Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-29
TIE EXTRA SESSION BUaABoo


EDS. RECORD UNION: The San Francisco
Examiner, backed up by paper Of that city
which you have appropriately referred to as
the ''Bashi. Bszouk of journalism" backed
up by the prostitutes, the gin-slingers and the
money.squsezers of Sacramento, and the dem.
agogical element all over the State. has given
birth to q sentiment that has resolved itself
into an impudent demand upon Governor
Stoneman to call an extra session of the Leg.
islsture. Why be should thus jeopardize the
| interests of this commonwealth, the originat-
ors of the scheme do not pretend to say.
| They make sort of nigger-oI- plea
| that it is for the purpose of compelling Ger.
tain corporations to pay their taxes, but any.
| body gifted with one ounce of common sense
or one grain of leffal knowledge is aware how
vain and purile would be such policy.
In the first place, the case must be one OF
| urgent necessity that would warrant the
converting of this body. No necessity hiss
arisen-nor is one likely to present itself
What could the Legislature do with the rail.
| road companies relative to their non- payment
| of back taxes? The sum necessary to pay the
expenses of such an aSsembldge lcoutd be more
| than is invOlred in the amount at issue.
Besides, the whole matter is now before the
proper legal tribunal, and beyond the juris-
diction of any legislative body. There is
nothing to prevent the companies from &C.
| ing into Court and openly confessing judg.
| ment in the event of the possibility of passage
of any measure intended to coerce them.
| The people, then, with their extra session,
| would occupy about as exalted position as
| the man who drew the white elephant in the
lottery.
But" say the would be preservers of pub
lie destiny, there is great principle in
volved." Yes; but in this instance the an.
tereSt occupies higher consideration from
certain points of view than all the principle at
issue.
Another claim is made by this csstlein-
drifting-sand element that the Central and
Southern Pacific Railroad Companies should
be regarded as any private corporation, and
held subservient to the laws of this State. 1t
has only been few months since these same
corporate bodies raised the question as to
whether this State has any jurisdiction what
soever over their actions, or whether the mat
ter of their legislative government should rot
vest in the Congress of the United States, and
to classify them in the category with con.
ceru doing business of o purely local nature
| is worse than silly. Many men of legal
| learning yet hold the opinion that if this
point is fairly tested before the Supreme
| Court of the United States, these two COR
porations will be exempted from allegiance
| to the laws of any particular State, and
amsnable only to the great sovereign power
of this country. The reason for such de-
| cision is embodied in the fact that universal
public policy does not permit o certain Sec
| ton of the country to exercise an individual
control over the management and govern.
| ment of lines of such recognized Importance
as the ones under consideration. In the
| hands of corrupt and venomous Legisla-
ture great hsrm could be done, not only to
| the welfare of the roads, but to the mercsn-
| tile interests Of other States.
l have studied with some interest the re-
cent decision of Judge Sawyer in the debris
case, and it does not require an artistic hand
| to draw line of comparison between the
| effect that decision has on The actions of one
| branch of industry over another, and the re-
| lations that State has to the control of a
corporate power operating in score of States
and Territories. By its provisions perpetual
| injunction has beea granted against tie
| minefs from working their mines to the in-
| jury of farmers. Il wss a case involving
enough interests to be regarded as beyond
| the jurisdiction Of the State and now upon
| what theory of jurisprudence or equity can
| the plea be entered that the State OF Califor.
MIA has the power to legislste upon the
government of corporation that has its
| identity not with ohe State, but with thu
States in severalty? 1t might just as well be
argued that the hand of human being
hiss the inherited right to sever one of the
great arteries Of the body, because, through
some process of anatomical aiment, its lit
| tie finger was affected.
Governor SLOVENIAN should not convene
the T,apislatr1re uflon any IF the Dlaas aa.
vanced by this ranting element. Let him
study closely and wisely the different phases
of the situation, and he will find that down
below the fiuttering surface, broader, deeper
and fairer than any of the demands of dema-
gogy, there does not exist one honest senti-
ment in favor of such action. DEMOCRAT.
Sacramento, February "a, 1884.