal improvements in the
state, should be received without protest,
and would be supported by that silence
which is consent.
The Seattle senators, Messrs. Allen and
Squire, finding that the appropriation for
Seattle's canal could not win upon its own
merit, tackled it upon the river and harbor
appropriation bill as an amendment, there
by attempting to place it upon an equal foot
ing, as public necessity, with the rivers
and harbors of the state, the early inn
prOVement of which was demanded by the
commerce of the world. Against this action
of theirs arose the loud and indignant pro-
test from the citizens of the whole state.
Bowing to the wish Of the people, the sem
ate receded from the canal amendment.
There are many cities and growing local
tiles that are without the splendid harbor
facilities Of Seattle; that has a harbor
wherein the fleets of the world might ride
at anchor. 1t was unjust to the needed inn
provements in the harbors and navigable
rivers Of the state that local enterprise,
involving the expenditure of three million
dollars by the general government in the
next ten years, should become a permanent
item in the river and harbor bill, thereby
receiving and absorbing the moneys that
should be expended in making the needed
Improvements in the many rivers and
harbOrs of the state.
TIE TRIBUNE opposed the incorporation
of this measure in the river and harbor
bill, and will continue to oppose the ap-
preparation being secured in this way,
until the general government shall provide
Olympia a harbor that shall equal the
present harbor of Seattle, in accommoda-
tions for the worlds commerce, which
comes to the capital city. Seattle, with her
present harbor, which is claimed to be the
best on the coast, can well afford to defer
the improvement of her inland waters
until the harbors now necessary to COM
merce are made safe and adequate to the
present.
We are not hostile to the interests of
Seattle, but are determined to defend our
own, and protect those of the state at large
against the greed of a private enterprise