Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-03
THE GOVERNOR AND TIE TAXES.
Isan Francisco Alta of March 2d.l

San Francisco Alta of March 2d.l
If Governor Ssoneman adheres to the de-
cision he formed last week, to convene the
Legislature, it will be the duty of all par
ties to unite in making the session a sue.
cess, by securing wise and conservative
legislative adjustment of the questions at
issue. TIE Democrats, at least, the conse.
quences of falling short in the attempt to
reach this conclusion would be too serious
to contemplate with complacency. Though
the wisdom of the Governors decision may
be open to doubt, the confidence felt in his
motives is, happily, unbounded.
But the fact is patent that the grounds of
action have shifted greatly since the Gov
ernor arrived at his determination last
week. He must now reconsider his deci-
sion, and he will probably reverse it. 1t
is perfectly well understood that the con-
trolling consideration with the Governor at
that time was the impoverished condition
of the State and county treasures and
the deadlock in the tax suits. The
premises of the Governors conclusion
were briefly these First, the finances of
that State and counties were in a condi.
ton to excits serious concern second,
this difficulty might be avoided by COM
promise with the railroad, but compro-
mise whereby the State waived collection
of the interest, penalties and attorneys
fees, was, the Governor believed, illegal
a violation of the San Jose platform /;
third, no method of collecting the taxes
and from the railroad, except by this COM
promise, was then apparent. Therefore,
Governor Stoneman decided that the ex-
traordinary occasion had arisen which
justified an extra session. He did rot,
like some uneasy spirits of mischief, desire
the extra session for its own sake he
knew what it would cost in money, and
the political dangers which would attend
it. But he assumed that the alternative
was an extra session or a compromise. and
having pledged himself against com
promise, he favored an extra session to de-
wise some other means of compelling the
railroad to pay its taxes.
Now, since the Governor came to this
conclusion and announced that he would
summon the Legislature, a new phase has
been put on the whole business. The taxes
have been paid, and not by compromise
either. A compromise, as the word is or
dinarily used, and as it was employed in
the San Jose platform, means an arrange
ment by which two parties to dispute eff
feet a settlement by each abating part of
his claim to secure the rest, and this is
something that has not been done in the
tax cases. Though money has been OBJ
tanned to carry on the State Government,
the State has not embraced the eompro-
mise contemplated by the Governor. 1t
has not waived its right to one cent of the
interest, penalties or attorneys fees. The
tax suits we're trie6, the railroad obtained
judgments, the judgments were set aside
on motion of its own attorney, judgment
was entered for the State for the face Of
the taxes, and stipulation signed that the
State should not be barred from collecting
the remainder of the money if the Supreme
Court decided it to be legally due. So,
here we have the golden stream of revenue
that was needed to irrigate the barren
County Treasures The clue to the maze
has bsen discovered. The money has not
been bought with a compromise the San
Jose platform has been respected, and no
prerogative of the State abated
OF course it is impossible TO attempt to
predict what the Governor viii decide to
do under these new circumstances but as
the main consideration which inclined MIN
to convene the Legislature has been re-
moved out of the way, it would be natural
to suppose that his determination will be
altered accordingly. 1t is understood, in
deed, that, had the session been called,
other objects would have been stated in
the call besides the settlement of the rail-
road tax question, but the latter was the
magnum opus, and no one believes that
without it the Governor would have for a
moment deemed the need for the Legisla.
ture momentous enough to justify conven-
ing it. Hence the decision to be arrived
at next Tuesday acquires fresh interest and
will be awaited with considerable anxiety.
The railroad tax question is beyond the
reach of legislation-revenue has been OBJ
tanned in amounts sufficient for present
needs, and the litigation can be left to
peacefully take the course it would have
to follow in any event. What exigency
remains that could justify an extra session Z?