Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-02
A Workingman's Reflections on the
New Constitution.

Il
New Constitution.
EDITOR HERALD: "Come and let
us reason together" is the lam
guage of the good old book. Now,
am inclined to believe that II the
voters of the State of California
were 10 law aside all useless cavil-
ing and bring the proposed new
Constitution before the bar of their
own reason they would be in a far
better position to decide upon Its
merits; that is, If 1t should happen
to have such o commodity. If the
unsuspecting masses would only
pause aud think for themselves
they would at once be able to see
through the cunning projects of
the political schemers and chronic
office-seekers who never fail to be
around on elections, throwing dust
into the eyes of the over credulous
and unthinking, and thus with
their velvet tongues they often de.
celve the very'elect.
These fellows, as rule, are q
very industrious class. They are
always either fishing or mending
their nets-ever pressing theu-
selves forward Into the confidence
of their dupes. They are composed
OF two classes. First, the confirmed
of1ce-eeekers, who never fail to
wear pleasant smile upon their
countenances. but the clear thin K er
can always detect q veuomous
sting behind 1t. The other class is
made up of a cunning and dconniving
lot OF jobbers who, during the Ca m
paign, stand behind the former,
pushing them into office, and using
them as cats paws to promote their
own Interest, and thss most all the
local privileges of our city and
county have been gobbled up.
Now these famous clouds with
out water are approaching US with
the new Constitution in their
hands-a document which took q
l52 political tinkers l57 days to
botch 1t into existence. They tell
us that this notorious tissue of non.
sensical twaidle will, IL adopted,
redeem the State of California and
make her the envy OF all the
States In the Union. All monopo.
lies are to be scattered to the four
winds; and, as to the iron horse, he
Is to be h0bbled SO as to be tame
enough to carry both freight aud
passengers from one end of the
State to the other a'mcst free OF
charge. Surely, Mr.. Editor, these
would be good times IL they should
ever overtake us. But how are
they to bring this about? Oh, thew
propose to elect three Immaculate
Com missioners and clothe them
with absolute power to attend to
that business. Did it never strike
these worthless that the old Consti-
tuition gives the power to the Leg
islature to regulate freights and
fares and that the Supreme Court OF
the land has confirmed this
fact. But as we so far have
failed to elect Legislature
who would truly represent the in
terests Of the people, this impor-
tant piece of legislation has in
some mysterious way slipped
through their fingers. And why?
we are told that they had their
price and were bought. If the
corporations could buy the major
ity of the Legislature, could they
not with far less money buy two
out OF three Commissioners But
they are going to elect three hon.
est men from their own ranks to
that post, who cannot be bribed.
Well, l am not going to say That
our State Is SO degraded as to not
have three honest men In it; but
would not 60 amongst the mem bers
of the late Constitutional Conven.
tion to look for them. The Work.
lngmen have tried this expert
ment and failed. Bones was their
first fruit, and he proved q traitor.
Last June we-the Workingmen-
spent both time and money to
elect West and Eyey, yet they
Jumped out Of their harness into
the ranks Of the Non. .Par,izans,
and now they have the cheek to 20
around the county blowing their
penny whistles, thinking of stump
Ing their way into the next Legis.
lature. Simple West and Evey,
this is rather too thin; your deeds
are gone before you to Judgment.
Last December the Workingmen
elected most all the members OF
the city government, bat where are
they now: The Mayor still covers
his smooth face under his stove-
pipe hat and lies basking In the
shadow Of his $50 a mouth, and
feels about as much cDncerned In
the interest of the party that
elected him as a dog cares about
the we'll being of his grandfather.
The flexible City Attorney, dressed
ia his threahbare official garb, sits
from time TO time in the Council
room, dispensing the law to our
CITY Dads aud leading them Into
trouble. They eiecte6 twelve oYf
OF the fifteen Couuciimen, aud
where are they? Stuck in the futs
of their predecessors, and are now
washing their dirty hands In the
waters OF the East Side ditch.
Now, having such u cloud of evil |
dence before our ewes. NOT nnlv IN !
-t, own en-. olt l!s ta .lc man,
asaneut W. iur STATE aet central
gogefnment, oau Ns iltb co q
de ace .ntha 8 time, men va,
such -Niio' fel 'glaOrtt g9 Reasuu
Fill say "hoh sheu c0mg aud
ist us reason together ami prav (
d. A.