The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-31
HOW GOES CALIFORNIA
The Democrats Confident She
is All Right.
WHAT CALIFORNIANS THINK
Changes in the Past Four Years
The New VOtin e Element on
the Coast


Since the famous struggle over the
adoption OF the new constitution OF
California in 1879, there has never been
a contest at the polls which promises to
equal in ferceness and intensity that
now in progress in this State.
California is considered By Cali
fornians a more doubtful State than
either New York, Indiana, New Jersey
or Connecticut, and still more doubtful
than the two most dou btful of the four.
The unbroken series of Republican
victories beginning with the war period
down to the revolt which led to the
election of Governor Haight in 1867,
needs no explanation. Hsight was the
first Democrat to formulate square
issues between the railroads and the
people, and be was elected But four
years subst quently he was defeated for
reelection BY Newton Booth, land in turn
he was defeated in 1875 py Wllnam
Irwin, the then leader of the Democ-
racy la the State Senate. In the cleo
ton of 1879 George {. Per kins, q Re
pu blican, d lie ited the Democratic can
didate, and again in i8S2-the new Con-
stitution by its operation cutting eff
one year from the term Of each State
officer-the Republican candidate and
the whole Republican ticket gave way
to General Stoneman by the most phe-
nomenal moiority known to the history
of the State from the time that Leland
Stanford was elected Governor in 1852
But at the following election of 1886
Washington Bartlett, mayor of San
Francisco, pulled through by the mar
row margin of 600 over the Repu blican
competitor, while Michael +. Tarpey,
who ran with him for Lieutenant Gov
ernor, and who received nearly 5000
more votes than he, was defeated.
THE HAND OF THE RAILROAD.
In all of the strange in constituencies of
California politics for the past twenty
years the jobbery of the gigantic rail-
road corporation which has clutched
the throat of the people has been dis
tinctly visible. 1t controls directly the
vote, of from 10000 to 1900 employees,
and there are many hundreds, If not
thousands, whom IL has been able to
reach indirectly. Whsn the voting
population of the State was 100, 900,
l20 600 and 80, 900 it can be easily IN
derstood how such a vote d y cast
in close State would dete rhine the re-
suit with q rush. Whenever the Re-
publican Party manifested a desire to
throw off the yoke of the railroad orders
were issued to vote the Democratic
ticket, so that it has been notorious for
several wears past that men like Morris
E. Estee, the chairman Of the late Re-
publican National Convention, and
john F. Swift, the last defeated csndi-
date for Governor, are as much the tools
of that corporation as any of its most
blatant employees.
The STEADY increase in the population
of the State and the consequent in
crease OF voters has lessened the rail-
road influence. A striking evidence Of
its inability to hold its own against en-
Iightened public sentiment, even il the
Party, was shown the other
day in Oakland, where Henry Vrooman,
the State Senator from one OF its dis
tricts, and who was honored by the
minority of the LEGISLATURE
of 1887 with the nominatian for United
States Senator against George Hearst.
was beaten out OF sight by young
journalist for the nomination. The
district is supposed to be overwhelm-
ingly Republicsn-in fact, Democrats
admit that it has more than l GOO ma
jori;y, and it is largely populated by
men in the employ of the railroad.
But bt cause Vrooman was notorious
and tool of the railroad in
the Legislature, as we'll as its paid at
torney, and because a journal like the
Examiner disclosed the evidences of his
corruption, the people revolted, and the
railroad could not hold its own en-
ployees. The fact is cited merely TO
show the change OF sentiment among
the people with respect TO the railroad
and other burning questions. 1t may
be remarked without any discredit to
The old residents of the State that the
great influx of thu people from the
eastern and northwestern States in the
past two or three years has been the
cause of healthier public tone.
THE COMING ELECTION.
It is clear to those who have watched
he progress of the campaign so far,
Ind who understand the politics of the
State, that California will poll CSC, 900
votes this year.
In no State in the Union did the
Presidents message at the opening of
Congress create a more profound feel
ing than in California. In this State
wages in many lines of employment are
higher than in the older settled States,
and there is with the inflow of eastern
capital and tremendous development OF
the State nn want of nlnument The