Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-01-04

Spokane Is Said to Object, but as a Retail
iatory measure-W Not Let the Matte
Stand On Its True Merits. If Il Has Any7
EDITOR STANDARD:
1t seems from the daily reports o
the press, the Spokane delegation pro
poses 10 contest the million dollar ap
preparation that will be demanded b,
King county members attending the
coming session of the Legislature te
further the interests of Seattle land
lords, transportation companies, loca
manufacturing companies, Alasks
mining stock brokers, primarily-and
the public incidentally, but not other
wise-under the name OF the Alaska
Yukon, Pacific Exposition. The affair
OF mining stocks may be eliminated in
great measure, as the public are moi
as readily imposed upon in this respec,
as they used to be. Those other fca
lures will stand out in their usual az
gressiveness.
The pretense under which Spokane
is to make the fight is announced as
an effort to get back at the railway
companies for failing to give that city
reduced terminal rates from Eastern
points, which are as high as those
charged for transportation to the cities
located upon Puget Sound. It will be
claimed in addition. that such q large
expenditure from the State Treasury
will be very heavy tax levy for the
next few years; to which majority OF
the Representatives from the Eastern
portion Of the State will seriously ob.
ject. Maybe, when the time arrives.
these interests will get their work in,
and the big appropriation will 60
through. Then will come the gratis
in the furnishing the material to be
used in the construction of the expo.
sition buildings; rents for use of busi-
ness houses and residences will 60 sky
high, "All the traffic will bear" as
about four.fifths OF the mercantile and
laboring classes are renters in Seattle.
It is hard to understand how they are
to be benefited by the show? If it is
said the erection of these buildings will
give employment to home laborers,
how about strike in the ranks OF local
unionsf Non.union men may be EN-.
ployed to take their places; or if con.
tractors have to employ union labor,
they may, from motives Of spite, en-
ploy union members from the outside,
as tho great mine owner Daily did q
few years ago, in Montana. Anyway
you may consider the question 1t is plain
these tenants will be subjected TO COM
petition. There are business aud pro.
fessional men in Seattle who maintain
present rentals could not remain il il
were not for the prospects ahead |;
whether shadowy or founded upon
good reasons, they are there all the
same to the great advantage of the
landowners whom the King county
delegation is expected to serve in the
next Legislature. There will be more
merchants to do the business, and Of
fer higher rents to landlords. Some
of the land owners and high railroad
officers would have US believe, the vol.
ume Of business will only increase,
while the number OF laborers and mer.
chants will remain stationery. Such
sophistry is go gauzy it ought not to
deceive anybody, whether uttered by
big capitalists or railroad directors !;
but strange as it may seem; many Of
these renters will believe just what the
"big fellows" cay. who pick them as if
they were geese.
The people of the State may feel
kindly towards these combinations,
who in proportion to their holdings
pay much less taxes than the farmers
and owners of small homes, who do
not stand in with equalization boards
and tax commissions, and conclude we
will contribute to the rich men OF Sc.
attic aud railroads our taxes to help
them; but how about taking 80 much
money out of local business channels
which the exposition will draw to it
during its lifef The late Lewis and
Clark Exp position hurt the trade Of
many communities in Washington
and Oregon for a long time; though
the exhibits were creditable and had a
historic significance. But il is evident
the Seattle affair is coming too soon
in the wake of the Portland show; the
people ought to have little respite to
recompense themselves for loss OF
trade and expenditure of money in
attending the Portland affair.
These rich men and corporation Of
ficers assert such shows help the State,
but bow much nobody is able to say.
They simply make . guess; assert
what they cannot substantiate, but
know their assertions cannot be dis
proved; while their scheme is to get
their work in and make money, which
l think is the chief motive behind the
whole project.
II is expected our legislators may
consider the common good instead OF
subserving plutocratic interests and
projects. There is more behind out.