Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-25
TEE STATE OF TIE ANTI-RAILRcAD
AGITATION.

The sincere lover of republican institu.
tions cannot but feel grave concern at the
apparent growth of sentiment that prom.
ises to override and paralyze the demo.
cratic idea of a popular government and
the preservation Of the rights of citizens
In property. In California, more than any
where else, it is now manifest There is
coajursd up, on the fimsiest pretext, a
crusade against associated capital as repre-.
scented by railroad corporations, and in
1t every principle OF popular govern
ment is violated. This ia the work OF the
demagogues and the unthinking. The for
msr knows the fallacy of their demands,
the latter ignore the experiences of the
past. They do not know, to paraphrase
Professor Seeley's automatic expression,
th21 such problems as are involved in The
transportation question are not to be solved
by force and fear. The former are Grim.
inally responsible before the moral tribunal
of the county for iDhaming the people
without cause the latter are unfortunate
in following a conscienceless leadership.
The truth is thaS by the studied and
purposeful plots of a political faction, a
war has been insugurated upon railroads
on a theory long since exploded, and
which, if successful, will turn California
backward more than decade. There must,
of course, come time when reason will re-
sumo its sway, for the principle of author.
itg, as the writer named saya, is able to
secure the supremacy it claims, 1t may
make force and fear its ministers, but will
never take them as its masters" This
"pri1ciple OF authority" is that which
commands, says Cicero, "what ought to
b. done, "and which declares. says Demos.
themes, what ia just aad honorable
President Seeley therefore believes in its
ultimate triumph that is, that the right
must prevail. But in the meantime, how
ever we may hope for the right beat of the
public rulse in the future, property rights
must suffer- Aud nowhere will there be
more injury done than to railroad inter
esss. And thie, because the people of Csli-
fornis are just low permitting the dema-
gogue, and the political agitator with an
ak to grind, TO voice as the sentiment Of
the public, doctrines and demands directly
opposed to this unquestionable truth F:
tle interests Of the carriers and shippers
are mutual, aud neither can suffer wrong
without experiencing mutuality of injury.
Il is evident that the present war against
railroads in California is the ou.growth of
fallacious doctrines. OF envy, and of
jealousy of strong control. The agissting
press demand many railroads, insist that
what California needs is very many more
roads, but no greatly strong ones. San
Francisco, practically says this authority,
must compete for through business with
other communities, but object to concen-
trated lines, and therefore the strong roads
must be crippled, and as one means Of
doing this, local rates must be adjusted
upon the basis OF through business. This,
for instance, is the unwise demand of the
Examiner. This doctrine the Railroad
Commission of Massachusetts, as far back
as 1877, condemned in severe terms, and
no;nted out to Boston that its commercial
interests were to be protected only by con-
,olidated through lines, which must
onerate upon basis wholly irrespective Of
Ioo.l rates. Yet in the face Of this truth
the most persistent opposition was last
winter made by San Francisco to the efforts