Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-02
A POPULISTIC Meeting
Road Convention CryStaIIizeS Into q
POpuliSt Love Feast
GOLD BONDS CONDEMNED
The Sage of Ten Mile" and the "Rev-
ellie" Editor-A Pleasant but In
effective Gathering

Yesterday was the day set apart for a
meeting Of the citizens of the county to
consider the matter of roads, and road
building In Whatcom county.
J. Hannum Jones, the energetic cdi-
tor Of the Nooksack Reporter, had in
terested himself and his paper in the
meeting, aud to him belongs the credit
Of making an attempt TO interest the
whole people in this important suhject.
But it Ia doubtful, il Mr.. Jones had
anticipated the turn the meeting took,
that he would have devotsd his time
and his energy TO the project, since
while the meeting Of the morning aug
ured all right, for good work and har-
monious action on the part of the con-
vention, its opportunity for good was
mullified by the action of a populist i'm
endeavoring to introduce his party
politics into the meeting, by Offering a
purely populistic amendment to IA reso-
luton which had for its sole object, ap.
parently, the airing Of the populistic
view on the financial question.
The convention was not largely at
tended, and it was II o'clock, although
the meeting had Teen called for an
hour earlier, before it got down 10
work. Il. G.. Gray, of Samish, was
elected chairman, and J. Hannum
jones' of NOoksack citv, was chosen
secretary. Mr.. Jones briefly and clearly
the object of the meeting.
and in eloquent language he outlined
his theory regarding the development
and extension of Whatcom county
roads, and he claimed that the county
was 81 100000 loser by reason Of the
failure to have suitable roads reaching
the farming centres of the county and
the industrial centres Of the interior.
Chairman Gillette of the board Of
county commissioners being called
upon, spoke briefly. He thought there
was no good reason why the roads ofthe
county should not be improved and ex-
tended in every township. lie favored
bonding the county for this purpO e ia
the absence of "A more satisfactory per-
Of the law. The commissioners
were in favor of extending roads
throughout the country, but they could !
not force their opinions upon the farm |
ers; the latter should cooperate with |
the board. Mr.. Gillette gave his inter |
pretation of the road law concisely and !
comprehensively, and he offered some !
excellent suggestions in regard TO |
which ought TO be made |
by the next Legislature. He thought
the county could have 100 miles ofl
roads built for $2O00O0.
Mr.. Gillette was subjected to a cross
fire of finterrogations, which he answer
ed clearly aud succinctly.
$. ID. II inhart, of Ten Mile, was
opposed to the bonding pro-
position, and he made regular popul-
istic speech against any additional
bonded Indebtedness. He favored al
lowing each property holder to build
his own roads, aud then he conld he
repaid by charging each man toll who
used the road.
Speeches were made by II. T.. Helms,
of Fairhaven, and others, and when
the tide Of eloquence had subsidized
little, Secretary Jones introduced the
following resolution, the consideration
of which was laid over until the CON
ventlon reassembled at O'Clock:
Resolved, that 1t is the sense of the con-
yenliOn that the county commissioners
should proceed at once to lay out trunk
lines, and build them to the extent Of
their full ability under the law.
When the meeting rea>sembled, w.
ID. Jenkins submitted the following
Provided, that the issu-
ance of bonds payable in gold coin is
not contemplated in this resolution.
:. -. Reinhart again spoke. He had
had an experience in ascertaining what
the law Is. He was against bonds, first,
last and all the time, and IL was his
that there was scheme in
most Of the legislation, so far as II ap-
piled to Whatcom county. The com
did not know or care here
tofore whether they violated the law
or not. The commissioners mightspend
every dollar available and not get a
mile from town.
Mr.. Jones explained that the whole
relating to these bonds was
in the hands Of the people. If they
didn't want bonds they could say so.
Mr.. Reinhart remarked that was all
right, If it could be carried out, and
Mr.. Jones read the section Of law per-
tanning to bonding. Then Mr.. Rein
hart wanted TO know the location of
the proposed roads, and Mr.. Jones stat
ed that the commissioners would be
compelled to follow the law in the mat
ter.
Some one wanted the road law read
at this juncture, but the meeting con-
cluded by an unmistakable negative
that they didn't have time for II just
then.
Then f. III. Adams, of the Reveile,
asked what kind Of a meeting this was
anyway. Was IL Populist, Democratic
or Republican? Mr.. Gillette had told
them that according TO the opinion Of
Messrs. Newman aud Howard the
county could not be bonded before
1894, although he did not agree with
Mr.. Gillette that they should trust TO
future legislation to bond the county.
Mr.. Adams made vigorous speech de-
nouncing the introduction Of party