Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-23
MOST DIFFICULTY PIECE OF ROAD ON THE
coSgINEET TO BUILD.
IThe Colusa Sun. February 9th. j

The fact that the Presidential election
comes this next fall, and the further fact
that one House of Congress is Democratic
and the other Republican, makes it hard
on the railroads that have any connection
with the Government. To do something
against railroads is always in order with
those who do not know what else to do or
say to please the people. We will not
accuse all who try to bring the great cor
porations of the country under control OF
demagogism. Allan G. Thurman is, in
our opinion, as far from the demsgogue as
any man America has produced, and he
made the Central and Union roads do JUS
tice by the Government as creditor. 1t
is natural for all men to abuse power, and
it is the part Of wisdom In the people to be
jealous of the power, and more likely to
be abused than any other. This whole
some jealousy is the groundwork upon
which most politicians hope to build their
fortunes. They do not always discrimi-
nate in fact, there are but few who feel
that they can afford to do So If there is
not a joining in with every cry that is
raised the politician feels that he has lost a
part. We have tried to discriminate.
When all San Francisco was fighting the
acquisition of Goat Island by the railroad
company, we said it was a mistake for San
Francisco, whatever it might be for the
balance of the State. Who is there that
does not see that now? Many men saw it
then who weres afraid to cay it. There
would have been no Port Costa, no ware
houses lining the bay, had San Francisco
permitted terminus to be made within
the city limits. We have often said that
the interests of San Francisco and the in
terests of the Central Pacific were so init.
mately interviewer that the one could not
be hurt without hurting the other. San
Francisco cannot be hurt without hurting
the State. We do not mean by this that
San Francisco should not try to make the
railroad pay taxes, should not seek to take
control of the matter of charges for bust
ness done, but when it comes to q conflict
with any other company not having ter
minus in San Francisco, there is no doubt
about the position the people of that city
ought to occupy.
1t is proposed to forfeit the land grant to
the California and Oregon Railroad, and as
we have said, the Democratic House will
not be outdone by the Republican Senate,
and the Republican Senate will not be out
done by the Democratic House, and any
measure of that kind is likely to pass The
land above the present terminus, twenty
miles beyond Redding, is not of much
value, unless the road is built. It is adj
mitted to be the most difficult piece of
road on the Continent to build. The grant
will give the company credit to build the
road. Is it in the interest of California,
and particularly of San Francisco, to have
the road built now, and owned and con-
tlolled by company interested in making
business center around the bay Will the
road be built over this rough country
without the credit given by this grant
There is not enough business now, we
opine, to justify the expenditure OF the
money necessary for its construction. We
do not state it as fact that there is not
enough business; we do not know that
there will be days delay in the construc-
tion by the California if the grant should
be forfeited. We do not know that there
Is any danger of the Oregon company
building on down and diverting trade from
California that local company would be
interested in maintaining. We are not in
a position to give this information, but if
we were a member of Congress from Cali
fornir we would inquire into the interest of
this State in that behalf. 1t is our expe-
rience that man who will do his whole
duty, as he sees it, will come out on top in
the end. No public man should be afraid
to express his honest convictions, and to
act upon them. A man who ought to rep
resent great State like this in Congress
should feel that he stood above suspicion
in anything he did in the line of his duty.
Our Congressman may have inquired into
the points suggested by us. We hope they
have, and we hope that no considerations
favorable or unfavorable to the railroad
company, apart from the interest of the
State, will influence their actions.