The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-06
the reopie Against the Railway
Monopolics-The Opening OF tho Con-
test I'm CALIFORNIA;.

|
| The returns, so far received, of the results
of the California election of Wednesday last
State and municipal, indicate decisive and
important victory for the peoples party over
the Central Pacific Railroad monopoly The
main contest was for the Legislature, upon
which will fall the election Of United States
Senator, in place of Eugene Casserly, dem
ocrat, whose term expires March 8, 1875. Mr.
Casserly, having proclaimed himself, in un-
mistakable terms, hostile to the continuance
of the intolerable railway despotism which
has been established over California, may be
dorsement for reelection, although it
is probable that the democratic party
has not secured majority of the Legis-
lature; for there were three parties in
the late election-the republicans, the
democrats and the independent anti-railroad
party. The two old parties in the canvass
were so inexplicably mixed up in the manipu-
lations of the railroad ring that neither can
claim fairly to represent in the Legislature
the independent anti-railroad movement. But
| while the democrats in San Francisco were
demoralized and divided by the intrigues Of
the Central Pacific Ring the republicans
throughout the State were much more seriously
cut up and subjugated by the same powerful
monopoly.
The San Francisco Morning Cal, republi-
can journal, admits that the general results of
the election are in favor of the democrats in
its declarations that the Central Pacific is bit
terly opposed to Casserly; that he stood firm
as o rock against the encroachments of STAN
ford & Co. in the Goat Island controversy,
and that, with view to his defeat and the
election Of o United States Senator in the
interests of the monopoly the Democratic
Legislative Convention (of San Francisco)
was purchased that the democracy, never
theless, and the best citizens Of the State OF
other parties favor Casserly; that Governor
Booth (anti-railroad republican, has an un-
derstanding with Casserly that, in spite of
the support of the administration Stanford is
in minority, and that Casserly and Booth
have the game in their own hands. From
these admissions we infer that throughout the
State the republican party, as representing the
national administration on the Central Pacific
Railroad monopoly, has suffered significant
defeat, and that the democratic party, through
Casserly, its representative in this contest
will probably secure the substantial fruits of
the victory in his reelection to the Senate.
The democratic journals are already begin
ming to sing their songs OF triumph over the
the apparent general result in California as a
party victory, foreshadowing o democratic res
toration; but this election, turning upon the
issue raised by the people outside the demo-
cratic and republican organizations, has far
broader and deeper meaning than o demo-
cratic success. It means that the people,
looking to their Immediate interests are
beginning to think and act for themselves;
that they are thus liberating themselves from
their old party leading strings, and that,
against wealthy and corrupting corporations,
| and against ''the cohesive power of the pub
lie plumber, they are entering bravely upon a
new departure. The general result OF this
California election means directly the subju-
CATION of the Central Pacific Railroad mo-
nopoly and, indirectly, the reduction of all
the railroads Of the Union to governmental
system of freights and fares, which will bind
them against future extortions and rapacious
raids upon the public, in any shape or form.
In this late active California canvass of the
people against the Central Pacific oligarchy
we have the opening of o contest which, we
apprehend, will rapidly be magnifed into
general movement for the regulation by Con-
gress of our commerce among the several
States and with the Indian tribes" in a gen.
eral law regulating the freight and passenger
charges of all our railroads.
This journal for several years past has from
time to time urged upon the American people
the approach of this inevitable and irrepressi-
BILE conflict and their only course for redress
against these grasping and INSCRIPTIONS rail-
way corporations and unholy alliances. We
have seen how State legislatures have been and
can be bought and sold; we have shown that if
these law-making bodies Of the several States
could be composed of the wisest and purest
representatives of the popular will attainable
there can be no effective or consistent action
among them in their legislation upon rail-
roads, and we have commended from the begin
ming of this controversy that the only way of
public relief lies through the election of
Congress, with instructions directly from the
people in reference to the remedies they need
for their future protection and security against
oppressive railway extortions, frauds and false
pretences. We are, therefore, greatly graft
fed with the issue directly raised by the new
anti-railroad party in California and with the
general result as reported; for with the re-
election of Mr.. Casserly or the return of any
other outspoken adversary of the Central Pa
ciAc Ring to the United States Senate we shall
have the war between the people and their
railway kings formally carried into Congress.
From this beginning we cannot doubt we
shall have the battle extended along the whole