Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-06
II EXTRA sEssIoN.

The Executive of the State has issued a
proclamation converting the Legislature in
extra session. The whole session is to be
devoted to assaults upon corporate inter-
ests in rsilroading, and the extraordinary
occasion declared is that the railroad
companies have refused to obey the laws
imposing taxes upon their property.
This is the pivot upon which the whole
document turns, and which has been
evolved by party sohemers after days
OF travail. 1t is q false premise, and none
know it better than the people Of this
State, for the Courts established to deter
mine issues, and do justice, have decided
that what is termed "taxes upon railroad
property are not taxes, but extortionate,
unjust and Illegal levies, to submit to
which without protest would be more than
oowardly.
It is recited that the State of California
is placed in 9" g humiliating attitude" in
this matter. If it be granted, 1t is the re.
suit not Of disobedience of railroad corpo-
rations to the laws, but is the outcome Of
dnholy attempts to deprive citizens OF
rights guaranteed them by the organic law
o. the nation, and the Courts of the land
have SO declared. From this there is no
escape. Whatever of involvement the
State is now subjected to is the natural
sequence Of demagogical efforts to deal
with given class of persons with unjust,
tyrannical and unbearable discrimination.
That is TIE long and short of the whole
matter, and history will 60 write it down
when the fever hest Of present prejudice
and party knavery shall have abated.
So far as Republicans are concerned,
they have every reason to be gratifed that
the Executive has been driven by the po-
Iitical inquisitors Of his party to an act
that has It's origin in an insane prejudice,
and that springs from the most stupendous
folly in judgment OF which political his.
tory gives any account. We can hardly
believe that the sound Judgment of the
Governor approves the call it is probable
that he has determined TO let the maniacal
olamorers for The legislative sugar. plums
have their ardent wishes as the very best
means Of convincing them of their folly.
In this demand for an extra session
the dominant party IS the reverse OF
being unit, The best thought of the
State is opposed to the call And it
could scarcely be otherwise. What is to
be accomplished II we are to take the
San Francisco Examiner ss an exponent of
the anti.railrold sentiment, the PROPOSE.
tion is to deprive railroad companies Of the
right to appear IN Court, of the right to
have wrongs redressed, of the right to ap-
peal through the ordinary processes of the
law to the established tribunals of the
land, and tais IS practically the scheme
of the extra session proclamation.
OF course, IN this the effort will
fail. No man who respects himself will
so far insult his own intelligence as for
moment to entertain the idea that the leg.
islative body can thus debar corporate or
other persons OF any rights they have by
virtue of superior authority. To give any
other view moments consideration is to
offend common sense.
The whole purpose is to barass and an
noy the railroad people. That has been tried
before in several States OF the Union. Val
carly speaking, it is known as the ciuching
process. "Cinch will therefore be King
in the legislative carnival in which the
Democracy is about to indulge. and the
probable result will be the dethronement
of that monarch.
The railroad companies in all this
matter of delinquent taxation have
offered more than fairly. They have con-
ceded away rights under the law, which
the Courts have repeatedly confirmed to
them, and which it is morally certain all
Courts must do in the future that do not
boldly override the law. All that the rail-
road companies have commended for is TO
have the Courts, and those of final resort
especially, astsle the question involved in
the issue as to whether the corporations
have been properly assessed before the law.
That IS all there is in it. All this matter
of hurrah about the percentage on tae
delinquency is CANNON. Any rights of the
State to the percentage and interest are
capable Of determination BY the Courts
Independently of the principal SUNG.
How, then, can an extra session of the
Legislature help the matter! We leave it
for the Democracy to reply. The Governor
has determined that an extraordinary occa. |