Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-03-22
WHAT COULD BE EXPECTED.

WHAT COULD BE EXPECTED.
The California Senate has passed
what are known as the "retractioa" and
personal signature" bills. We are not
sufficiently acquainted with the provi-
sions OF these measures to discuss them
very accurately. From the discussions
however OF these bills that has for some
time been going on in California, we are
led to believe, that they pariaks largely
OF the nature Of the Press gagging bill
that was the political ruin of Poland in
Congress. Also that the object sought
to be attained. is the same, viz: an in
fringement Of the liberty OF the press.
Looking st them in this light we most
sincerely hope that they will not be
passed by the California Assembly. 1t
is not surprising that they should have
received the assent OF the Senate. That
body has for years been VIGOROUSLY cor
rupt and q majority OF its members the
mere tools Of the railroad. We see that
the Committee on Corporations unan-
imously reported against the Archer
bill for tho regulation Of fares and
ffeights. Il is therefore only natural
corollary tina! a legislative body which
refused to protect the people, which it
was sent to represent. against the shame
ful exactions of freebooting railroad
should betray its trust in another equally
important matter and try to stihs the
free expression Of public opinion. The
one proceeding is merely the natural
complement of the other. These events
show that the mission OF the mere politi-
cal partisan is ended. That both parties
in turn have and will become the base
instruments OF the great railroad corpo-
rations. That whether the majority in
q legislative chamber be Republican or
Democratic, in either case, it will simply
be the mou!hpiece Of the great monop-
olists. The next. in fact the present
political struggle. will be be-
tween the people and gigantic power
of the railroads. The contest will
be desperate and terrible one
The magnitude and yenomous bitter
ness of the combat can be well
imagined from what is now going
on in the California Legislature and
this coast generally. There we see
the Central Pacific. like the devilfsh sc
wildly drawn by Victor Hugo, extending
its powerful and laothsome arms, poison
ing. paralyzing and destroying all who
resist il. II has its newspapers, its pait
attorneys. thinly disguised as the PEG
pies representatives. all engaged in re
sisting every effort to deprive it of its prey
Throughout the coast We find it impos
ing its exactions and levying its tributes
in amount and number just what it
grasping greed may suggest. Agricul
ture, the mines, manufactures and com
merce are just like the slaves of the laml
employed in doing its bidding. Al
ordinary opposition is useless and simpl.
ends in the ruin of those who attempt 1t
II merchant, o teamster or owner OF
steamer dares oppose it, or an independ
emit journal has the audacity to denounc
it in fitting terms, they are doomed
Rates are so reduced till these scattere
opponents are one by one exhausted an
forced from the field and then the Cigar
tic Octopus returns to its prey and el
hausts its victim 3 life blood, with non
to say it nay. This is no exaggerate
picture. 1t is the actual veritable facl
The issue of the present campaign shout
not be to place Democrats or Republ
cans in power, but to elect an homes
man for President, who will prefer hor
est men for his subordinates, and sen
honest men to the National and Stat
Legislatures. who will stand by the pee
pie and force the hydra-headed monsts
of railroad monopoly to disgorge som
of its plumber and prevent its futui
robteries.