The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-15
THE CANAL AN ISSUE
4 Was the Democrats Who
Forced 1t Into Politics.
1uelR QUIBeLiNG SHOWN UP.
-. ncCIeIlan, Who First Advocated
- Canal, Good Democrat-Port-
lands Hostility to Seattle.

..e.I-The Democratic party of the state
yVsshington having made political
...ne Of the long standing proposition to
-.,struct the ship canal between Lakes
remington and Union and Puget sound.
~ time that the absurdity Of their posi-
80 we're shown and the fallacies of this
s;ud.miil battle exposed. The compro-
..;.e resolution between the two factions
81 !, the Democratic convention, which was
a .,narily Incorporated in the platform.
| SID:
b Ne condemn any expenditure OF the public
,ope,s having for its purpose the advancement
dpriyste enterprises
After vainly attempting to deliberate
nth calmness and reason for nearly two
a.vs. the convention added to this clause
!, The platform the following:
ve strongly condemn tho course of Senators
t,len and squire In advocating the appropria.
rou ior the Lake Washington ship canal, to the
srciusion OF needed appropriations for the
,ecessaiy improvement OF our rivers and har-
ipn
The arguments in support of the position
ae Democracy of the state were thus made
% assume toward the question of making
rublic improvements with governmental
i'd we're as follows:
{. Fint-That the proposed canal was forced a.
= political issue upon the people of the state of
4 Washington by King county.
3 Second-That the canal was originated in
y KIns county as "local job" or "steai"
fhird-That federal appropriation for the
obstruction OF the canal would initiate against
neuring appropriations for river aud harbor
jpprovsments in the state in general and for
ths Improvements necessary to open the Column
hahn particular.
Fourth-That the endeavors of the Washing.
lon senator's 70 secure an appropriation with
Which to begin the construction of the canal
m entirely blameable for the defeat of the pro-
sssd appropriation for the construction OF Tho
ps;es boat railway on the Columbia river
Efth--That the ship canal should not be I'M
eefaken public improvement, but that IL
could be promoted by private capital.
sixth-That the Democracy, in taking the
puition it did, was true TO its traditions and
einciples.
Every one of these postulates was wrong,
which / shall endeavor to prove in answer
ing them separately:
Hrs.-That the proposed canal was forced AZ
apolitical issue upon the people of the state of
Warrington by King county.
The history of the introduction of this
mbject into politics begins in the Spokane
RHiew Of June %, previous to the cleo
ton Of delegates to the county conven-
tons, save in the case of the Democrats
In Whitman, who held a snap May con.
vention in the interest of Warmers candi-
dscy for anything. Not word of the
canal was mentioned in that convention.
The Repiev is newspaper protesting Re-
publican doctrines. Two-thirds of it are
owned by the Portland Oregonida. and one
third by Mr.. A. NJ. Cannon. of Spokane.
Primarily the purpose of the Rcriew was
toinjure Senator Aliens candidacy for re-
election to the United States senate, with
the purpose OF securing successor to him
. who would be more pliable to Oregon in
fuences. 1t charged at the very outset
that the ship canal was a job and steal;
that Senator Allen was guilty of moral
cowardice in supporting it. 1t said
further: Experience has shown that
this Improvement can be prosecuted only
at the cost of the works upon the
ColAmbia river" and it maintained that
IN appropriation for the ship canal
would impair the chances of securing adj
ditional appropriations for the Columbia.
Only few days later the OregOnian, in ad-
vocsting the candidacy of an opponent to
Senator Allen, spoke of the ".just resent
ment Senator Allen had inspired in East
srn Washington" referring TO his advo-
eacy OF the ship canal appropriation. The
O'egoaldn moreover said. The friends of
the Lake Washington canal project
freely admit, what everybody knows,
that 1t Is private speculation, and in no
way an enterprise for the general good"
Maniiestly the inspiration III the case OF
both papers Was the same.
The river and haroor bill. to which had
been added the appropriation clauses for
Tue railway and canal, was pending in the
conference at the time. 1t was contended
that the effort 10 secure the canal appro-
priation would defeat the railway appro-
praion; that few private schemers at
seattle, with the cooperation of the
United States senators from Washington,
were pursuing policy especially inimicai
10 the plan OF an open river. King county
had had nothing 10 say Oh this subject
not word-until after these systematic
and repeated attacks exposed the animus
OF them. ami until a clique in Tacoma re-
iniorced the onslaught of the Portland
powers. The canal was made an issue iii
me spokane convention, and resolution
having special bearing on the desire to set
aside all other public Improvements until
The Columbia should have been opened
was adopted. This plank in the Spokane
county platform provided that this much
Needed national Improvement 1.-THE open
ing OF the tosumbial 20 which our people
Rave been looking forward tor twenty-five
years, should lie of paramount importance
III the legislation of congress designed TO
ava the Pacific coast" This action was
taken previous 10 the holding Of county
conventions III Is ing and Pierce. Somuch
ior the charge that King county raised
s's ISSUE. The sunpie truth is il was
al N 81 a..
s'a1e by the commercial interests of Port
.Ahd, which are extremely jealous of the
aeaa"ay Seattle Is making towards secur-
ing control of the Northwest wholesale
and iobbing trade.
sccond-Ihat the canal WAS originated in
aug county a. local job or ''steaL"
HE hrst person To hat upon the idea of
eahaI between these lakes and the sea
was Gen. George h. Mcclellan. who made
personal survey 81 the ground in 1888.
aue recommended that the war depart
saeh' take the improvement in hand as one
.a'thded 20 create the finest naval resort
i sae world. Al that time the CONNER
IA Importance Of the work was not Ia be
.a'agsned. seattle ana King county had
40 ei'stence. Ia subsequent years other
si'ess were made at the instiCation at
Tesar department.. and ia 1850 Mr.. John
seehan contractor nov residing In Spo-
sahe, assisted bv an engineer named Dono-
ssa, were commissioned To submit esti-
yates. which they did and for which they
se paid. In 1888 the legislature Of the
.NtoFy Of Washington memoTialized
nagfess to take up At once and 10 prose
we sse RMS work. Iaat memorial Was as
'siows:
RE legislative assembly of " ashington terri,
~ tstsettUly rsarese9t. taai Lake " ashine-
~@ Is a nody q. fresh wAter. twSaiy miles 81
y 80 Ah length znd Of shout sn average width
s.ses saa ant-h half mll0s. aAd Cd an average
q. -. q Il. 81