Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-11-08
TIE .ExeRA SESSION. CHATTER.

A few sheets still keep up the extra ses.
sion chatter. The San Francisco Examiner,
which bends the knee to selfish purposes,
and sacrifices all things to further the am.
bition of its purse-holder, in feeble forci.
BILE sort of way still urges the Governor to
convene the Legislature in extraordinary
session.
1t may be profitable to inquire into this
matter in detail. The people in their sov-
ereign capacity revolutionized the form of
government in this State by peaceable
methods. They adopted a Constitution
that erected body known as the Board
of Railroad Commissioners. To this body
was relegated the whole question of rail
road regulation. To it the people commit
ted, with deliberation, trusts of loftier
character and responsibilities of graver
nature than are given in charge to any
other branch of the Government. They
set this body above all others, and vested
it with extraordinary powers, involving
the possible destruction and confscation
of the property of one class of citizens, for
they gave this Board power to control the
ownership rights of property, and the ultra
exercise Of which amounts to confiscation.
1t declared that this body should prescribe
the rates OF fare and the tariffs for freight
carriage on railroads operated in this State.
To this end the body was given
unlimited inquisitorial powers, and
vested with authority greater than
any other officials can exercise. They de-
clared that the judgment of this body
Z" shall be deemed conclusively Just and
reasonable" Not even the Courts of the
land can question their exercise of power or
review their acts. Now, this extraordinary
Commission, chosen by the people, has
made certain reductions on fares and
freights which cripple the railroad carriers,
reduce their earning capacity, and are IN
several respects harsh and unjust, and op-
posed to the plainest dictates of business
wisdom and experience.
But an ultra anti-railroad class, So called,
dseming it popular hobby, express dis
sItisfaction with the act of this supreme
body, from the Judgment of which the in
jured party is not even permitted to ap.
pal, and declare that the reductions
sweeping as they are, are not sufficient
Though the population to the square mile
is but a in much of the section traversed
by the railroad lines, they demand sched-
ules OF rates deemed just on roads running
continuously in sections with from 20 to
200 to the square mile.
They are not sincere in this; they ride
the reduction hobby in order to canter into
place and power, and crafty the ambition
of incompetency TO sit in the seat of polit-
ical distinction. For these reasons they
clamor for an extra session of the Legisla.
ture, in the hope that that body may find
some way to defeat the very end the people
had in view in electing the Railroad Com
mission, to break down its independency,
and to shear 1t OF ITS power, not that II
may be more just in its acts, but that il
may be driven on to such excessss that
railroad property may be practically de.
stroyed in this State. A more anomalous
situation 1t would be difficult TO conceive
1t is proposed soberly to convene Legisla.
ture to menace body made superior to it,
aud that derives its authority from the
same source.
So for as politics enter into the question,
the Republican party can well wish the
extra session called, since it is certain thai
it would prove, on the part of the Demo
cratic administration, an act of hara-kiri
II the Democracy desires to let out it
political bowels, we know of no more
convenient weapon than an extra session
that it can lay its hands upon.