Banker Bellinger's Revolt: The Railroad Bill and a Wheat Farmer's Wrath

The Garfield Enterprise, one of the brightest and best papers in the Palouse country, under the caption of 'Foolish Politics,' reads some of the Republicans of that section a severe lecture on their proposition of leaving the party because the legislature failed to pass all the laws they think it should have passed. The Enterprise especially hauls Banker Bellinger, of Colfax, over the coals in the following language:

'Mr. Bellinger in particular has converted himself into a geyser of venom and vituperation directed against the Republican legislators of the state of Washington, and talks of starting another political party that shall be free from corporation contamination. It is all twaddle to come from a man of Mr. Bellinger's reputation for sound sense.'

In the same issue of the Enterprise from which the foregoing is taken the Olympian finds another item in relation to Bellinger which has a tendency to throw a ray of light upon the real cause of that banker and broker's wrath. It reads as follows:

'The Farmers' Warehouse Company has negotiated the sale of 34,000 bushels of wheat this week belonging to J. H. Bellinger, at 32 1/2 cents, f.o.b. The wheat was stored at Garfield, Elberton, Belmont, [Genesee?], Kirkland and other points, and Manager J. C. Lawrence has been very busy superintending its shipment. The price is the highest yet paid for last year's crop.'

The passage of the railroad bill would have meant a very snug little sum to Bellinger. Three cents a bushel paid in freight rates would have lined his fat pockets with over a thousand dollars in white metal money, but the Olympian cannot see where it would have put any extra dollars in the pockets of the farmers who raised the crop—this year at least. We freely admit that this is no reason why the relief asked should not have been granted, for it has nothing to do with the merits of the bill, but it clearly shows where the skin is off Brother Bellinger's nose, and why he is taking such an interest all at once in the cause of the Palouse farmer. Bellinger may howl, but when he gets over feeling ugly about the loss of that money, he will very likely conclude that the Republican party can get along without him very much more handily than he can get along without the Republican party.