Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-20

l
been done at the theater in this city. 1t
might indeed be thought tina. he had
fallen into the error of supposing that the
crudities which suffieed for less cultiva-
ted and reflective audiences would pass
current here. For what did Mr.. Estee do
He actually performed the remarkable in
tellectual gymnastic of turning his back
upon himself. He denounced doctrines
which it should be his pride and boast to
have advocated. He Gu. himself loose
from the most creditable portion of his
past record.
He did all this when he denounced the
railroads for not paying their taxes, and
when he questioned the sounduess of Judge
Fields decision in the railroad tax cases.
For it is of record that Mr.. Estee when in
the Constitutional Convention was opposed
to the scheme of railroad taxation which
Judge Field has declared invalid. Had his
advice been taken in the Convention the
railroads would have been taxed cquitably,
and they never would or could have re.
sisted taxation. But how can Mr.. Esteo
denounce the corporations for not submit
ting TO scheme OF taxation which he him
self declared to be unjust and unconstitu.
tional? And how can he find fault with
the Circuit Court for holding his own views
upon this question? He believed, when in
the Convention, that the methods proposed
FOR assessing the railroads involved an IN.
| just discrimination against those corpora.
tons. He said this, and argued it very
forcibly. But now he says that the rail
roads are to blame because they did not al.
low themselves to be unjustly taxed with
out resistance and he also finds fault with
the Court which confirmed the prescience
and wisdom of MS own forecast. These
are very strange and anomalous positions
for Mr.. Estee to take, and to take such
positions at Sacramento, where the public
are familiar with his record, was very un-
for sunate and ill-consideied.
For everyone here has long since real.
lied that Mr.. Estee is bound in consistency
to defend the railroad in the tax cases, and
to maintain the soundness of Judge Fields
decision since not to do these things is to
wrong his own intelligence and foresight
and to make himself out at cross. purposes
with his own record. And when gentle.
men of Mr.. Estees fine mind commits mis-
takes of this kind, go palpable, not to say
fragrant, uncharitable people-of whom IN.
happily the world is full-are prone to de-
tect in the act what they call demagogism.
What such censorious persons cay is, that
Mr.. Estee {" has gone back -" on himself, be-
cause it is his immediate object TO make an
anti-railroai record for himself, and be-
cause his former positions do not III in TO
that purpose. They say that he has there
fore determined to say things which he
does not mean, and even to stultify him.
self, rather than run the risk Of losing
votes by maintaining his consistency. And
the friends of Mr.. Estee find it quite in
possible to defend him against this kind Of
criticism, for the reason that it is founded
on what appears to be the truth.
All this is very discouraging, and the
more SO because it really was not good
policy, even taking the lowest standard
| for Mr.. Estee to brand himself az an anti
railroad demagogue in this community. He
ought to have known that he could not
capture any votes here on that basis Tne
people of Sacramento are not anti.railroad
Onthe contrary, they believe in therailroad.
snd they condemn the impostors who are
trying to get into offics by abusing it. No
man can help himself here by denouncing
the railroad. No man can DO other than
injure himself by taking that course.
VIVA. pity it was, therefore, that Mr..
Estee did not take the straight path which
| lay before him that he did not avail him.
self of the opportunity which offered itself
SO temptinglY, and say: g Fellow citizens
All the trouble about railroad taxes
8 grew cut of the rejection by the Consti.
tutional Convention OF the views which
presented on the floor of that body.
Had my advice been taken in the mold.
ing OF the new Constitution, the rail.
roads would have been taxed like other
people, snl they would have paid their
takes as other people 90. As to Judge
Fields decision, it is a fa.tcring vindica-
ton of the position which 1 took upon
the subject, and / am therefore bound to
say that | agree with it entirely"
This would ba-. lc,-, c.
speech for Mr.. Estee 90 make for 1t would
have been true and consistent, and il
would have commended him to the an.
ptoval of his Sacramento audience. But
we regret to say that he had not the iudg.
ment TO perceive thst his interest Law. at
least On this occasion, in telling the truth
and being consistent with his record. and
so he offended the moral sensibiiitv and
the artistic taste of his auditors by a con.
trsdiction of his own positions which was
worse than unnecessary, and by an assault
upon the railroads and the Circuit Court
which was suicidal in its implication. Sac.
ramento was prepared to treat Mr.. Essee
handsomely. She had not a great deal OF
enthusiasm in stock, but she gave hin,
what was available. And this ia the
scurvy return she received. Really it
must be set down "a very unfortunate for
the cause which Mr.. Estee represents
whatever that may be. It is not RepubH-
canism, as We understand that term. Mr..
Estee himself says it is Sunday Law and
Anti Railrosdism. On the first of these is.
sues his party hasa particularly bad position.
Aud on the second of these issues Mr.. Estee
himself occupies, So we have shown,
most anomalous attitude. Perhaps it is a
pity that he could not have found third
issue upon which to discourse, for as IT
was we fear ne has not advanced his own
prospects apprecisbly.