New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-19
rIIJPOPNJd Politics.


The railroad question Is the only living issue
in California at present, and it is In very Pc
culiar condition. The new Constitution pro-
vided special method OF taxation for the rail-
roads, the plain intention being to make them
pay exceptionally high taxes They resisted
this provision, and the case going to the courts
the State was beaten, tho tax law being declared
unconstitutional Several counties found them
selves in financial straits through. the nOn-pay-
mcnt of the railroad taxes, and the Central
Pacific Company therefore offered to pay so
much of the taxes "a would constitute fair taxa
ton on the ordinary basis of assessment, and
leave the settlement of tho disputed portion to
the United States Supreme Court. The State
Attorney General and the County Boards OF
Supervisors agreed to this, and the taxes were
paid. At this point tho crisis would seem to
have been over but when most people supposed
the matter settled Governor Stoneman aston
ished the State by calling an extra session of the
Legislature, the pretext being an "extraordi-
nary OCCASION" though the Governor in his pro-
clamation failed to point out what that occasion
was. On their assembling he sent them mes
sage indicating twelve subjects OF legislation,
nearly every one being in the nature OF anti
railroad laws. One of these propositions looked
to the refusal to the corporations OF relief or
pOstponcmcnt of action through injunctlons or
wrts when their property Is seized for taxes
Another contemplated an CO post tdct0 law, de-
claring the Attorney action III accept
ing the tax compromise "nOt authorized" The
purpose of most of them was TO alter and amend
the Constitution or the laws so as to bring the
i no OF
Legislature, and so as to fortify the most dis
eliminating and drastic measures that branch OF
the Government might enact.
In effect the Governors recommendations APP
pea, to aim at the overriding of the judicial
power by declaring and enacting principles OF
government and especially of taxation, when
both tho State and tho United States Circuit
Courts have pronounced untenable and in viola
ton of the Constitution Of the United states.
To those who are acquainted with the antl-rall-
road question in California the calling of an
extra session for such purposes will possibly
seem but natural sequence, for with the defeat
by the courts Of the cOmmunistic raids OF the
Legislature the temper Of the anti-railrOad party
has grown steadily worse. But the California
press gives another explanation of the latest
explosion of demagOgism, alleging that the extra
session was really called through the intrgues
and exertOns of q lawyer named Dclmas, who
was disappointed by the compromise OF large
fee he had expected for arguing the cases before
the Supreme Court at Washington. 1t is also
said that General Stoneman, who has dubious
record on the railroad question, has permitted
himself to be used by this lawyer and by little
clique of Democratic politicians who are en-
deavoring to put George Hearst, rich miner,
and the owner of The San Francisco Examiner,
Democratic paper, into the United States Sen
ate.
One Of the objects of the extra session is the
removal Of The present Board of Railroad Com
missioners, who have failed to establish max
imum rates of fare and freight, apparently be-
cause as soon as they began to study the ques-
ticn carefully they found that the proposed
method of regulation was impracticable and
unjust both to the corporations and the public.
What makes the railroad question dominant in
California, however, is not the general sense of
exacton or oppression, for there is no evidence
that such feeling exists the Railroad Commits
soners, when soliciting complaints against the
corporations, having repeatedly failed to obtain
any testimony justifying the denunciations in
dulged in by politicians. The latter have forced
the issue into prominence themselves, and it has
for years been utilized by adventures and mer-
cenary schemers with mOnOtOnous eflrOntery
not little surprising. 1t does not as yet appear
whether the extra session will answer the ex-
pcctations of its projectors in any respect, but it
seems to have destroyed whatever good opinion
of Governor StOneman remained in the public
mind, and the general, suspicion evidently is
that even If the so-called "cinch bills" arc en-
acted, the Courts will promptly declare them
unconstitutional. In tho meantime the rail-
road seems to have gone out of politics." to
the dismay Of venal politicians, for the total
absence of railroad lobby" at Sacramento,
while it clearly ought to be a subject for con-
graduation, is regarded with disgust and
scarcely concealed Indignation. The bearings
of the present singular situation upon the Presi-
dental campaign remain to be seen.