Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-02-23
Over Sensitive.

To an intimation that there might
possibly be more "make believe'' than
determination to do, on the part of the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company
in pushing through the San Fernando
tunnel, Superintendent HEWITT re-
spends with card in which he takes
the ground that the company's right
of way agent, Judge UNDERHILL,
having received instructions to secure
the San Fernando right of way imme-
diately, should be accepted as evidence
of the company's good faith and of
their intention to complete the tunnel
and build the road as soon az possible.
This position is correct to the extent
that it proves the company desire the
right of way, and it is an indication
that they intend to tunnel the hill and
build the road. But it is only pre-
sumptive-not positive-evidence that
they propose to complete the work as
soon as possible. The HERALD is dis
posed to feel kindly toward the South
ern Pacific Company-certainly it will
deal fairly with them-but they should
not feel too sensitive over slight mani
festations of distrust on the part of the
citizens of this city and valley. The
people have not forgotten that for and
in consideration of certain bundle of
bonds to them paid in hand, the South
ern Pacific Company agreed to build
the main trunk of their road through
this city, and they have reason to be-
lieve that it is due to no lack of effort
on the part of the company that Con-
gress has not passed bill authorizing
the building of the road eighty miles
Northeast of Los Angeles. The people
remember that it was part Of the
contract on which the abOve-named
bonds were voted that the company
should complete the road between
San Francisco and this city within
three years frsm this date, yet they
have strong reasons for believing that
the company used all means in their
power to procure through Congress an
extension of the time for completing
the road to 1885. These and number
of other trifling indications of dispo-
sition to forget contracts and promises
on the part of the company have pro-
duced slight feeling of uncertainty
among the people as to the entire
trustworthiness of the corporations
memory. In view of these, perhaps
trif1ing circumstances, we are inclined
to the opinion that the company man.
ifests an undue sensitiveness over
few hazy doubts as to its good faith
and honesty. By faith mortals have
become angels. By faith men and
women have suffered martyrdom
without murmur. By faith man
may lift himself by the waistband of
his pantaloons. Faith is a great
thing when, like the abalone, it has
its mouth firmly glued to that solid
rock foundation which must form the
substratum of all faith. But faith
once pried loose from its moorings-
once turned adrift without rock or
peg to cling to-is an aimless, change
full waif. 1t may die; the chances are
that it will. If, however, it once gets
its suckers on the rock that endureth
forever, it will renew itself-grow like
vice, and stick with the tenacity of
grim death to an emaciated negro.
The Southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany may regain the faith the people
of Los Angeles valley once had in
them, but to do so they must relearn
lesson they appear to have forgotten,
which is that faith without works is
thing that feeds on itself, and, like
bear, Is liable to suck itself to death,
or at best come out of the struggle so
thin that it will scarcely make
shadow.