Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-20
THE IMPRESSION HE HAS MADE.


yesterday on the II AS p. m. train. The
campaign will be opened in that city to-
night, and he is announced as the first
speaker. Mr.. Pond has made an excel
lent impression upon our people during
his visit here. Even the most deeply
ingrained Republicans, after having con-
versed with him, have gone away with
favorable opinion of him. He is broad
and liberal in his views, easy and enter
tanning in conversation, fertile and sug-
gestive in topics of discussion, stored with
a wide range of knowledge upon general
and special subjects, genial and respon-
sive in his manner, an earnest talker
and a fine listener. But the command
| ing trait which at once strikes the OBJ
server is the broad, practical good sense
he exhibits in treating the public ques-
tions which are now uppermost in the
minds of the people of our State. He
shows a familiar knowledge of our polit-
ical history, and is thoroughly convers
ant with all the details of the workings
OF our State government. Such man
may not be good fellow" in the sense
that Bohemian scribblers define them );
but is a very good fellow to take charge
of an important public or private trust
such good fellow as would always
give good account of any charge or
duty confded to him. He is a man to
pin ones faith to with the assurance
that it Will not be misplaced.
We have said that a leading idea with
him is to bring to the conduct
of the financial affairs of gov
ernment the rules and principles which
control business men in their private
business affairs. The propriety of such
rule is challenged by shallow con-
temporary. But we accept it as per-
fectly incontestible proposition-one
that experience has proven to be true,
and that departure from which
has made incontrovertible by the disas-
ter that has invariably followed. The
annexed clear exposition of Mr.. Ponds
views on this interesting subject is incon-
trovertible, and win receive the endorse
ment of every intelligent man. In his
speech in Hazards Pavilion Wednesday
night he said:
My life has been that of business
man, and in the responsible positions to
which my fellow-citizens for four sue
cessive elections have chosen me, have
endeavored to apply business methods
in the administration OF public affairs.
1t seems to me that the duties of Gov
ernor are those largely relating to pub
lie finances. Therefore business methods
ought to be employed by those dealing
with finances, instead OF conducting the
Office on traditions of the past or good
fellowship.
The proof that Mr.. Ponds theory is
right is in the fact that he has carried it
into practical exemplifcation with the
most complete and satisfactory results.
His administration of the intricate, diff
fcult and diversified fiscal affairs of the
great city of San Francisco, has stamped
him as man of deep reflection, logical
reasoning and extraordinary powers of
execution. What his mind directs his
will carries out. Stern and unf1inching
when he has reached a logical conclu-
sion, he is of such stuff as men are made
who come successfully to the res cue of
communities in great and diff
cult crises. When the gas cor
poration said to him, you must
pay our bills; he replied, you must pay
the taxes you owe and which you refuse
to pay. And when they refused to do
the latter and insisted upon the former,
he let the city lights go out, and Gimme
rian darkness settled over her streets.
1t was heroic act and a heroic means
of bringing the corporation to terms.
The gas company found that they had
run against man OF courage and deter
mination. They could not stand the
pressure of the popular indignation they
had aroused, paid their taxes and Pond
triumphed.
Such men are needed at the head OF
affairs. They are more needed by the
people than the people are necessary to
them. Mr.. Pond bears the stamp and
impress of his strong and sturdy charac-
ter in the lineaments of his face and
exemplifies it in his conduct and
conversation. The people are not
slow to recognize his qualities, and
his contact with them here during his
short visit has won golden opinions
from them. He has not only bound his
party friends faster to him than they
were bound to him before he came, but
he bas conciliated many of the opposi-
ton whose judgment and patriotic
sense will be behind the votes they will
cast for him ON the first Tuesday in
November.