Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-09-04

Costly Experience.
phably nothing that IA, yer hap
p'r~t in our local history mas created
a d per telling OF regret and dlsap.
pplltment than the apparently veri-
fred -"port published hy the Rcordrr
Saturday, that Mr.. Schmidt, President
oi TIE Olympia Brewing Co., and prin-
C.p.. owner Vi the famous brewery at
Tumwater, had made up his mind not
only to abandon work Or an extension
OF the plant that was to have cost
TiJO,OOO, but that he would remove
his head Office to Portland, and there
establish the business that lie had con
templated developing here, and de-
crease the output mere to barely
local supply for the cities OF the Sound
1t may be a trait OF human nature
to under-rate the value OF what costs
nothing, or rather, may it be said, OF
failing to appreciate the benefits to be
derived from voluntary enterprises,
established without asking a subsidy
III proportion 10 the value conferred
upon the community. And this spirit
OF apathy may have extended so far as
to tolerate unfriendly criticism if not
to throw obstacles in the way OF those
who have done much towards de-
yeloping the resources OF our growing
State. These same sleepy-heads may
awaken from their torpor occasionally,
and adopt resolutions inviting capital
to come and invest in land of great
promise, Gf, sometimes, of slow per-
formance) in the hope that someway
it may advance their own prospects
easily, and with little cost of effort or
money; but to make any effort to fos-
ter or defend those who have invested
capital here, seems to be the last con-
ception of the duty of citizenship. As
expressed by member of the Cham.
Der OF Commerce, Monday night, peo-
pie have appeared to think that Mr..
Schmidt was fully able to take care of
himself, and did not need, because he
did not ask, the aid of others. This,
it will be observed, however, is only
true in part. No man, no matter how
wealthy he may be, is entirely indie
pendent of his fellow.man. His
wealth gives him power and enables
him to surmount many difficulties,
but it does not afford all the gratifica-
ton that makes life worth living.
Wealth supplies food and clothes, but
not that glow OF warmth to the heart
which attends performance OF life's
duties, in an exalted sphere, which is
due to the plaudits OF public approval.
That is what man Graves from his fel.
low man and for the attainment of
which wealth is only an aid.
The Recorders charge that Mr.
Schmidt had given as a reason for
his contemplated removal, unfriendly
treatment of city and county officers,
and indeed from the public, through
their Chamber OF Commerce, is far too
sweeping, and we prefer attributing it
to the zeal of the paper in establishing
its cause. than to any language OF Mr..
Schmidt that would bear that inter.
probation. The Chamber, at the last
meeting, took steps to vindicate itself,
and it was shown that if any fault at
taches, it may be attributed to uuin.
territorial omission OF duty, and by no
means to any act that might be con-
strued into wilful, neglect or the
slightest feeling of hostility to the
enterprise or its public-spirited pro.
jector. A committee was appointed to
makethis matter plain to that gentle
man.
The statement that he had been i'll.
treated by the municipality, has deep
er ground; and while the "explana.
ton" of the Mayor somewhat smoothes
down the sharp points OF . long con.
troversy, eliminating in placing span
over the waterway, (which Mr.. Schmidt
claims is wholly inadequate for his
business, and which the disaster to his
first scow-lood of material intended
for the brewery annex, amply proves.
Mr.. Lord cannot successfully enter
the plea that nothing was asked from
the city by the brewing company, for
if there ever has been a more persistent
or earnest demand made by any inter-
est than by it, through their attorney,
for removal of distractions to water
communication, We have failed to
note it. No less than half q dozen
demands have been made by Mr.. Is.
rael, the attorney in the case, and no.
body will concede that he ever fails to
make himself understood on any given
proposition.
The fact is, the city was up against
very difficult proposition. 1t could
not build according to the plans of the
department at Washington, from ina
bility to raise the funds by any legal
means for providing revenue. The only
course left was to ask for time from
the government, and compromise on
some cheap plan with the interests Of.
fected. In the delay incident to this
there may be legitimate cause for
blame, but we do not for q momen,
think that the city intended TO do q
wrong, nor did it anticipate the effec,
vacillating policy would have upon
q man OF Mr.. Schmidt's mercuria
temperament.