The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-30
THE RAILROAD AND POLITICS.

The letter of Mr.. Huntington, Presi-
dent Of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company in response to the communica-
Ton Of MI Lynch of the existing Grand
Jury, we doubt not has been read with
general interest. Mr.. Huntington al
ludes to the action of certain employees of
the company of which he is President in the
following language:
I particularly regret This action by Colonel
Raymond because | have been told-and, l
think, saw in some of the California papers
that tile matters referred to in your letter had
taken a political turn, so 10 speak, and, while |
cannot believe such to be the case, YET the sug-
gesliOn OF it has made ME more anxious tEat no
one connected Slth me in the active man ge-
ment Of The Southern Pacific Company should
allow himself TO take part in this or any other
movement in California thlt was even suspected
OF having political inclination. I have been,
and sin am. determined to get the Southern Pa
cfc Company out Of politics and confne It 10 its
legitimate business Of transporting persons and
rroperty. Il has been meddling with it too long
already.
Our readers will note particularly what is
said in the closing portion Of this quotation,
which reads as follows: 81 have been, and
still am, determined to get the Southern Pa
ciic Company cut Of politics and eoBtine it
to its legitimate business OF transporting
persons and property 1t has been med
ding with it too long already" Mr.. Hunt
iugt0n admits that the company has been
engaged in politics, but he says lie is deter
mined 10 get the Southern Pacific Com
pany out of politics ami c0nfine it to its Ie-
Ultimate business" Mr.. Huntington has
the frankness to say that the company has
been in politics. This is something, and
we hope that he will be able to cut off the
men who have done so much to injure the
reputation Of California in the estimation of
the outside world Let us consider for
few moments what this being engaged in
politics by the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company has meant. II is generally sup
posed that the company, or individuals of
that company, have furnished large
amounts of money to secure the nomination
o candidates for Office who were favorable
to its interests. 1t has been charged with
doing this to a certain extent for both polit-
ical parties The result has been that the
public could not secure the nomination Of any
considerable number Of candidates for Office
through political conventions. They were
nearly all believed to be secured by the per-
sons used by the railroad company. Men
have been sent to the Legislature who were
pledged in advance to do certain things.
Admitting that these legislators we're not
brthed after election, they were as much
disable as if they had been, for it was un-
derstood in advance that they would do
almost anything the agents Of the company
directed. To very great extent our mu-
nicipal officers have been selected by the
same influence. Bosses have been enriched,
the public have suffered and corruption has
run riot. OF course candidates whose nom
nations have been bought are not the most
reliable. And perhaps it was too much to
expect that men who had obtained office by
the use of railroad money should not work
other interests for ''cinch" money, or sell
their votes to those who would pay for
Them