Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-01-07
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.

TIE CALIFORNIA LEIilSLAIURE.
The California Legislature has begun itr SEES
sion, and the press bemoans the fact that it
will only have legal existence of ninety days.
1t seems to be the general opinion that in so
short a time it will be unable to transact much
important business. This display of innocence
on the part of California newspapers is az re-
freshing as ever. The California Legislature
does not meet for the transaction of important
business, but for the purposes of making
money. A ma jority of the members go there
not in the interests of the people, but from
personal and pocket motives. The first move
of any Importance will be tho introduction of
bills purporting to be framed for the purpose
OF regulating certain abuses Of the Central Pa
ci6c railroad management. Some of these
bills are introduced in good faith by men Who
really believe that there is n general desire on
the part of the members to inaugurate re-
FORM, and others are framed for the sole pur-
pose of bleeding to the fullest possible extent
the corporations whose abuses they claim to
regulate. 1t is a curious fact that the bills ill.,
PRODUCED with the honest intention of reform
are allowed to drop out of sight entirely, and
the ones put before the session for purposes of
blackmail becoms the all absorbing topic OF the
hour In order to defsat those bills, the Csn-
tral Pacific railroad company must cringe like
q hslsagured cur before the honorable body
in public and buy it up with liberal coin in
private. The discussions on freights, tariffs,
cost of building the road, grades, curves and
eulyerts, are blind, not to befog the legis-
hturs, but the public. The men before whom
the arguments are made have the price of
their selling already in hand and listen to the
discussions as part of the contemplate pro-
gramme they have been paid to play. The
same farce was enacted here last winter, only
with less experienced hands managing the
puppets behind The scenes, and all audience
not so easily hoodwinked Next year the piece
will run more smoothly. After the Central
Pacific has come down handsomely for another
lease of power to plumber the people of Cali
fornis, the Spring Valley Water Company is
taken in hand and pressed for all it will
stand Then the San Francisco Gas Company
is tapped, and the lesser corporations are COM
PEELED to pay tribute to the venal, mercenary
and thieving set of men who sell out their con-
stituents for coin. After the ad journment, .
howl goes up from the betrayed people, and
the same class of scallawags ride into office at
the next election 1t seems in all conscience |
that ninety days is quite long onoagh to en- |
able the legislature of California to pocket |
the State Some immense reforms could be |
worked out in ninety days by legislature
that meant business. All that was really &C
oomplished by the Nevada Legislature last
winter could have been done In a weeks time
or even less Too much chin, wind and tongue
and too little actual business is the ruling OBJ
servanee here. When legislature meets in
this State which has the brain and determine
ton to run itself, instead of allowing outsid
ers TO step in, then there is a possibility of
something being done. Last year an alien
held the legislature in the hollow of his hand
through the entire session, assisted by Cal
The next session will probably be
controlled by man who has no residence in
this State.