Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-17
LEGISLATIVE PLEDGES.
Stirring Letter From Democrat
What the Party Should Do.


EDS RECORD UNION: When and where
did any candidate in this State ever say he
was in favor of amending the new Const-
tuition? When did any legislator ever
pledge himself to vote for an income tax
When did any candidate agree to support
such a measure as the Barry bill Yet
the Examiner is continually talking about
Legislators breaking their pledges?" What
pledges? Because Governor Stoneman and
two or three interested attorneys say the
new Constitution needs amending in several
places does that make ii so? Is Governor
Stoneman the Democratic party of Califor
MIA, that members of his political faith
should do precisely as he directs them?
Who made Stoneman King over Israel,
that he should call Legislature to-
gether to do what It's members were
never pledged to do and what no party
platform has ever advocated? And, by
the way, how long has this Daniel come TO
Judgment been a Democrat, anyhow?
When Denis Kearney nominated General
Stoneman for Railroad Commissioner on
the Workingmen's ticket, five years ago,
Stoneman accepted the nomination, and
said he was proud TO be a member of the
Workingmen's party. Afterwards he was
nominated also by the Democrats, but
when called upon for an assessment by
them he replied. = ! am no Democrat. Now
/ respectfully submit that man who is so
recent q convert TO Democratic principles
should be little modest when it comes to
teaching lifelong Democrats in the Senate
and Assembly their duties at this particu-
lar time. But the Governor and the EG-
dnli,eeT clique seem to think there are too
many Democrats in this State, and they
therefore propose to read out of the party
all who differ with them in their extra
session programme. But there are good
many Democrats who will go without wait
ing to be read out if this extra session
shows that the communists have taken
possession of the Democratic party. There
are thousands of Democrats in California
who don't believe that Gripping the. rail-
road is the way 10 develop the industries
OF this State, and they will no longer vote
with party when it shall be shown that
fanatics and demagogueS rule it. When
the cranks got possession of the old Wing
party it soon went to pieces. And 1t will
be so with the Democratic party. There
are so many practical, unprejudiced, enter
prising people in this country that
they hold the balance of power
and when any party is captured by
| have recently looked over the Democratic
platforms adopted by State Conventions in
New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wiscon-
sin. Railroad determinations are as great
in those States as they are here, yet in none
of these important States do the Democratic
platforms even mention railroads. Why?
Because the Democratic leaders in the East
are not demagogues. And because they
have the excellent sense to see that it is not
good politics to drive from their party the
thousands of railroad employees and work
ingmen, who are naturally Democrats. Let
our leaders in the State Legislature adopt
the same wise policy, and California will
remain a Democratic State:
As there is no Democratic paper in Sac
ramento, will the RECORD UNION do me the
favor of inserting the above, and oblige
A CONSERVATIVES DEMOCRAT.
Sacramento, April 16, 1884.