Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-04

! constitutes in itself complete and ex-
haustive review OF Nj Foote'S Tor Doyle's)
own work.
The report which is very long, and by
reason of its length very attenuatsd, de-
votes page after page to the history of the
construction of transportation line from
the Missouri river to tide water on the Pa
cific ocean. The pretended history is full
of errors, both of fact and inference For
instance, Mr.. Foote, the supposed Rail-
road Commissioner from the Third
District, who, by his official position,
was bound to state nothing but
fact, and whose official position also
raised the presumption that he had made
careful inquiry into the underlying facts,
says: "They 1.-THE Central Pacific Railroad
Company were aided with gift of bonds,
at that time constituting a first mortgage
on the road, to the extent of twenty-seven
million dollars" 1t is well known to all
the people of the United States, except,
perhaps, Messrs. Foote and Doyle, that the
bonds were not gift that they constituted
an obligation against the company, bearing
interest, which obligation is liability
against the road, and which, under the
Thurman Funding Act is being discharged,
and by the time of maturity will have
been returned to the Government of the
United States.
If Mr.. Foote did not know thie, he is
chargeable with the most inexcusable and
culpable ignorance and if he did know it,
he is guilty of mendacty of the most IN
blushing kind, in permitting Mr.. Doyle to
put forth this falsehood as a statement of
actual fact. Many other statements made
by the supposed Commissioner of Trans
portation are as widely at variance with
the truth, while the conclusions and in.
ferences based thereon are as illogical as
the statements are untrue.
The fact is that Mr.. Foote'S conceptions
OF the duties of Railroad Commissioner
were fully exemplifed and set forth in
little speech made by him when the SEIZED
uIe fixing the maximum rates of transport
alton for fares of this State was adopted
by the Board. On that occasion Mr.. Foote
arose to explain his vote. He announced
himself as opposed to a four cent schedule,
because, as he said land We quote his own
language), 81 do not believe this schedule
will satisfy the public, think a three
cent rate would help our party"
In the contemplation of the Constitution
Mr.. Foote is member of tribunal before
which the equities between the shipper and
the carrier are 20 be brought for honorable
adjustment. That adjustment was sup
posed to be reached by the order fixing the
definite maximum at four cents per mile
for passenger transportation. There is no
evidence that in his inner consciousness
Mr.. Foote had realized the great responsi-
bility of the trust reposed in him. There
is 20 evidence that he brought into
play any of the great judicial
qualities which should characterize one
charged with such high duties and re-
sponsIbilities. There is, indeed, 10 evil
dence that he possesses IL any degree any
Of those qualities. 1t is not easy to de-
termine the character of the contemplation
of silent men, but Mr., Foote, SO far from
being silent man, is q babbler. Like the
shallow brook, q" he giveth forth voice. "
He had pondered the great problem of the
adjustment Of the equities of the shipper
and carrier. He was called upon to vote.
He voted no. not because maximum fare
of four cents per mils was demanded by
considerations OF business and fairness to
the carrier. or that the rate was not low
enough to preserve the equities of the
travelling public, but because "a three cent
rate would help our party" Considera-
tions OF benevolence would forbid com.
ments in this line upon Mr.. Foote and his
character as a Commissioner. Il is, per.
haps, his misfortune, not his fault,
that he has been unable to rise
above the plane Of petty dema-
gogue in the discharge Of his duties
as 9 Commissioner. Self conscious at all
times, he appears incapable of any true
introspeetion. When measured by the
high and responsible duties of the office
which he holds, his lack of a true concep-
ton of their dignity and Importance gives
emphasis to the immeasurable lttleness of
Mr.. Foote'S conceptions Of public duty.
These considerations bring into strong
relief the issue between Mr.. Foote and his
colleagues The Constitution by its terms
has reserved to the Government of this
State the right to control the rates of
transportation To discharge this great
and unusual function body clothed with |
extraordinary powers was created. Enter !
ing upon the exercise of its important func. |
tions, the first question to be answered !
was, shall regulation proceed from
the higher motives of exact Justice
to all parties interested in the |
decisions Of this august tribunal, or shall |
motives Of Illicit political advantage, per. |
sonal maligpity or irregular passion domi. !
nate the DEGREES Of this Commission Shall |
the powers vested in the Board be exer.
eised cOnservatively or destructively: The |
majority of the Board, as evidenced by |
their action and their report, has taken |
the higher ground Mr.. Foote, both by |
his review of the work of the majority, /,
and by the definition of his own position as
a Commissioner, when explaining his vote
upon the important order OF the Board,
has chosen to be governed in his actions
and his judgment by considerations as low |
as political partisanship. The declars.
tion that "a three-cent rate would help |
our party is a complete key to the govern,
ing motives controlling his action as a pub.
lie officer.
There are other kinds of venality than
that which looks to pecuniary reward as
the controlling influence Of official action.
The venaIity Of political preterment,
whether it have personal or partisan mo-
tive, has, in a moral sense, all the essen. !