Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-06-07
POLITICS AND RAILROADS.

all Others, IhePress, as the great lead
er in'political affairs, has already ononed
the campaign. The Railroad Question,
IN It's local political bearings. is sought to
be made the predominant if not the only
Issue. Now, while we would not deory
/ the importance Of certain proposed and
necessary legislation in reference to rail-
road matters-sueh as the regulation of
fares and freights, GIVE cannot in
dorse the policy which would make II
mans expressed opinions on the Railroad
Question his only recommendation to
public favor. Two years ago the voters
Of California expressed themselves most
emphatically in opposition to railroad
subsidies and demanded, in terms which
could not be misunderstood, the immedi-
ate and unconditional repeal of what was
known as the Five per cent. Act" 1t
was then that, under just such code as
is now advised, men we're sent to the Leg
islature, supposed to be securely and ir-
reyocably bound by anti-railroad pledges,
and there totally disregarded the wishes
Of their constituents, and trampled upon
their platform, their party and their per-
sonal pledges on the railroad question:
And such will be the case this year if
candidates are measured by the same
standard.
Whenever, in political canvass, any
one issue is made to stand head and
shoulders above all others, then it is that
unreliable and designing men-politician
who are willing to promise anything
ride into Office upon the excitement and
enthusiasm created by magnifying one
idea, or one principle if you will, to the
exclusion Of all others. There are many
persons, more, perhaps, than is generally
supposed, who will do anything for office,
and when in office will do anything to
make money out Of it, knowing full well
that their poor abilities will not recon-
mend them for reelection, and therefore
they must make hay while the sun
shines" This is the class of men from
whom we must choose, if we insist upon
tying them down with long string Of
pledges of any sort. Honest, intelligent,
upright men will not suffer themselves to
be so hampered Men who cannot be
trusted without promises are not fit ma
terial for legislators.
The way we understand it is proposed
to present this railroad question is this
A candidate must promise, declare and
say " that under no circumstances or for
any purpose whatever, will he directly or
indirectly speak, vote or in any other
manner aid or assist in passing any meas
ure through the Legislature, which will
in any way inure to the benefit of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company'-
whether he thinks it right or thinks it
wrong. Any individual, no matter
what his capablity, honesty or integ-
rity or anything else may be, who will
subscribe to this iron-clad declaration
Of "war to the knife and the knife to the
hilt," is to be considered fit person to
represent an intelligent constituency,
and make laws for the government Of this
great and growing commonwealth. But
a man who is sincere enough to proclaim
that although be believes the railroad
company is monopoly and needs regu-
lating, that he still thinks it has some
rights which the people should respect,
is to be at once tabooed and published
far and wide as railway creature"
and one Of Stanford's hirelings."
Now, we are one Of those peculiar indi-
viduals who are insane enough to believe
that the trans-continental railroad is one
of the greatest works Of the age in which
we live, and further, that the Central
Pacific Railroad has been of incalculable
benefit to the State of California, and we
are not yet prepared to burn its work
shops and warehouses, nor yet to tear up
its rails and throw them into the sea-
We can remember when trip from
Weavcrvile to San Francisco was about
three days travel and accomplished only
by enduring hardship and at a considcra-
Bile expense. Now, thanks to Stanford
81 Co., we can make the same trip in one
half the time, at less than two-thirds the
cost, and it is a pleasure excursion COM
pared with the old way. Freight which
formerly came to Red Bluff by boat is
now delivered at Reddlng by rail thirty
three miles nearer this place at cost of
about one-half the charges of the old CAL
ifornia Steam Navigation Company. In
stead Of having to wait two weeks and
frequently month, or more, for freight
to arrive from San Francisco, we now re-
ceive it in from five to eight days-seldom
so long as the last named period.
For these reasons, and many others
which we might enumeratc, we are fore
ed to believe that this radical railroad
opposition is a great smoke emanating
from a very small fire. We do not be-
lieve in the Central Pacific Company, OF
any other corporation or association, con
trolling the voters of this State or the ac-
ton Of our Legislature, nor would VIC
knowingly lend our aid, however feeble
it might be, to such scheme. All cor
poratons will bear careful watching, and
we would make no exception of the Cen.
trail Pacific, If they discriminate unjust.
ly against persons or places if they
charge prices for fare or freight, incon
sistent with fair profit on the amount
actually invested after necessary expen
ses are paid if they refuse to pay thei
taxes justly and legally due or if the,