The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-03-29

81 have spoken in my weak way
of what might make a landholdel
unwilling to have his air used as
a highway; but he doesn't have tt
give a reason-he can show hi!
deed, and tell the whole world t.
go to-to the captains office anC
settle. Your Honors, adjure you
to cling to your unbroken prece
dents, and uphold property, OF
which society is based. To say
that we do not own these strips
of land, but only rights in the air
is foolishness of the damphes
sort. The landowner may sell the
surface and keep the minerals; OIL
sell the mineral rights down t.
China, and keep the surface. Oul
grantors owned and sold these
rights to us. 1t is slanderous tt
say that We have hornswoggled-
to coin a phrase-the farmers by
promising cheap nitrates by the
Craighead method. 1t is my inten
ton to take few moments some
day to perfect the Craigheat
method, and begin to extract nj
trogen-but that is another mar
rative. The point is that we've
got those rights. We have what
nobody ever had before-the
proof that defendants pass ovel
our lands. because they have to
Nobody else ever had lands hem.
ming in everybody. We have. This
makes our proof simply pie; and
we call upon you to protect us, il
the name of the law of landown
ership, on which every government
in all the world is founded.
"They say We seek to enslave
travellers. This absurdity apple!
as forcibly to surface rights oil
mines. If the traveller can't pa!
our scale, let him go by public
highways, or by boat or rail--ol
stay at home; just as the man who
wants " use idhu anu has uOue
may pay rent or get off the earth
We may do as We will with oul
own space: allow it to be used, oil
hold it for speculation. We an
ticipate that rights to air-naviga
ton will become more and more
valuable. We expect to charge
whatever the situation makes pos
sible. This is as moral as in
creasing rent for lands. We shall
grant licenses or not, as we please
We may demand title to all pat
ents on airship inventions befor,
allowing them to be used, thu
applying the rules you and you
predecessors have so wisely lait
down, He who owns land, owns t,
the sky!' How beautiful tn,
principle; What a stimulus to en-
terprise 1t offers-in cornerin,
space! How it serves the benefit
cent designs of Providence an,
the common law, that those ii
whose hands this planet has beef
placed by Omniscience, may bull,
up those aristocracies of intellec
and morals and power, that tn,
possession of lands always fosters
A decision against us would sub
ject all of us to in. parchment. B,
getting hold OF these rights first
we have proved that we are of tn,
elect. And the children and tn,
children children of the rest O
mankind will have the priceless
privilege of navigating the al
granted to them by our children
and our children's children-ol
proper terms, your Honors, OF
proper terms, to be fixed by tn,
owner. Our getting of thes,
rights may be horse ON Mr.
Shayne; but the rules of the gam,
and what game it is, you
Honors! give us the pot. TIL,
costs constitute the kitty. Thos,
who are on the inside, but not O
us elect. are the boosters. The pc
liceman and public officer is tn,
lookout. And whenever anyon,
starts to beat the owners of tn,
layout-the land-you'd better
copper his bet and play him t,
lose. ] have made a speciality O
these things"
Justice McFadden tapped on tn,
desk. and Craighead paused.
Your language. Mr.. Craig
head" said he, sis unusual
though your points seem wei
taken"
you're on" calculated Craig
head, you're on! In fact, to speal
dramatically, You're on, your
Honor, you're lonest.'l"
A bailiff interrupted by hand
ing note to the astonished
court.
"Mr. Craighead," said Justice
McFadden, at is suggested that
you are not licensed practitioner
at this bar; or at any other. This
Extraordinary address of yours
leads the court to doubt. What
is the fact /"
"Your Honor" said Craighead
II have cast before this court
aome naar1a of foransfc ART In fuI'