The Placer herald., 1871-03-04
HOW SUBSIDIES ARE VOTED.

press OF InlS St9te tuot wlsn " IsnoEc TIC
subsidy question, or favor subsidies, all base
their defense of such wicked policy on the
false and shallow prctensc that it is Demo-
cratic to let the people decide these questions
by popular vote. These men that thus write
and talk. though they may think otherwise,
are not Democrats, and are either ignorant
of the principles upon which the Government
was founded, or are controlled by less wor-
thy motives than the interests Of the great
masses Of our countrymcn and Of the party
If they are advocating these Governmental
and political heresies from motives Of gain or
personal ambition they should be anathema-
tizcd and driven from the ranks Of the party
at once; and if from want Of knowledge Of
the true theory of our Government and the
principles Of the party, they should at once
cease to be teachers and made pupils in the
great Democratic school. 1t is the duty of
ty teach it to protect the private property
Of all men, and to prohibit the enactment Of
laws by which one man or set of men may
vste away the property Of another for private
benefit. 1t is not easy to imagine the weak
ness Of brain or viciousness of heart that
would gainsay or protest against this most
equitable and sacred Of all principles. Vot-
ng subsidies is the vilest and most danger
Gus Of all systems Of robbery. We have a
vivid recollection Of how this robbery was
perpetrated OH the people Of this county, and
though we have not space here to give
history of the means used to effect that rob-
berry, will give an outline of how the thing
is done. The company was poor and penur-
ious when the fight was made here, but now
it is rich and commands its 800 900 900.
Before the time an election is to be held in
county, the Company will place three or
four engineering companies in the field with
numerous attendants, such as chain carriers,
Aag-bcarcr., bush cutters, pig drivers, etc.
These squads will run lines through all the
main settled portions Of the county, each
telling the people that theirs is to be the
approved or adopted line. Following these
will come parties, instructed agents of the
Company, who will seek out all the inhuen-
tial property owners and tcu them, secretly,
that their place is the selected point for
station or town.itc. and if the subsidy is vot-
ed their fortunes are made; to others they
will promise rich contracts. bossing Of men
at high wages, positions on the road as con-
ductors, engineers, brakesmcn, switch-tend-
ers, ticket agents, freight agents. the board
ing Of the vast hordcs of men while the road
is being built and section hands ever after
wards. saloon stations, and every other con-
ceivable position that each one would be
most likely to desire. On each one of these
dupes they will enjoin secresy, saying to
each, this is sure, you shall not be deceived,
but just keep ii to yourself till after the
election because others might get angry or
jealous. To others they will pay money,
direct, and the loafer will have free board
and the sot free whisky. If this does not
make the election sure, they will establish
rendezvouses in the county and send Barbary
Coasters and other wretches of like charac-
ter in swarms. and keep them there long
enough to register and vote. If all this
should be likely to fail on the closing of the
polls they will not sc:uple to bribe the elcc-
ten officers and stuff the ballot-box at once,
as they are charged of doing in San Fran
cisco. All this will be done on each of the
surveyed routes. This is only an outline of
what was done here and what would be i'm
proved on to tho extent # the increased
means and experience Of the Company in any
subsidy election. Who that claims to be a
Democrat or an honest man can advocate a
policy or Legislation that would naugurate
such villiany and barefaced robbery of the
property owners Of any county in the State
If there be such, and it seems there are, we
ask them, in the name Of dccency and hon
esty, to recant, retract and reform, or never
again to claim to DO ID mocrats or honest
men. The bills that Governor lIaight We
toed at the last session Of the legislature,
provided in every particular for this very
robbery that We have above described.
When amendments were offered requiring
the Company to define the line Of its road
through counties; to prevent Chinese from
being employed on the road, to be paid out
Of the taxes of white property owners; to
prevent persons from voting at such elections
who were not voters in tho particular county
at the time Of the passage Of the bills, the
Legislative tools of the Company voted them
all down. But Governor Haight vetoed,
squclchcd, throttled and stranglcd these vile
schemes and he was sustained by fourteen