Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-12-24
AN OLD COMPLAINT.

Referring to the worn old plant that
the Central Pacific Railroad has not kept
It's contract with the State, relative to
guaranteed interest on certain bonds, the
State Controller calls the attention of the
Legislature to the complaint, and advises
legislation to compel the railroad COM
pany to perform the conditions of this
contract" There has been no subject con-
corning which there has been such persist
ent misrepresentation The company
agreed to do certain transportation for the
State, and to deed it certain granite
quarry tract when it should secure a patent
thereto. 1t has been over and again in
vestigated and shown that it has kept the
letter and spirit of its contract, aud more,
for it is notorious that it has constantly
carried goods free for exhibition at the
State Fair over lines operated
by it not included in the con-
tract. This charge that the State
has been cheated in the performance of
the contract, has been fayorite morsel
for political agitators and conscionless
demagogues. 1t has been used time and
again as a threat of blacbmail, and
in attempted bribery of officials, and
10 further the interests of certain land
claimants, designing lawyers and unscrupu-
lous spectators IT, now, the Controller
knows il to be a fact that for nineteen
years the railroad company has failed to
comply with the conditions imposed upon
it," why is it that he fails now, as he has
constantly, to specify wherein the corpora
ton has failed? If he is possessed OF the
information, why not give it TO the public?
What secresy can there be about it?
What good end is conserved by concealing
the facts? Ii he is the just man he
claims to be, why does he not point out
wherein the State Is being wronged and
wherein the railroad company is in error?
The contract Is continuing one.
1t runs without end The company
is liable to heavy damages for every eva
sion of the covenants, and these should be
pointed out at once. The State has the
power to pursue ii, as it has had all these
twenty years, and may compel compli
ance. 1t cannot be assumed that the rail-
road managers are fools; that they pur-
posely and foolishly lay the company
liable 10 pay back to the State all the aid
given, and to suffer also in heavy damages
and costs. Yet upon precisely such
theory all the agitation on this subject,
engineered and promoted mainly by
scheming lawyers and one or two
designing helpers, has been kept up.
If the railroad company owes any obliga-
ton to the State, in the name Of common
Justice let it be forced to discharge it. If
il has violated the contract with the State,
in the name of common honesty compel it
TO conform to the compact, and make good
its wrong. But in the name of decency
also, let this long standing text and pet
toy of the political demagogues be " shown
up" and got out of the way, and forever
put beyond the question of doubt and the
use of the INSCRIPTIONS. The people have
a right to know the details, and the counts
of the indictment the Controller brings.
AT best it is unbecoming the judicial atti-
tude State official should assume to in
dulge in fat charges against any citizens.
and as fatty refuse to fortify them by
statement of facts.