Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-04-22

Probably no man in this State has
been the victim OF more misreprescnta-
tjon than the Hon. John 2. Irish, the
eloquent and able editor of the Oakland
Times. A Democrat Of the Democrats, 1t
has been sought to road him out OF the
party by clique which subordinates
the whole history, spirit and traditions
of the Democratic party to little local
disputes which will, we hope, be happi'
ly adjusted and buried out of sight for
ever. The essential Issues Of Democracy
were raised and formulated before
railway had ever been thought OF, and
the attempt to narrow the diapason oi
great national party to the squeaking
treble Of Mussel Slough side issue has
failed, as 1t should have failed. 1t will
be remembered that after t o San Jose
Convention, in the Spring of 1882, had
conceded every request of this small and
factious element, it put forth candi'
date Of its own. in the person of Major
McQuiddy, with the undoubted view OF
beating the party which had treated It
30 well. A few fanatics Of this stripe,
in the main, are those who have de.
nounced man who made
superb railroad record in Iowa, aud
who probably contributed more than
any one man to perfecting the railway
system Of that State, which has proved
satisfactory both to the people and the
corporations. For some time past we
have been pleased to see that the ex-
tremist have not absolute control Of the
Legislature; and that the, in some eases,
excellent but crude and imperfect
schemes, which such honcst,minded but
inexperienced men as Assemblyman
Barry have fabricated, will come out of
the hands Of committees and conferences
in a shape to do unmixed good. But we
prefer to let Mr. Irish, who has been a
close observer of the session, state the
status Of the railway legislation, which
he does editorially in his paper of the
10th inst, as follows;
It is evident that the extra session
before adjournment will have eilectually
settled many questions which have long
vexed the State, and will have done so in
that spirit of solid conservatism which
will not call for more tinkering nor cro-
ate more extraordinary occasions for
calling the Legislature together.
This spirit has held the knife firmly
into the flesh of the Barry-Doyle bill
and as passed it will be shorn of those
features which willfully or ignorantly
held the threat of barn over the indus
tries and interests of the people, while
1t will, better than in its original form,
restrict and control certain possible rail-
road abuses, as to which there is no con
troversy nor divided sentiment. The
revenue law will be made symmetrical
and consistent, to stand the test of judi
cial Interpretation and to exact proper
public tribute from the corporations
without snatching from individuals the
right to protect their estate from public
spoliation.
There is remarkable unanimity OF
opinion amongst the people of this State
on tho proposition that the railways and
other corporations shall be compelled to
respect the law, as other citizers who
receive its protection, must do. But
there is absolutely no disposition, out
side of certain limited element, TO
''oinch" the railways or to alarm capital.
Tho very suggestion of revival of the
communistic hobby-horse which Dennis
Kearney rode for so long time would
throw the mass of the voters of California
into agonies of reputation of those who
shall have the hardihood to make it, 1t
is Just as well that the extremists should
be made to understand this phase of
public opinion, which is absolutely ire
spective Of party. The defeat of the Wal
lace mortgage tax amendment to the reve.
nue bill shows that the conservative sent
iment Of California will be fully repre-
s,nted, as it ought to be, in the outcome
of the extra session. The froth and scum
of the demagogic debate will, as all good
citizens hope and believe, clarity into
just, temperate and eficacious legisla-
ton which will protect the rights OF the
masses and give the commonwealth a
uniform and just revenue system.