Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-01

State than any other class of interests in the State
me Demecratc party having taken that position
II WAS now Claimed that the Republicans ought il
t the language Of the street 90 them one better a
else 1t would lose the election II that line OF ar
gunient amounted to anything it would result tn
a same as the old proyerb, which read " He VIII,
would thrive must rise at five he who woud thirty
more must rise at four, and he who would beat then
ali must not go to bed at all" So here il it wa
,ight i9r the Democratic party to pass the resolu
lions that 1t did attacking the railroad and demand
ing certain restrictions and demanding Certain
legislation, and then il it right for the Repub
ican party to go further than tbs Democrats has
done In the line Of attack the railroad it woul,
| De necessary for the Republicans to say
that the railroad companies in this STATE
should transport freight and carry passengers fol
of such arguments as those Of the gentlemen fran
Amador 1t was wrong to attempt in this manner
by adopting resolutions to say that the Democratic
party was night in adopting the resolutions that il
dld, and II the Democratic party was right, then
the Republicans were wrong in opposing the DemoC.
| racy. II the Democratic party was light in nom.
mating that boastful demagogue Stoneman for Gov.
ernor because, and only because he was opposed to
railroads, then this Convention would do wrong un.
less it Endorsed Stoneman and supported the whole
| Democratic ticket and platform. The adopt n of
| the resolutions would also be unwise because il
| would be wRntonlY antagoni2ing the railroad COM
| pany and in so doing the Republican party would
| lose much and gain nothing. 1t would not attract
to its So ndard one single who was actuated by
the anti-railroad fever All such men training
under the banner of their adversaries and could
not be coquetted with caught with the sweet mo-
iasses attempted to be injected into the Republican
pbtform. The speaker went TO say that the reso-
buttons were untrue that they placed the Republican
party IL false position, that these were questions
| for the Railroad Commissioners, and not for the
| convention The Railroad Commission had been
| endowed by the new Constitution with powers
legislative, executive and ludical-grea ter than the
| Car OF Russia ever dared 10 execute; powers en-
a6ng 1t to absolutely contiscate railroad property
II II were right to pledge judicial officer such as
| Railroad Commissioner, it would also be right 10
| pledge the nominees of the Supreme Judges to de-
eide the Sunday law question, in the manner in
winch Mr. Will ms, of Los Angeles desired it to be
| decided. The speaker next referred to the
! opposition in San Francisco which once
| existed relative to having the termi
| nus Of the railroad at that place He al. o
| drew graphic picture OF how Los Angeles county.
not long since the banner anti railroad county OF
the State, had been built up and benefited by the
railroad, and how sentiments that question had
undergone such change there as they previously
| nae IN Sacramento. He concluded as follows: At
| one time in this city, the railroad company was
| spending tens OF thousands Of dollars and giving
| employment to thousands of men in filling up the
unsightly slough, and the Mayor of this city, en-.
| gineered and assisted by able and eloquent men,
attempted to Ell Join the railroad company from fll.
ing in that slough, and did stop them from SO doing
and to day there isn't man, woman child in the
| city OF Sacramento but what blesses the railroad
| company for filling up that slough and erecting
| their beautiful depot there. There was time in
the history OF the city OF Sacramento, under the
| leadership of men as able my friend from Anador
as able as the Chairman of the Committee on Reso-
buttons, when it foremost against the railroad
| company, and to-day | am inclined to believe
that the voice of the people OF Sacramento is the
other way, and l commend to your consideration
here is II wise to pass these resolutions and wanton
y attack set OF men who have done more for this
State than any other set of men that lived in
ltt Is wise to adopt resolution which attacks
people and systems Of which we know nothing?
Four hundred and ffty-six delegates here, and not
three of them can tell what a railroad contract is
Is 1t proper to do it? is it necessary? Don't be
frightened at shadow. In the early morning when
the sun is just Climbing up the sky we look abroad
and see things in the shadow and the shade, and
they become fearful in re, and we are frightened
at our shadow; but after the rises and sweeps
away the shadows and msts all becomes clear to us
and we see things as they are So now popular
feeling and the clamor OF office seekers may obscure
the sky, but when the clear light of truth and ex.
perienee shall shine this matter we will sgree
that it IS unwise improper and unnecessary to have
such resolutions
Mr.. Knight, OF San Francisco followed in a brief
speech, indoTsing the resolutions framed by the
committee and claiming that they contained no
I'm lust attacks on the railroad company.
Mr.. Adams, member of the Committee on Plat
form and Resolutions, next spoke He claimed that
the resolutions contained nothing unjust to the
railroads, merely declaring as they did against I'M
Just determinations in fares ana freights, and de-
nOunciug the oppressive contract system which had
been put In operation by the railroad company The
speaker de ended the right Of merchants to ship by
whicheveE route they pleased, and censured the
railroads fr abridging their free exercise of that
privilege He spoke OF the grants Of land and gifts
money whieh had been made to the railroad, and
asserted u,at the railroad CONF any was powerful
enough to protect ITSELF but that the people needed
the protection of laws restraining the railroad COM
pany in io abuse of power.
MIR. Mcfarland, of Sacramento, oppo ed the reso.
iutions ant said that in adopting then the Republi
can party fyould be taking wide departure from
its former history and principles The course of the
Repubcai party had ever been as direct as that of
hound AZ ser hare, but it seemed that the Demo-
craft part had the skill to make it forget all OF the
past, to ioss hold OF its good character to 20 ns
year after another into the Democratic bxaYard
and fight them on their own duTg hill THAI wass
what they were tryinr tn do IN H. E-t,aLIioar
Couventioi to-day He did not propose ~
pronounce in favor Of unjust discrimination. The
first part section and te whole of section were
not mcluds IN the motion to strike out. TIsrsiXth
section sail positively and clearly that hera should
be no unjust discrimination acd 2f1iounced every
principle taat the party was called upon to an
nounce upm the docIrihe of railroads. There were
business NJ en- in tbs Convention, bankers farmers
and merch mts and he appealed to them to say if
there was any business sense or any business Justice
y The clause which mited the income Of the rail-
road company to a certain per cent Of interest on
the actual value of the road. Was there
any business in the world which was
prosecuted OF that theory? Was there any man in
tue Convention, or in the world. silly ard foolish
and maniac enough TO put his money In an enter
prise with the chance Of losing it all and chance
to make more than ordinary interest if he won
1t was not common sense There no sound
business in the world who would invest his cap
ltal in such one-sitei enterprise that He con-
cluded follows: | tell you that the Republican
party never did win, and never win upon
fraud. When you come to demagogism and try
to fool people, they will beat you and give you points
in the game. You have got to stand upon
the doctrine of ju tce and right. The moment YOU
get out of that you are gone, because when you
come TO stealing cards they will beat you [Cries
of question belong to this Republican party
since l entered under its banner twenty years
and some of you have not and have never de-
serted, and some of you have and | am going to
talk here till get through. Now, | say that this
platform upon the railroad question is simply alb
surd and ridiculous. say it is nonstrous | say
it is foolish, and want the gentlemen to seriously
think about and read that Clitform and | ask If
the sixth subdivision and the first part of the
enth don't include every thing We called
upon TO say on that question. Now, so far as popu
laTity is concerned, stop moment and see whore
YOU are going to get it. Do you suppose you can
steal away from Stoneman his vote? He has got
that AMI you can't get one. And you have got to
get the reasonable men of the country. You have
got to appeal 10 who believe in protecting their
property, and il you don't protect the property of
others the time will come when man will protect
yours. This platform contains in it the essence of
communism, and if you follow it out the farmers
out here with few thousand acres in ten twenty
years won't have one-half, and the man with
merchandise viii be cut off to two or
three pair Of boots, and the poor man won't be
allowed a COW, because the Irincple will go to the
destruction Of property it5ef. Now don't want to
stand here to defend the railroad company | don't
believe that these charges anything more than
just what come from demagogues. l have had a
chance to these matters investigated and have
never seen them commit wrong don't believe
this day that any capitalist be found in America
who, il this railroad 70 be built without dirt
dug out or tunnel rounded or track laid-I don't
believe you would fnd capitalist who would put
money into that road and build IL and would charge
any less than what is charged to-day for freights
and fares. don't believe YOU could show other.
wise Now, gentlemen, as a simple matter Of policy
l ask you to where your votes are coming from,
and don't believe that By any species of dema
gogsm like this you could do anything to strengthen
the Republican party.
Mr. Chamberlain, of Humboldt advocated the
passage Of the resolutions and decafed that while
he did not wish to the railroad company cinched
unfairly dealt with, he believed that it ought 10
be restricted in the exercise OF its great power He
was surprised at the position taken by Judge Nc
Farand in comparing railroad corporations pri-
waite individuals and reminded him Of the decision
Of the United States Supreme Court in the elevator
cases, wherein it was declared that the right Of
eminent domain and all other powers and privileges
vested in railroad corporations shall be used for the
public welfare.
Mr. SKATER Of Marin, called the attention of the
Convention to the loose construction OF clause in
resolution No. 7, wherein it was stated that the
| right to build the railroads was granted to
| the railroad companies by the people, for
| the people, and the sole ground
that the Guiding OF railroads is public use" On
his motion the section amended by striking out
| the words building Of railroads and inserting
the construction and buildidy Of railroads consti-
tute etc The speaker then reminded the Convention
of ms record in the Sci ate ninete years ago, when
| he protested against granting subsidies and sub
| scriptions OF stock to the railroad company. He
said that he had struggled two years ago TO get
| common sense into the Constitution the subject
of railroads. and wanted to call the attention of the
Convention 10 some Of the things which were con-
nected together thereF in the resolutions. 1t
was there stated that the Commissioners
should find out as near they could,
and if they couldn't fad out for want OF exact In.
formation from the railrt sd corporations by using
such action, those autho titles should act as near
correctly possible. II they couldn't act exactly
correctly, he hoped they Wouldn't act at ALL II it
another thing. All that as provided in the Con-
stituton The Consttutiin declared that they we're
| to summon the railroad Al thorit!es, command them
TO produce their books AMI accounts, and il they