Weekly Trinity journal., 1874-03-07
FROM THE CAPITAL.
SPECIAL TO THE TRINITY J0uRNAl." :"
SACRAMENTO, March, 4, 1874.

puUllcan form OF government, IL Will be
in order to enquire how far the bill, re-
cent Senate bill, interferes with it which
makes it a misdemeanor for any news
paper to publish accounts of public exc
cutions of criminals. The moral effect is
doubtless bad and may form an excuse
for the proposed legislation, but whether
that is not a blow at a fundamental right
looking 10 a censorship of the press, may
well be considered. As a companion to
this bill is one in the same house abolish
ing the rope and substituting chloroform
to produce death upon criminals. Seri-
ously, it is an unsettled issue whether it
is the fact Of death, or the manner Of
death, in which The ignominy lies. This
is so pregnant with argument and thought
for even the imaginative mind that to
suggest it is enough for me to say about it,
TOPICS OF INTEREST.
The main topic Of interest has been the
proceedings before Senate Committee
ON Corporations. The Investigations have
clearly developed the fact that the Free
man bill would shut up all the small
lines Of railroads. That from Marysvilc
to OrovIIie would have to close at once
on pa age o. the bill. Donahue's steam
boat and railroad line from San Francis
co t. Cioyerdale would become losing
property and all the branch lines of the
Central Pacific railroad would be forced
to shut down or run only an occasional
line. The evidence adduced leading up
to this conclusion is very voluminous,
and could not be even here digested, but
may be stated to be II showing, that for
short distances the bill gives high rates,
and decreases them as the line extends in
such a ratio as to almost run out to moth
ing after while. 1t makes no di-tin-
guishment between products Of the coun-
try and other goods. The roads now take
out into the country merchandise, ETC., at
payiag rates, but bring in produce at
very low and improbable rates, rather
than come back with empty cars, and to
encourage the trade Of the producer.
Again average passenger rate are now
proven to be 3.S3 cents per miIc-a rate
none can complain of, while the Free.
man bill raises rates on the central travel
lines Of the State where is greatest traV-
ell, in order to make low rates for long
distances. The average freight rate is
1866 per ton per mile, while the average
under the Freeman bill will be 10 Of a
cent or seven mills. Thus, under the
present law the highest allowable charge
is 10 cents per ton per mile, and the low
est rates charged is 1Hccnts, producing
the average of 1866. The Freeman bill
maximum allowable is 8 cents, and this
produces the average Of mills. 1t was
proven it would ruin any road to run on
that average, that our maximum rate is
now lower than in any State in the I'm
ion, that certain luXuries will bear tie
maximum, and also that difficult sections
of the road demand it; that the low rates
are always those given to the producer,
and thai under others the produce would
not be moved, and it must never be in
cluded in an arbitrary system Of rates.
No case Of discrimination has been prov
en-, no case Of eXtortion set up. Night
after night the railroad officers of various
lines have been before the committee,
ready to be cross-eXamined, and calling
for any charges or proofs Of dlscrimina-
ton, and none have been made. One
man only complained he contracted with
an agent to carry hay at 81 so per ton
for 10 miles and that on the last half Of
the lot the agent went back on him, and
charged full rates, which was answered
by the evident fact that the agent ex-
ceedcd his powers. Rates charged on po-
tatoes in April and November, 1873,
proved for given distance on branch
road to be doubled in November over
those in April. The reply was that the
new tariff rates were made in June max
ing n rate to compel the branch road to
pay its running expenses, and the pota
toes had to suffer, as did all others. Last
ly, DR.. Martin, of Placer, said about the
time Placer beat the c. p. Il. Il. in its
lawsuit rates were raised in Placer, and
he wanted to know if it was done for
spite. The reply was that the readjust-
ment Of rates takes place every year about
May or June, that the lawsuit was no ell
ement therein and that the entire receipts
on the Nevada and Placer county divi
sions do not yet pay the expenses Of run
ming the road therein, The committee
will | believe unanimously report against
the bill.
The bribery investigation drags its
slow length along. Jimenez denied that
he sought to bribe Escandon. Murray,
a politician, says he offered $3.50 to AS
sembiyman Murphy to vote for Ilagcr,
and Murphy says the offer was made,
Murray says Hager's managers, Wand
and Bullock, authorizing him to make
the offer to bribe. Wand and Bullock in
advance of him have denied this. SO the
matter rests. The committee meets again
to-day, and | may be able to add further
facts before | close this letter.
FURTHER LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.
The effort to abolish capital punish
ment has met with its death blow in the
Senate. Its champion, Senator Finney,
fought valiantly for the measure, but it
was no use
In the Senate LANES Military bill
has been ordered engrossed by vote Of
20 to II. 1t will, if passed, virtually abol-
ish the militia system of the State
I ainn's ar0uonnt on,ountod einnnlr 10