The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-03
SPOKANE LOYAL
A Citizen Protests Against the Assump-
tfon That Ii IL Disorderly.

A Citizen Protests A gafnst the Assump-
tion That 1t IL Disorderly.
SEATTLE. Aug. /, 1894.
To THE EpTroR: l am citizen of Spo-
kane, and have been such for the past four
years. By . stroke of good fortune I am
temporarily in Seattle as one OF the build
ers of the state university. In your paper
of July 81 read most emarkable decision
by United States District Judge Hanford.
in which be breaches Spokane q misfit
sermon.
To say that ! was indignant at seeing
my home city thus roughly handled, is
putting the case very mildly. We are all
citizens of 8 growing. prosperous COM
monwealth. and the great majority of our
people are certainly law-abiding and
patriotic Americans. We believe in the in
stitutions of our country: We believe In
the laws of the country and their proper
and judicious enforcement; but / cannot
bring myself TO believe that many citizens
of this state or city will justify mis-
representatio of any other city within
the boundaries of our state. even though
they come from the lips of one
who occupies high judicial
DO sition. Is 1t possible that Judge Han
ford is willing 10 blacken the name of the
home of thousands of high mi nded, patri-
otto citiZsns because there linger in the
same community few irresponsible
cranks7 1t Is true that Spokane has a
PopulIst MAYOR but il the Lord will for
give US this time we will never have an
other one.
Let me call his bonor's attention to
few facts he has overlooked. The day
after the mob had deraiied the engines in
the Northern Pacific yards 400 citizens
volunteered their services, and were sworn
in by the sheriff as deputies to serve the
state. or the United States, as the case
might be, without pay. This body of men
included the leading business men of Spo-
kane aud members of both the city and
county government exclusive OF the Pop
ulist mayorl.
Again, when the militia was tied up at
Eliensburg during the recent strike Judge
Hanford authorized Gen. Curry to call for
volunteers from the militia to run the
trains to Woodland. Out of the 500 men
seven volunteered, and out of these seven
tour were from Spokane, although there
were only about eighty-fye men from
Spokane. Does this show q small proper
tion Of loyalty among Spokane menf
nave tAfSG Ata AAesiAf NAl4ca u the w est.
and / can cheerfuily testify that Spokane
is one of the most peaceful. progressive,
law-abiding cities OF the West Everyone
knows that the Western cities have a
large element Of riffraf or lawless peopls
(note Chieago) but Spokane is not ex-
ceptlonally infested. and for one | most
earnestly protest against this unjust at
tack on Spokane.
One more word. Judge HAnford asserts
that there is no new blood coming into
Spokane. implying that cur city is not
growing. This is not the case. Spo-
kane has felt the oppression Of hard
times ike al other cities, bat the city is
now fairly prosperous and is making
progress and advancement worthy Of her
welt-knoxn reputation Tor push and vigor
Spokane At the present time is making
more public Improvements than any other
city in the state OF Washington.
II. c. AsHKSFELrER