Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-03-10
A Rssolute ana Consistent AZ.
Sleude.

preSenC LeglSlature. we nave Care-
fully watched their course during |
the whole session, and it has seemed
to us that few men have advocated
the interests of their section more
unswervingly or persistently than
they. Col. Smith, particularly, has
been abused without measure in
certain quarters. He has been &C.
cused of subserviency to the Cen
trail and Southern Pacific Railways.
The facts are, however, that Col
Smith has been temperate but de.
opponent of the distinct
i've plans of Messrs. Stanford,
Huntington, Croker & Co. These
attacks upon Col. Smith were based
on the fact that he had voted for
Mr.. Farley for United States Sem
ntor. He voted for Mr.. Farley in
common with Senator Satterwhite,
of San Bernardino, an equally un-
compromising opponent of the
plans of the railway, on the ground
that Mr.. Farley was the man, of
all the candidates named, who was
the most entitled to the honor from
his party standing, and the one
least likely to be found antagoniz-
ing the interests of Southern Cali
fornia. Col. Smith early dlstin-
guished himself by the introduce
tion of resolution into the Senate
favoring the Scott guarantee to the
Texas-Pacific Railway. This was
right in the teeth of the cherished
plans of the California railway
magnates. Nor was that all. He
has been unceasing since in his eff
forts to break the shackles of delsy
which have compassed the bills of
the Railway Commissioners in
both houses. He has insisted on
early action being taken on these
measures. Nor is that all. He has
ceaselessly reminded all parties,
Democratic, Republican and the few
last roses left blooming from the In
dependent Summer, of their profess
sions and of their duty. Col. Smith
is entitled to the fullest publication
of his uniform, noble and con-
sistent record as developed in this
last episode. In order that it may
make due impression we give it
in the language of the San Fran
cisco Chronicle of March 7th, u
journal which is staunch and ell
thusiastic opponent of the Railway
junta. The Chronicle says:
The disposition of certain Sena
tors at Sacramento to ignore the
pledges made by the political par
ties to which they belong was made
manifest in very striking way "a
few days ago. Senator Smith, a
Democrat from Los Angeles, evil
IDENTIFY suspecting tenderness of
feeling in certain quarters for the
interests of our much-persecuted
railway corporations, applied q test
which created no little consterna-
ton. He took up the platforms of
all the political parties-Republi.
can, Democratic and Independent
-aud culled out of them the most
pointed declarations in favor of leg
islation to regulate rates of fare
and freight, and to prevent discrim-
ination by the railway companies.
Those he embodied in series of
:" whereases and wound up with
the following resolutions:
l. That all parties in this common
veal tn stand pledged to legislate for the
the prevention OF unjust discrimination
against persons and localities.
2. That it is the duty of the Legislature,
aL this session, to carry out these pledges,
and to carry into effect the manifest will
OF the people by legislation to that end.
Mr.. Norton, from Placer county,
who in 1878 was elected to the AS
sembly as an Independent, spec
tally instructed to regulate the
rates of charges by the railways,
and who has been particularly
prominent as an anti-monopoly
statesman, both in the Independent
and the Republican parties, imme-
diately arose to his feet and moved
the reference of the resolutions to
the Committee on Corporations.
He was evidently not prepared to
commit himself on this proposition ;
it was too novel, too intricate, and
in need of careful consideration by
n Committee. Mr.. Smith reminded
his associates that they were all
members OF some party, that all
the parties had already passed upon
this question, that the only hind.
rance heretofore had been the wan
of Information, and that had now
been supplied by the report of tn,
Commissioners of Transportation
He therefore thought the people
should be assured, as proposed By
these resolutions, that the pledge:
of members made in their party
platforms should be faithful y
kept.
:. Mr.. Lewis, q Democrat from TIE.
hama, came to the rescue of the
luQcDchuChb lsCPupiCdh Dcuut VI
from Placer with the bold state
meDt that the declarations in the
party platforms as to unjust charg-
es aud determinations were un.
true, and even went so far as to say
the report of the Commissioners
had SO found. This was promptly
refuted by Mr.. Smith, who contin'
ued to vex the souls of his virtuous
brother Senators by further remind
ing them that il had been said by
the press and people on the outside
that the Senaie would not legislatt
on the railroad question, and he
wanted to show that this was moi
true by adopting the resolutions
proposed. Mr.. Satterwhite, a DEM
ocrat from San Diego and San Ber-
nardino, joined in the assertion that
he could see no necessity for refer
IT o,,ott pIain nrnnoaifiopo n a