Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-02
PRESS OPINIONS.
The Extra Session and Its Work-Extract
from Our Exchanges.

The Extra Session and Its work-Extract.
from Our Exchanges.
In addition to the large number of ex-
tracts already presented in the columns OF
the REcoRD-UNIoN, regarding the work OF
the extra session of the Legislature and the
railroad question, we present the following
extracts, taken from among host of SINH
lar expressions by the press of the State and
coast
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Regarding Judge Wallace's assertion that
a railroad is public property the Colusa san
asks; Does he pretend that it is public
property in the sense in which the State
Capitol is public property? A ferry across
the Sacramento river is in one sense public
property, vet in another sense it is private
property. The stage line from Colusa to
Williams is not private property in the
sense in which dwelling is private prop
erty The Judge argues that absolute con-
troll must follow ownership, but the owner
of a hotel has not that absolute control of
his property that the owner of dwelling
house has, but he has more control over it
than the owner of a railroad or ferry has
over that class of property 1t might have
been expected of one of Judge Wallaces
reputed ability that he would point out the
exact line of ownership of the holder of
stock in the railroad corporations and the
public, but if he has qualified anywhere the
assertion of public ownership, it fails to APP
pear in the resolutions, or the speech which
followed it
UNFRIENDLY LEGISLATION.
Marysville 1ppeai.: Is il not true that
the more the railroads are crippled by UNI
friendly legislation, the less able their man.
ayers will be To lend aid to private and
public enterprises? The more their man
ayers are "cinched the greater will be
their efforts to gain and hold some advan-
tage they otherwise would not undertake
1t is true the railroads cannot be crushed
without doing injustice to capital, and
GRIPPING at the same time the public
service The lower the rates the less ac-
commodatibnS. The power in the railroad
Is almost inherent. If the public is dis
posed To be liberal, the railroad managers
will be liberal with the public. Railroad
men are governed by the same instincts of
other people When smote upon the one
check they do not turn the other. They
are not so amiable as TO render good for
evil. People who growl AT their manage
ment would do just as they do if occupying
their positions. 1t is silly to believe that all
railroad men are devils, and everybody
who fights them are angels. The pugna-
ciOuS anti-monupoliStS who are honest and
not playing the role of the demagoguc,
would fight to death the StonemanS and
Extra SeSsioniSts if they were stockholders
in the railroads. 1t matters but
little whether the railroads pay high or low
taxes 80 long as the people who employ
them foot the bills. The higher the taxes,
the higher freights and fares must be-un-
less the power of the Legislature is arbi-
trarily disposed to cripple the railroads
receipts and add Ia its eXpenScS-cinch at
both ends. But the people who
have the power and will be disposed to
exercise ii over the railroads are under
obligations to deal justly and honorably
with the capital invested in these corpora
lions. Wrongs administered by the State
are no more justifiable than wrongs adj
mnistered by the railroads The people
having married the railroads for better and
for worse, must labor to keep harmony in
the family. We therefore do not appre-
bend the majority of the Senate will CON
sent to the cinching operation marked out
by the Assembly.
THE LEGITIMATE OUTCOME.
Lakeport Bce-DcmooH: We are glad TO
note that Assemblvman Crumpton moved
to lay ON the table-which we suppose is
parliamentary for throw into the waste
baSket-the concurrent resolution intro
duced by Wharton. declaring the charter
and franchises of the Central and Southern
Pacific Railroads forfeit to the State, and
instructing the Acknowledgement TO proceed
at once to enforce the forfeiture. This ex-
IRENE measure is the legitimate outcome,
in fact is the practical carrying out of the
Wallace resolutions adopted by the Assem-
bly, with so little consideration early in the
session. 1t is the first step that counts, and
when legislators indorse such resolutions
as those of Judge Wallace they have no
right to be surprised when they are called
upon TO take the next one We are pleased
however, as We stated in the beginning,
that our member took the initiative in call
ing a halt in that direction
\ POLITICAL MACHINE
Peoples Cd,,Se: The whole thing now as
SumeS more than ever the character of
political machine, and whatever hopes we
may have entertained of ultimate good re-
suits for the people in small measure COM
mensuratc with the outlay, begin to vanish
as the expensive machine continues to
move its tardy wheels only to manufacture
public opinion for political purposes.
WANT THEIR SHARE.
The Greenville Bulletin, speaking for the
people Of PlumaS county, says: If the
doctrine of Judge Wallace, that the people
own the railroads, shall become a law,
then we of Plumas county should at once
demand division of the property, and
move our share up here, for in the face of
such legislation we would never get a rail
road in any other way.