Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-29
CITY BONDS AND MUNICIPAL POLITICS.

EDS RECORD. UNION: l am gratifed that you ex-
press willingness that the proofs of the relation
the persons interested with the holders of the city
bonds and municipal elections should be published
in YOUR columns, and 1 only regret that the pen
dency of the Troai murder trial renders 1t impossi
BILE for me to spare the time at present to interview
| the persons who are acquainted with salient fact'
relating to the ssue and to arrange for publication
the material to be so furnished, in manner salts
| factory to myself. =.
However. as the March election is not particularly
near at hand the matter will be fresh, even if vii
he unable to present the whole at this partic-
ular time in consecutive series of articles. shall
however, in due time furnish all the Information
that have and am able TO get relating TO the sub
iect and shall take occasion TO dwell somewhat or
incidents connected with the late State and county
election how it happened that two candidates were
| presented for Sheriff on the Republican side and
| the figure that was cut in that campaign by the
{" phantom sack at the Golden Eagle etc.
To coufine myself however in this article, to the
relation of the frienGs of the bondhoders to city
politics. desire to present for the consideration OF
| the public little OF the inside history OF the
'Ames" primary OF lSS2-a primary that Is recol-
| ected BY every honest man in Sacramento as the
/ embodiment of the most outrageous, corrupt and
damna lie fraud that has perhaps been imposed
upon the people of any municipality
| In that primary contest the friends OF the bond
| holders-or lest that term may offend the sens5ii
ties of any one ! will substitute the phrase, the
gentlemen who are SO much offended at the dicta
| torial address OF the Republican Committee
supported Ames; while the plebians were friendly
| 10 Jones our present Fire Commissioner, and an
old and respected citizen, against whom nothing
can be said The bond question was not an issue in
that primary campaign but seems that the RECORD
UNION office was then enough interested in that ten
der subject to send specific lnterrogatores to Jones
for his answers | will say that here give only the
questions that were submitted touching the bond
questiSn-there were twelve others, relating to
every conceivable subject OF city government. II
the RRcORD-UNION wants to publish them all here
after will furnish a correct copy for that purpose.
The preamble and the questions relating to the
bonds are as follows, viz:
"Mr. Jones, it is stated that you candidate
for the Republican nomination Tor Third Trustee.
Is that correct?
"Then it is desirable to know what are your
views on certain matters of Importance concerning
the city government and the best policy to be pur-
sued in its administration. Are you willing to give
them in response to questions suggesting them
First, then, what in your opinion, should be the
policy Of the city relative to the city Indebtedness
Its discharge repudiatiOn Its partial discharge,
or its partial reputation? rate Of tax TO insure
its payment or a postponement with some other
plan in view? and your views generally, in concise
form, to the whole question OF city debt; its due
and past due interest, the Funded Debt Commission,
etc.
"Eighth-The city has been sued by certain of
her bondholders for unpaid interest, etc What
would you advise should be done in the matter of
defending compromising or otherwise disposing of
those actiOnsE'
Accompany the questions was this note:
"Mr. Jones These questions have written out
and leave for you to prepare answers to. will cell
at y (noou) sharp Friday to receive your answers,
which trust you will write out and have ready 1t
is the desire to print them next morning. Very
truly,
Mr.. Jones found the above note and the questions
on his desk on Thursday, at noon, on his return tie
his home from his place Of business. But it seems
that on the next day your paper for some reason
that am unable to give, concluded that it was not
wise to publish Jones views these questions, for
you sent him the following note
"FRDAY, February "a, 1SS2-4PN
" Mr.. Jones At present We will not publish the
interview viii let you know if hereafter con-
clude to use it. Respectfully, -,
for RECORD UNION"
The RRCoRD-UNIoN never did conclude to pub
lush these views for Mr.. Jones was not afterwards
called on to make answer. The public are able
as am to judge the motive that induced your paper
TO send men around seeking the views OF possible
candidates on this bond matter. If you are prIvi-
legged to 10 that, ii seems to me that Central Com
mittee has the right to recommend a course to be
pursued by the party on particular issue.
A Third Ward Stalwart Republican" broke
loose in an anonymous letter in your paper, on
March 4, 1882, and pleaded with Republicans to
stand up for Ames and "moral politics" | will
incidentally remark that gentlemen connected with
Jne MON announced Ltlat II AIneS was not
nominated the paper would openly bolt the Repub-
licau ticket, it had done the year before. 1t is
perhaps, unnecessary for to particularly refer to
the disgraceful frauds which the result in the First
Ward showed had been perpetrated at that primary.
l do MT suppose that any man who has any stand
ing IN this community VIII at this time attempt to
excuse this base wrong upon the purity Of the bal
lot-boN. In the face, howeytr, of this fraud your
paper never uttered one word of dsspproval, but,
on the contrary, ridiculed Jones for
kicking" and gave Ames a hearty support.
The day after this corrupt election you sadi:
"The Republicans of the First Ward awaited them
selves of the first maxim Of Live upon the
enemy" aud thus, while at the Presidential cleo
ton in 1850, Garfield, Hancock and Weaver COM
bined polled but 799 votes in the First Ward, and
Garfield alone but Az, on Saturday in the same
classic REGION the Republicans rallied SIG votes for
Trustees, and sos each for Chief of Police and City
Attorney. This recuperatiye power Of the party is
only one Of the examples OF the vigor of American
politics
So you regarded this fraud as a good joke on
Jones 1t happened to fall your way. The people,
however, at the election the 18th, took different
view Of the matter and elected Gutenberger, who
was pledged on the bond question, by a vote of
2036 to l,529 for your man, who was not pledged on
that subject. On the morning Of the election you
published lengthy article, appealing TO RepuOli-
cans to stand up for Anes and the ticket and you
called attention to the fact that, Gutenberger
elected, the party would lose all OF its patronage
"spoils, vugary speaking. The year before you
stood on the high ground of " enforcement of
municipal affairs from politics" and that is your
position now. 1t seems though that when you have
your way in the Republican parry, the "spoils
system loses all Of its hideousness. For the
curiosity OF the thing, | wish you would publish
the article above referred to- when you have space
in connection with some OF your more recent edi
torials on the "spos system.
As to the matter Of designating the parsons who own
DO DIS here, do not deem that material as facts
connected with the course pursued by those sup
posed to BE- acting in the interest of the bondhold
ers in trying to elect men favorable 10 them in this
matter, so important TO their pockets.
AS to Mr.. J. r. Watson, | presume his explana-
ton from its length, is satisfactory. Some persons
however, may still wonder what he found in the
committee address 10 kick about so much.
WINFIELD J. DAVIS.
THE MOUNTAIN LABoRs, ETC.
In the above communication there are insinua-
tions which are unjustifable, and total absence Of
the promised disclosures. The files Of the RECORD
UNION will disclose what this journal has said and
there is editorial recorded expression regard
ing the matter that the paper is not prepared
TO maintun. 1t will be observed that
much is attempted to be made Of
Interviews with candidates before the Republican
party. The correspondent could easily have ascer-
tanned the fact al tins Office that reporter sent
10 ascertain the views Of candidates relative to mat
tiers Of city government, local improvements etc.
II is custom that might well be continued on the
part Of the press, and will be 10y the RECORD UNION
II IN any OF the questions propounded there is cali
tJr Information regarding the position Of candidates
that was not entirely proper, IL Will be difficult Of
discovery. II might have been well for the CORE
spondeHt TO have added that the responses to the
questions were not published for the reason that
none were given and that the candidates expressly
begged of, aud only vague and indefinite gen
eTal oral statement Was made, which, however it is
just 10 say did not disclose That either of the caDdi-
dates had any special schemes in view inimical
TO the city, though their views a. 10 financial
management of city affairs we've based on
no definite and well-defned plans OF ideas Il is
rot ttrue, matter Of fact that any election
for Trustee hes IN recent years been devoid Of in
teres concerning the Management Of the city in
debtedness, viii there be until it is finally ad-
iusted OF discharged. The insinuatiOns as TO the
motives OF this journal are Of the same indefinite
unfounded and unworthy character that have char.
acterIzed the recent assaults upon it. Il seems i'm.
possible to impress upon some minds the true idea
Of the province Of an independent journal The in
genuOusness of the correspondent disclosed in his
misquot2tiJn Of the Third Ward correspondent who
did not use the language attributed to him Aeon.
racy is virtue. So too, with regard to the inter.
probation Of the expires, ions Of the RECORD
UNION. They based wholly upen local
reports and which, by the way, disclose that
the RECJRD-UNION published all the facts rela-
tive 10 the First Ward primary, well as the de
Tense Of the Centr Committee Chairman No
local reports or editorials condoued concealed or
apologzad for any irregularities on the contrary
they distinctly presented and exposed them. The
final plint Of the correspondent refers 70 local
IN the morning Of election, which held that since
the body OF the Republicans had expressed their
preference for certain nominees, they should be
supported irrespective of the abnormal condition in
the Inst Ward primary aud the city government