‘Bought for Hard Gold Coin’: The Railroad Bill Dies in Olympia

The Helm railroad bill, a measure calculated to give relief to the farmers and producers of Washington through a fair reduction of the enormous freight charges, passed almost unanimously through the house, but was killed last Wednesday by that corporation body of railroad hirelings known as the state senate. The grinding extortions of the railroad companies have crushed the very life out of the farmers of Eastern Washington, and they have biennially asked for relief at the hands of the state legislature. Two years ago a rate reduction bill was passed but was vetoed by the Republican acting governor, Leighton. This year the bill was killed by the Republican state senate. The notorious and corrupt methods resorted to by the railroad lobby at Olympia this winter have been conspicuous for their boldness. Members have been bought for hard gold coin and but little secrecy has been observed in making the purchases.

The Spokane Times condemned the two Republican senators from Spokane, Ide and Van Houten, who voted against the bill. “In voting against the proposition for lower freight rates for our overburdened producers,” the Times said, “Senators Ide and Van Houten have voted against the interests of the people and in favor of their oppressors.” The paper warned that the defeat “will lose thousands of votes to the Republican ticket in this state.”

The Spokane Chronicle declared that the defeat “does not settle the controversy. It only aggravates and intensifies the question. Something must be done to relieve the people from the burdens of high freight rates. The people can not pay the rates now demanded by the railroad companies. After paying these charges there is nothing left to the producer.” The Chronicle noted that wheat in Eastern Washington could not be produced for less than 40 cents a bushel, yet the price had ranged from 15 to 27 cents, meaning it was grown at an actual loss.

There is now no possible hope of relief until the session of ’97. In the meantime the corporations will continue to sap the life blood from the farmers of this state, and the suffering people must patiently endure the folly of their mistake made at the polls last November. It is indeed gratifying to know that the Populist members remained true to their platform pledges and voted solidly for the Helm bill.