Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-18
-sroHEmAn,s cAmpAIes.

sciousness tnas ne was acting IN the pubic
eye and mind, opened his political cam.
paign by the introduction of several propo.
sitions addressed to popular prejudice and
intended for political effect To 60 back
in the history of Mr.. Ssoneman as Rail-
road Commissioner, the official records Of
the Board show that on May s. 1880, he
introduced resolution embodying his
ideas of a proper regulation Of freights
in this State. That resolution declared
That in the opinion of this Board,
" the maximum rate of transportation
" OF freight in this State for all distances
" of one hundred miles and over shall not
" exceed cents per ton per mile, and for
" all distances under one hundred miles the
" rate shall not exceed 6 cents per ton per
emile" 1t is susceptible of the clearess
demonstration that the adoption of this
proposition would have raised the rates Of
transportation on all the staple products of
the country. These products were being
transported at less than one third the rate
proposed in the resolution, hence the re.
duction of the maximum could inure only
to the benefit of the costly articles. 1t is,
or should be, well known that low max
imum forces high minimum rate of trans.
portation. In fact this principle is SO
generally and so well understood that
ignorance of it should be reproached.
If, then, Commissioner Stoneman was
possessed of ordinary intelligence he
knew the effect of his resolution would
be to increase the cost of transportation to
the producing classes. If he was ignorant
of this undeniable fact then he was untitled
for the discharge of the duties of his office.
Mr.. Stoneman had sufficient intelligence to
understand the tendency of his proposition
when it was pointed out to him, SO that at
no time since has he brought the matter to
the attention of the Board. 1t is but a
sorry comment upon the general intelli.
gence of the Democratic party that to such
crudely uniformed propositions as the
one under consideration General stoneman
owes his nomination for Governor at the
hands of that party.
When the Board Of Railroad Commits.
sioners met last Tuesday General Stone
mans relations to the public had changed.
He was before the public as candidate
for Governor, and it was but the natural
impulse of vain and weak man to pose
as the friend of the people. The first
proposition brought forward was to
the effect that second.class passengers
should not be forced to ride in a smoking
car. This question of smoking, as relating
to the second-class passenger service, has
a history. At first the privileges of the
smoking car was denied to second. class
passengers. All debased appetites have
but barbarous regard for the rights and
comforts of others, and so the smokers
smoked in the second-class cars. Then
came Stoneman with resolution forbid.
ing the practice Of smoking in second class
cars. For this he was applauded. Now
WILLIS WHO oaihS cSOuClidh Will pIOpOSl-
ton that second-class passengers shall be
excluded from the smoking cars. When
the practice of smoking in second-class cars
was tolerated, complaint was made that its
discomforts and annoyances were inflicted
on second.class passengers only. When
the practice was prohibited, the complaint
was made that the privilege of smoking
was denied to second class passengers.
All these things would regulate them
selves, but demagogues like Stoueman
have purposes to accomplish, and since
they are not qualified to cope with the
higher problems of the great subject of
transportation, they naturally resort to the
small things on the low plane of their own
inconsiderable intelligence. The second
proposition presented by Stoneman was, in
effect, to make the rate for second. class
fare sixty per cent. of irst.class fare. 1t
must have been peculiar modification to
the hackers of this Democratic game cock
in the Commissioners pit when Commits
soner Cone knocked him out of time by
plain showing that the existing rates for
second-class fare were less than sixty per
cent. of the frst-class. Then came the
proposition to allow +" lay. over checks on
sscond.class tickets. This was a genuine
campaign effort. The chief distinction
between the first and second. class passen.
ger service on the railroads of the country
resides in the single fact of limitation
as to time placed on second.class ticket.
The facilities for transit are equal. Both
classes travel by the same trains depart.
ing and arriving at the same time. There
Is slight disparity in the appearance of
first and second.class coaches, but there is
no appreciable difference between the
classes as to comfort, safety or convenience.
To all practical intents and purposes
second-class passage ON the railroads of
California is just as valuable to the travel.
ing public as the first.class. The chief
difference, as already indicated, resides in
the fact that first-class passenger may
stop at way-station for a time, and re.
sumo his trip without paying way.fare or
working a forfeiture of his ticket. For this
privilege he has paid Sc per cent. more
than the second class passenger. Now
comes candidate Stoneman, with the mo.
tives and intentions of demsgogue, and
proposes that this distinction shall
cease; that the frst-class passenger
shall enjoy no additional privileges
in consideration Of the payment of addi-
tional money. This proposition was not
presented from any honest intention to
correct any abuse, or from any honorable
or manly exercise of judgment concerning
the rights of the people or the corpora
lions. 1t is the natural suggestion of i'm.
perfect training in the field of political
duplicity. 1t is cunning little trick,
but the sense of admiration for the cum.
ming is overcome by sentiment of con-
tempt for the littleness of the trick. 1t
presents Stonsman in the light of dema-
gogue OF fertile intention, but of sterile
and diminutive genius in plan and per.
Torrance. But the most noteworthy per-
foOnance was reserved for the last.
Nearly two years ago the Commissioners
had under consideration q schedule
relating to a readjustment of pas
senger rates. For two years this had
slept, when on last Tuesday candidate
Stoneman moved its adoption. In the |
meantime, since this schedule was pro-
posed, rates had undergone many changes
On all lines south from this city the aver
age cost of travel by rail has been reduced |
tnirty-three per cent. To be entirely Just |
1t must be admitted that Stoneman did |
not Ennw fhia IL. H.. 1890 "a -