Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-09-18

| beHt hdilWdy ana fOitlCal S1tuA-
tion-The New Constitution. Etc
To THE EDITOR OF THE HRRALp: As
open letters seem to be the order of the
day, bow to the fashion aud acknowl-
edge wild desire to write something to
somebody and publish it somewhere
wherever | may find some complacent
editorl
don't like the idea of addressing my
self to one or two men, it is too circum-
scribed, too lonesome altogether, be-
sides IL almost invariably betrays one
into personalities which should be
avoided il possible.
Ihave political aspirations, and wish
once more to place myself on record,
and therefore turn aside from individuals
and Commissions, Boards and Commit
tees, and address myself to all the peo-
pie of the State of California.
Consider that | have made nv bow
and thus addressed them:
"My beloved brethren, fellow-citizens
and countrymen."
You especially who advocated and
voted for the then so-called 'New Con-
stitution," chiefly on account of the
provision which called into existence
"The Railroad Commission, candidly.
earnestly, solemnly. / ask, "How do
you like it as far as you have eotY
Havn't you got enough of the business
alreadys The first Commission, viewed
from popular standpoint, was failure;
the record of the present Commission is
cloudy in the extreme; are you prepared
to continue the experiment, asserting
yourselves Representatives of these uto.
plans, who. resting on the bridge of
reason, proclaim, by their acts, that
what was yesterday is to-day, can be so
guided in determining what will or may
be tomorrow ?"
What the first commission was, the
present commission is, all future COM
missions will be, and slowly it may be,
but foreibly at last. will APPEAR the truth
of the poet
The past is nothing and at last
The future can but be the past"
The danger OF this railroad legislation
almost every man of judgment foresaw
at the time of the adoption of the Con-
stitution. 1t is useless to argue that
other States have created similar COM
missions and that they have proved sue
Possibly in other States where
there exist rival roads the efforts put |
Iorth by each to have there choice nomi-
mated. elected or appointed may give the
people chance to secure their choice
Ind thus protect their rights, but in this
State, where the conditions described
10 not exist, the hope, or ossibility of
hope, Of Railroad Commissions satisfac-
'ory to the people is almost puerilel
If the Legislature is to be convened,
hen in the name of all that is sensible,
and righteous, let it be, not
or the purpose of impeaching the man
,r men who are the legitimately begot-
EN- offspring Of the foolish, ignorant and
legislation the people en-.
lcted in the organic law, but let it be
allied to give the people an opportunity
or impeaching the judgment Of the great
majority of the voters in the State; let
t repeal this railroad clause altogether
md give us in its place maximum rate
# freights and fares small enough to
protect us from railroad grasp and op-
PRESTON and minimum to protect hon
'st competition.
Or, if the people are not ready for
u ch radical change or movement, then
ct them amend the organic law to the
xtent of giving us one Commissioner
'nly. This would be less expensive
nxury. quite as ornamental, aud would
'e the only possible way of ridding our
elves of the bad majority; besides it
would have tendency to weaken the
minority.
! believe with a clear idea Of the prac-
ical workings of the Railroad Commis-
ion and a realizing sense of the beue-
it's ~ that by way of diversion and com
sensation that must inevitably grow out
+ the acts and course of the State
Board of Equalization, the people viii ,
their mistake and stand ready
D supply the necessary remedy. +
j. De BARTH SHORE.
San Marino, Sept. IA, 1883.