Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-28
VOTED WITH THEIR EYES OPEN.

The Stockton Mad, the rabld utteranceS
of which, like all vituperstion, are force
less, declares that the Republican party
was at the late election put into power by
virtue of its alliance with the railroad
corporations. 1t adds that the people
were fMy cognizant Of this fact, and voted
tho Republicans into office with their eyes
open" Now if the MaiFS first absurd and
mendacious statement, and which amounts
to an insult to thinking people-assuming
it to be verify, for the sake of illustration
proves anything, it is that its fanatical
warfare upon railroad management has
been rebuked by the very Court to which
that journal has so long appealed. 1t de-
clares that there viii be "no anti-monop-
oily legislation the coming winter" and be-
means its assumption in the same breath
that it declares the people, with their
eyes open," voted the Republicans into
Office as allies of the railroads. Was ever
logic so strained? 1t is the last resort of
beaten, angry and revengeful spirit
What is the truth The two great parties
went before the people on two platforms
unmistakable in their terms. The first
was that enunciated by the Democratic
party at the Stockton Convention That
platform subordinated all other matters to
expressions Of enmity and hatred toward
transporters. There was no dignitied,
straightforward, truthful statement of
grievances, or demand for redress but IN
reasoning, cruel and revengeful denuncia-
ton, and an arbitrary demand for State
policy towards railroads ruinous to both
shipper and carrier, and that would amount
to confscation. The Republican party, by
its Convention held at Sacramento, did not
indulge in the demagogic platitudes of its
rival, nor, as was once done, seek to outbid
it in appeals to selfish passions and vile
prejudices. 1t declared, with that judicial
calm which should characterize great de-
Lucrative bodies, against unjust discrim-
nations in any and every form.
1t said, show us a railroad
corporation claiming the right to make I'M
just determinations against places or ship
pers, Or between places or shippers, and we
will visit such punishment as will
efectually prevent repetition, and will
compel the wrong-doer to right it. In
short, the Republican party held that the
carriers Of the country should be free from
no liability or taxes or other thing, or OBJ
legation imposed by the laws of the PEG.
pie; nor should they be deprived in any
degree Of the rights and privileges gliaran.
teed them by law and the principles of
justice and equity. The party by its rep
resentatives declared that there shall be no
discrimination between men between the
same points, for the same freights of the
same class or category. 1t had the cour-
age to enunciate 4 principle denied by
none but demagogues and those who have
no comprehension of ordinary justice and
the established laws Of trade, to wit, that
wise discrimination between different
sections, governed by distances and situa-
tons, and according to classes of products
and articles Of consumption, in order that
the traffic in all may 90 on, is not only de-
feasible, but absolutely necessary and I'M
avoidable, ana is in the interests of all
classes Of people There was no mistaking
these issues, and upon them the people
voted with their eyes open" most GER
tainly, and by their verdict declared
against the rIlinous policy Of which the
bal is one of the most extreme and I'M.
reasoning advocates