Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-15
CAMPAIGN CONSIDERATIONS.

nominations originated with some feather
headed folks who were frightened by the
beating Of the Democratic tom.toms. The
Republican plan of short campaign is
eminently sound, and nothing the Demo-
Gratis have done or can do will cause any
necessity for a change in it. Meantime
the Democratic press may safely be left to
" she'll the woods" and to expose the
weakness OF its platform and professions
and candidates by its clumsy efforts to
avoid the awkward points. There is, how
ever, one thing which the Republican
press needs to be cautioned concerning.
The Democrats have led off with an issue
OF their own choosing and making, which
they call the Anti. Monopoly issue. This
is not genuine issue. The railroad ques-
ton has been settled by the new Constitu-
ton, which puts the whole question in the
hands of a Commission, empowered to
deal with it. The pretense OF nominating
a Governor on the strength of his assumed
hostility to the railroads is a piece of
characteristic Democratic dishonesty. 1t
is in fact doubly dishonest. First, because
the Governor, under the Constitution, has
| no power to deal with the railroads in any
way whatever second, because the as
sumption that proiessed enemy of the
railroads is therefore specially eligible to
office, is a fraudulent and base pretense.
The Democratic anti-railroad programme
is the work of INSCRIPTIONS and insincere
politicians who found themselves without
issues, and who were prepared to sacrifice
any State interest to their office-hunger.
They having adopted this view, how
ever, it is not for the Republicans to fol.
low suit. To do so would be fatal
blunder, from any standpoint. 1t would
be an admission that the Democratic pro-
gramme was the right one. 1t would be
an admission that the Democrats had been
the first to strike out popular programme.
1t would concede to them the virtue of
public spirit and the merit of origination.
Itwould put the Republicans in the position
OF mere imitators. 1t would lose them
the campaign. The National Democracy
has been making just this mistake for the
last twenty years. 1t has walked in the
footsteps of the Republicans, and it has
been beaten every time. 1t is perfectly
clear that if the Anti Monopoly programme
is defensible, then the Democrats have 3
presumption claim upon it this year, and
such claim the voters always recognize.
But the Anti Monopoly programme is an
imposition, and therefore if the Republi.
cans indorss it they confess themselves to
be no more honest than their opponents.
Certainly they cannot win on any such
basis as that. If they expect to win they
must strike out a course of their own,
which shall be distinct from that of the
Democrats, and shall rest on different prin-
ciples.
Such course we have already outlined
III tutso CUAuulH5' L uo lsSPuoliSah party
will put itself in an impregnable position
by taking the ground that it is the duty
and interest of the State to deal eouitably
and dispassionately with all corporate in
terests, relying upon the Constitution and
the laws. as administered by honest men,
for the protection of the general interests
and for the removal of abuses. Instead of
adopting sounding platform of words,
and binding every candidate to accept
whatever rabid, unjust and reckless
propositions it contains, the Republican
party can put its guarantees forward in
the persons of its nominees. When Judge
Blake was nominated for Mayor of San
Francisco, they wanted him to SUBJ
scribe to certain pledges, and he re-
fused to do SO. He said If my official
" record during twenty-five years of public
service is not sufficient guarantee for
"me, then no pledge could give would be
satisfactory for a man who, after go
"long service, could not be trusted,
would be certain to violate any pledge he
might take" He refused to take any
pledges, and the people of San Francisco
Endorsed his position, and elected him
Mayor over the head of an opponent who
had fairly groveled in his abject readiness
to promise whatever was demanded of him.
That is the kind of candidate the Republi-
can party needs this year, and with a
ticket composed of such men, standing on
a platform rational and moderate enough
for self.respecting candidates to occupy,
the party can carry the State in the teeth
of all the Anti Monopoly froth and dema-
gogism the Democrats can muster.
As regards the Railroads, the only
officers of consequence are the Railroad
Commissioners. To fill these offices the
people do not want demagogues. They do
not want political adventurers. They do
not want the kind of men who will swal-
low any kind of pledges one minute and
then solicit the aid of the railroads the
next. What they want is honest men
men who have made regulations for integ-
rity in business, and therefore can be
trusted to do their duty faithfully, The
railroads do not ask anything more than
this. They are content to be judged by
the measure of honest mems minds. They
only demand fair play, and that they have
a right to. Now, if the new Constitution
has provided the solution of this question, it
stands to reason that honest Railroad Com
missioners, applying that Constitution fairly,
must give the State the very best situation
possible under the circumstances. The
Republicans therefore can take their stand
upon this position with complete conf
dence. There remains the Sunday law
issue, which the Democrats have certainly
taken a pronounced stand upon. Thew are