Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-12

legislation has brought about an unsettled
condition of affairs, it has disturbed the
financial relations where there was no neces-
sity for it. This is the danger always. If
the Democrats are wise they will not go out
Of power leaving panic behind them.
Should they do SO they may find it somewhat
difficult to get back"
MR.. REAGAN's BILL.
s'What of the Reagan bill ?"
" 1t is wrong and, in my opinion, contrary
to the principles and spirit of the Govern
ment and of the Constitution. But even if
it were sound from the point of the lawyer,
it is wrong commercially. Congress should
not be converted into board of railroad con-
troll to govern all the railroad corporations of
the country. There may be some evils Incl
dent to railroad management now, but ma
ture has passed stronger and more effective
interstate bill than an American Congress or
any other Congress or Parliament will be
likely to ever devise"
(which is!'
"The water system of this country-the
Mississippi river ON the one hand, the great
lakes and the Hudson river on the other.
These highways hold the railways in check,
and thus the railroads hold one another. The
trunk lines have. each one of its own, diverse
and sometimes rival interests to protect. In
the keen and eager competition between
them the public will find its surest and strong
est protection. Bills of this character as l
said, are doing more to retard our
growth than anything else; In fact, they
are the only brakes on the wheels. And we
hear of them all over. In every State in the
Union almost there are score or more So
called patriots who are heroically endeavor-
ing to save the Union from the corporations.
Men in England and France, in every
quarter of the world, who have money to in
vest, read the speeches and the propositions
of these people with amazement and at once
lock up their safes. The order to the New
York brokers to buy this or that stock is
thrown in the fire. American railroads
have enough to contend against without this
additional burden being placed upon them.
Great storms or floods sometimes sweep away
the earnings of weeks and months. A bridge
is carried off and receipts vanish into the
treasury of rival road until communication
is re-established The plains have be-
come covered with snow, and receipts
for weeks do not begin to pay the expenses.
The wise gentlemen in Congress and
in the State Legislatures, whose man
business it is to save the country
to save it, too, from the aggressions of the
very men who have the most interest in pre-
serving it-never think of these things but
they are among the problems which the cap
tains of these great industries have to meet
and solve"
CAPITAL AND LABOR
6 AS to capital and labor p
I" do not remember time when the re-
lations between the two were more harrnoni-
Gus than they are at present. Wages are not,
perhaps, as high as might be desired, but en-
ployment is steady and there is demand for
it. of course there will be always more or
less distress in the great cities, but the saw
ings banks are the gauge and measure of the
labor question. The capital of this country
will always provide ample employment for
labor il capital is only given fair chance.
the present conditions, which are constantly
improving, than anything else that could pos
sibly take place. A war on the corporations
means in the end a war on labor. When the
corporations are made to suffer unjustly,
when the natural course of business is inter-
fered with, it is the workingman who has to
bear the burden of the conflict. II ultimately
comes home to him in reduced wages"
WHAT DOES HE MEAN
" Do you read the newspapers much, Mr..
Gould ?"
''Oh, yes"
"And see all the cartoons of you !"
Eyes (smiling). Some of them are very
funny and | enjoy them immensely. / sup
pose tmodestly) 1 am something of a public
character that | must bear my contribution
to the fun of the time. | do not object to
criticism, provided it is only fair. Some
times, however, | get, as l think, unfair
knocks. L asked certain editor at one time
why ne abused me so. MIR. Gould, said he,
there are only three or four men in the
country worth abusiag, and in my opinion,
you are one of them Well, said l, if
that is the case, go ahead; but hope you
viii change your mind some day. l am sorry
to say he is of the same opinion still. y
Speaking about newspapers, they say you
intend to buy them ALP
Mr.. Gould laughed.
"They say you own the Tribune and the
World and the Express and big spot of the
SIN, and that you want to buy the Herald q
g 1t is all very amusing"
But" said the Herald representative,
laughingly, what about it ?"
'fYou have heard the proverb, The shoe
maker should not go beyond his last?'"
YES"
well, that is my creed. Railroading
will do for me-
but" persisted the Herald representative
chaffingly, " how about the Herald ?"
Absurd"
L
"Most absurd of all. No man in this
country, outside of lunatic asylum, whom
/ know, imagines for a moment that he
could control the press or mold the opinion
of this country"
sUBsIDIEs-CHINA AND JAPAN.
Are you in favor of subsidy policy for
steamships"
"No. am opposed to subsidies for both
railroads and steamships. | believe it is
wrong and vicious. AS | said before, be-
lieye that was the great mistake made by the
gentlemen who built the Pacific railroads.
They have been worried and harassed ever
since. Suppose the telegraph companies had
been subsidized by the Government We
should have the same trouble there. What
we want is free ships, the abolition of the alb
surd navigation laws. When Americans are
allowed to purchase their ships wherever they
can get them cheapest we shall have Amer
lean lines of steamers. ] believe we ought TO
have them, and | am sorry that we have not,
if for nothing else, to give US the school from
which to recruit a navy in the event of war"
g But can they be run without subsidies ?"
Certainly l am somewhat interested
now in line from San Francisco to China
and Japan, and | am glad to say we are doing
well. Our outgoing cargoes are now about as
heavy as the incoming ones. We get no sub
Sluy, Auu we are suCCeSuluss Liz oAu aSl4S
Mail received, ! think, three quarters of a
million year and failed. We do not even
get paid for carrying the mails. But, owing
to our absurd laws, we are compelled to sail
under the English flag. for our ships were
bought where we could get them cheapest.
How do you account for General Grants
interest in China and Japan?
General Grant is interested in China be-
cause he is interested in America. China
and Japan will yet become among our most
important markets. They want almost every
thing we have got to sell. As soon as our
cables to China and japan are down you will
see great development in our business with
those countries, for, to repeat a remark L
have already made, cables and telegraphs
make business"
SOME GREAT RAILROAD MEN.
"Who, Mr.. Gould, is the greatest railroad
man you have met Z"
"Well, MIR. Thomas A. Scott in the past.
Mr.. John W. Garrett is very great man.
(to,,,,oo5ora Vanderbilt was one of the ex-