Year: 1876

Things Of Pubiic Interest.


For the PUGET SOUND WEEKLY ARGUs'l


When father sits down in the
parlor of his own house, surrounded
with his family, and blessed with all
the necessaries and comforts of life,
he and his, very fifty represent a
community that is organized and
governed by wholesome laws, and
influenced by such principles of en-
terprise as conduce mostly to its
health, prosperity and the general
good of its citizens. For as kind
hearted parent builds his house and
furnishes it with view to the com
fort Of himself and family, and regu-
lates and controls his domestic mat
ters SO as to secure and maintain this
end, and in addition educates his
children that they may be blessing
to themselves and an honor to society,
and in no way would think of intro
ducing into that home circle evil and
degrading or demoralizing princi
pies, SO the members of a rightfully
organized community will ever seek
to be actuated that comfort, happi
ness and prosperity may be enjoyed
by the whole; and no man can hon
estly, morally and legitimately,nor
will he pursue any business that vio
lates any principle that he would not
appreciate in his family relation. And
as some pursuits are not promotive
of the general good of society, but
are mere selfish efforts to secure
wealth, such enterprises ought not
be tolerated or patronized. Public
interests are best advanced by up
holding only such enterprises as are
morally legitimate. 1t follaws, there
fore, If our mode of reasoning be
correct, that as a parent would in no
wise teach his child to pursue gam
bling, or become a habitual drinker,
owing to its evil results, he cannot
without being guilty of a moral and
physical crime, follow these pursuits
to the injury of his neighbor or neigh
boris children.


But changing the subject abruptly,
l would call attention to another i'm
portant interest Of our country, viz:
The necessity Of better roads and
more of them. We have a great
deal of excellent uncultivated land
lying within few miles Of Port
Townsend, Port Ludlow and Port
Discovery, much of which would
soon be under cultivation, and there
by enlarging trade, were there only
roads so that produce could be car
ried by wagon and stock driven by
land. The want of good roads pre-
vents the occupancy of those lands.
A few hundred dollars judiciously
expended in this work would encour-
age settlements, and would soon
bring permanent return of thou
sands in the way of taxes and trade.
But as it is the agricultural interests
Of our country are greatly retarded.
Were they properly encouraged in
this matter, settlements would spring
up in every direction. Good schools
would be Instituted in localities
where the few settlers (now isolated
from society stand in great need of
them.


A good mill for grinding grain and
making -four, established somewhere
in central part of the county, would
add much to the general good of the
public. At the present all our -four
and much of our feed is imported
from distance. Vast sums are thus
annually paid that go to enrich 9TH
er places while our own is impover-
ished. A moments reflection will
convince the most sk9ptical of the
great advantages that would accrue
in having a good mill in the county.
1t would not only be a profitable in-
vestment to its owner, but it would
encourage the production of grain,
promote stock-raising, stimulate ag-
ricultural matters generally, and en-
hance the value of land. It is an
acknowledged fact on the part OF the
mostintelligent economists and finan-
ciers, that there is no sure financial
or commercial permanency to any
country without agriculture; that it
is the life-blood and bone and sinew
of a nations wealth and strength. If
true of nation, it can be mono the
less of great utility to individual
communities. We might extend our
remarks upon these and other topics
of public interests but space forbids.


a CITIZEN.


Port Discovery, Jan. Is, 1876.