Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-19

~ Ahiiipiho h'ip tNtVltotp w ''N NV
exhibit much exultation. On the con-
trary, after the first flush Of victory, we
said that the New York development
was joke rather than an expression Of
public opinion; and, to the credit OF
our political sagaci.y let 1t be remem-
bered. we did not take much stock in
the extravagant majority rolled up by
the California Democracy. We thought,
at the same time, that about four.fifths of
the liberal promises Of the San Jose
platform would be left unfulfilled; but,
to our extreme surprise, the party has
acquitted itself Of far larger measure
OF performance than we had thought
possible. or than is generally the case
with political organizations.
In the first place. just as soon as the
Legislature met, it at once proceeded to
repeal the obsolete and fanatical Sun
day law. The HERALD made its local
fight on that issue, and 1t gives us
world Of pleasure to be able to iterate
aud reiterate the fact that. especially in
Los Angeles county, we won brilliantly,
and principally on that proposition,
1t must be borne in mind that. how
ever IL may be as to the rest of Califor-
mia, or, rather, however it may be Us to
certain sections Of this State, Los An
gelos county has unquestionably no pres
ent quarrel with the Southern Pacific
Railway. That corporation, as to this
section, has possessed tho abacadabra--
the ''open sesame (which has made
accessible material riches to Angelenos
far greater than those pictured in any
single chapter OF the Arabian Nights
Entertainment. II has been sort OF
Scheherezade, which has boxed the com
rass OF all possible local good to us dur
ing the past four or five years, unfolding
the record Of Development to us in many
chapters.
Nevertheless, friendly as we are and
ought to be to that splendid agency of
development known as the Southern
Pacific Railway, We are still more
friendly TO the genuine and sterling prin.
ciples Of the Democratic party. The
HERALD has said thousand times that
the only chance of reconquering SO much
as single aero Of the public domain
laid in the success of the Democratic
party in obtaining control of one or both
branches Of Congress. The Republican
party has always indulged in liberal pro
fessions. Its performance OF pledges, on
the other hand, has been practically
nothing. 1t has surrendered imperial
stretches of the public domain to the
corporations, while it has never at
tempted to recover an acre.
How different with the Democratic
party
Almost the first act OF the Democratic
majority OF the House of Representatives
has been to report bill fcrfeiting the
Texas and Pacific land grant. on the
ground that it had not been earned.
The San Francisco Chronicle is obliged
to note this fact as an incident of our
daily political annals, but it will be very
careful to accord the Democratic party
no credit for it. While our esteemed Re-
publican contemporary puts in nearly
its whole time abusing corporations.
especially railway corporations at the
same time it is the facilc tool and advo
cate of the men and measures who and
which have made corporation oppression
possible.
Not only has the Democratic majority
of the House OF Representatives started
out to put the party nationally ON an
impregnable basis, but we have made
good beginning in the same line III this
State. While the highly wrought eN.
pectations of the voters have not been
realized, the Railway Commission have,
nevertheless, made q beginning in the
work of adjusting the controversy be.
tween the people and the railways. The
Commissioners have announced that the
accomplished reductions in freights and
fares are simply the first installment of
contemplated reforms.
On the cardinal propositions of re-
trenchment in the national expenditures
and the practical acknowledgment of
responsibility by public servants to the
people the Democratic House can be
relied upon.
From every point of view the Democ.
rAcy enter the approaching Presidential
campaign under pleasant auspices. They
have got rid OF the spirit OF over.confi-
dencc and brag, begotten of the too
sweeping victories of last gear. " Nhile
they have piled up no jocular majorities
at the polls, they have shown their abil-
ity to carry New York and Ohio twice
in succession, thing, as to Ohio, which
had not been done before for over thirty
years. They have done this in close,
hard tight. This is solid ork. aud no
amount of Republican buster can lessen
its significance. With all their fam
boyant pronunciamientos the Republican
leaders would give millions to stand
where their Democratic opponents do
now.
As TO California the outlook was never
better, on general issues. The Demo.
cratic leaders will press supplemental
legislation on the Chinese restriction
act, and the inevitable debate will
show how hollow and insincere is the at
titude OF the Republican party on this
dominant issue. Iu addition, the forfeit
ure by Democratic House of Repre-
sentatives Of the Texas Pacific Land
Grant, no matter what the merits of the
question may be, Is easily worth ten
thousand votes to the Democratic party
in California. As cap sheaf ii the
roseate STRUCTURE the Democratic party,
in national convent on assembled, have
only TO insert plank il the platform
an'agonizing sumptuary laws and the
old Blue Law regime Of New England.
That done, we may confidently rely upon
n walk over both IN the state, Nation
and County.
lEsTERpAY the HERALD enjoyed the
4 II ~