Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-22
TIE PROSTITUTION OF A GREAT OFFICE.


F. Post, March 10
It was D. NJ. Dslmas and Clarence
Greathouse who formulated and promul-
gated the proclamation converting the Leg
isIature of California in extra session on
the 24.h of this month. The exercise OF
this great function fell to these gentlemen
through the conjunction of two reasons.
The Constitution had lodged the exercise
of this high discretion in the Governor OF
the State, and custom in the Executive Of
fee has assigned to the private secretary
of the Governor the literary task involved.
But the present Governor OF the State was
not possessed of sufficient continuity OF
purpose to reach final conclusion IN the
premises, and he either could not or would
not trust the literary formulation to his
private secretary. OF Mr.. Delmas, the
public has but little knowledge. he was
employed as assistant counsel to Judge
Rhodes in Gel t sin suits brought to recover
taxes levied against certain railroads IN the
State, and whatever netoriety he may
have ia due to this fact. The railroads had
resisted the payment of the taxes as
assessed. claiming the assessments to have
been illegal, unjust and oppressive. In do
ing this they exercised right shared in
common by all citizens of the common
wealth. They were accorded their day in
court, and judgment was rendered in their
favor. Toe Circuit Court of the United
States, by rendering judgment in favor OF
the defendants, declared in effect that
the complaint of the railroads was well
founded; that the taxes levied against
their property were
rpc.r ,rN-7r-c-r ,Nrr nppRFSSTvF
MIR. Delmas was professionally connected
with the cases, and had an interest In GER
tain fees presumably payable cut of the
costs and penalties had the Judgment been
for the plaintiff, and not for the defendant.
But, notwithstanding the railroad COM
panies had been successful IN the litigation
to which it was party defendant notwith-
standing high Court of the land had de-
cided that the taxes levied were illegal,
unjust and oppressive, the companies de-
cided to pay the full sum of the taxes,
and leave the payment of the interest ard
penalties, 10 when Mr.. Delmas had per-
sonal and private interest, to final adjudi-
cation by the Supreme Court of the United
States. to which tribunal they stipulated
an appeal might be taken. To all this MIR.
Delmas objected, and believing that CO.
ercive legislation of an indirect character
might be brought to bear in the accom-
plishment of the private end IN view, he
has decided to convene the Legislature IN
extra session. This accounts fully for the
exercise of this great discretion on the part
of Mr. Delmas. If in this recitation we
have misrepresented the position of the gen.
tleman, we have not done so consciously or
maliciously, nor do we impute to that gen.
tleman any other than the somewhat wor-
thy motive of taking care of his own in
teresss in his own way.
CLARENCE GREATHOUsE
Is somewhat better known than Mr. Del
mas, being at present the responsible con-
ductor of the San Francisco Eramiser, the
personal organ of George Hearst. wealthy
capitalist, who, to the eclat of the great
wealth he has acquired, desired to add the
titled distinction of high official honor.
Whatever notoriety Mr.. Greenhouse pos
sesses as a State politician is due wholly to
his connection with the nominating cam
pagn resulting in Mr.. Hearst's defeat and
the nomination to the existing vacancy Of
the nebulous Stopeman. WHAT position
Mr.. Greenhouse would have held in the
councils of the Cabinet of Mr.. Hearst as
Governor this public will never be per-
mitted to know. The State declined to
convert itself into a rotten borough for
the sake of giving pampered and vulgar
wealth the inappropriate but coveted set.
ting of high official dignity. But Mr..
Greathouse, and presumably Mr.. Hearst
received the humiliation of defeat with i'll
grace, but with a persistency of design
-
conspicuously lacking in General Stone
man-they determined to strike still
| higher, and thus it is that Mr.. Hearst,
with Mr.. Greenhouse and the Examiner at
| MS back, is now a candidate for the United
States Senstorship. Again we plead the
conscious purpose of being entirely just to
| Mr.. Greathouse Both these gentlemen
hereinb before mentioned are men OF ability
both are capable of pursuing successfully
| their individual interests, aims and de.
signs, and in assembling the Legislature OF
| California in extra session, as they have
| done, both are manifesting that provident
| self.care which should characterize prudent
| men, If our conscience misgives US in the
/ slightest degree concerning these gentle
men, no fastidicus qualm disturbs its per-
feet serenity as we speak of
THE VERY SUBORDINATE PART
Taken by General Stoneman in this trans
action. Toward him we can feel no other
sentiment than those of magnanimous COM
miseration. To be judicially fair, even
ideally jast, the part played by General
| Stoneman was that of under Secretary to
a political cabal composed of old Chivs OF
| the Bourbon school Of politics. His part
begun and ended with signing his name tl
/ the proclamation. This act OF subscription
| comprises the full measure of his partici.
patton in the intention and plans of the
people who used him. He has not the
! capacity to perceive or understand those
plans, much less to have conceived them.
General Stoneman came to the surface by
the use of those little arts which bring for
ward little men. Many years ago he was
| Transportation Commissioner before the
| existing CONSTITUTIONAL Board was created.
! The one single act OF his full official term,
except drawing his salary, was to place his
| signature to the report of the Board. That
report committed him to the doctrine of
the utter impracticability of the regulation
! OF freirhts and fares. Il declared that the
| railroads were well constructed, we'll man.
| aged, and the transportation interests of
I
the country generally very satisfactory.
/ 1t did this ia time when the rates of
transportation we're higher, and when the
| service was in all respects less satisfactory
than now. Subsequently q Commission
with power to regulate was created by a
new organic law How General Stoneman,
who had declared in his report that regu-
/ lasiou was but another name for condsoa-
/ t;op o,d tbak 10 1ivaat fba stook holder
of the railroad company of their propeit y
! by impsiriDg its earning capacity would be
% retrogsuing by many centuries, con-
| demned by all publicists," became Com
missioner, we viii not now inquire. The
/ explanation is TO be found in the unwrit.
ten history of State politics. Bat what he
did when he became Railroad Commis-
sioner is of record. His first act was to
introduce a resolution establishing a maxi.
mum for ireights and fares.