The morning call., 1892-04-24
CALIFORNIA POLITICS.
A Glance at What They Have Been
and Are.
Causes Of Boodhng and Rottsnnsss - The
Malign Influences Of the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company.
Written for THE MORNING CALL.

One period Of its history San Francisco
can look back upon with satisfaction aad even
with pride. 1t is the 10 or u years which
followed the action OF the Vigilance Com
mIttee In 1856 That committee did much
more than hang Casey and Cora. The Peo-
pies party, which did so much TO purify
politics, may be described as the outcome of
the Vigilance Committee. Before 1856 our
politics were la Vicious condition. Cor
ruption was supreme. and affairs had be-
come SO bad that change was necessary If
society was to be kept in the path of prog
ross. The Peoples party was an organiza-
ton OF the best elements in our population,
and as long as it exercised its power the
various offices were in the best hands. The
affairs of the city and State We're well man.
aged and we had a good and honest, eco
nomlcal government After the election of
Lincoln there was a change in our politics.
The rebellion in the Southern States made
people in California more anxious TO secure
the success of the Union party than to give
special attention to the upholding OF purely
local interests. The necessity of the mo-
ment was the nomination of Republicans
who would support the Government. Until
1867 all went tOlerably well; but in that
year events occurred which showed only too
plainly that corruption was again in the
ascendant. The war was over, and the
Union was saved. and in the natural course
OF things the city and State should have
been In position TO give undivided atten-
tion TO local affairs. But the Central Pa
cihc Railroad Company had now got
into politics. and the degeneraiing
tendency which began to appear is
distinctly traceabe To that company,
The trahScOntlnental railroad was then be-
ing built and the few men who were behind
II were getting rich on Government bonds
and grants. In 1867 George c: Gotham was
candidate on the Republican side. William
Ii. Carr was the boss employed by the rail-
read TO manipulate politics in its interest
and he used all the influence Mt his COM
mand for Gorham. That this influence was
considerable may be judged from the fact
that Carr b. asted he had under his control
III the State so newspapers, which was tan
tam0unt TO saying that they were in the pay
of the Central Pacific. Principally through
the strenuous opposition of the Bulletin
Gorham was defeated. From that time
onward corruption has never ceased in
California
RAILROAD SCHEMES.
Governor Haight was elected 10 1867 and
Newton Booth became @ vernon in 1871.
In 1872 a movement began to get possession
of Goat Island for railroad purposes. Mr..
Ralston of the Bank OF California and few
was being injGrOusly affected by the Gem
trail Pacific were instrumental In calling to-
gether the Committee OF One Hundred. IL
transpired after the organ ZatiOn of the
committee that RalstOn aud his friends had
plan TO obtain $4,000, 000 from San Fran
cisco for the purpose of constructing
railroad TO the south by absorbing the South
ern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific
had started its line and some Of these men
had the option of buying the franchise and
what property the Southern Pacific had at
that time. But this the public did not
know The idea in the committee at first
was ostensibly 10 head off the Central Pa
eihc in its Entertainments, but il was soon
found out that the real purpose was 10 con-
struct another railroad, as indicated. south
through the State. Before the Committee
of One Hundred closed its business there
was also an effort made TO get the fran
chise and concessions for a railroad run
ming round the front Of the city, to be in the
hands of private corporation. The same
parties were AT the back of this proposal.
The result was that Ralston ard his friends
were defeated in their efforts to obtain a
subsidy, and all their negotiations came 10
nothing.
The Committee of One Hundred tried TO
carry out plan for railroad on behalf of
the public. Conferences were held by MEN,
bers OF the committee with various persons
Tom Scott, president OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, was consulted, and,
failing TO come 10 terms with him, the COM
mittee tried TO make compact with St.
Louis organization. The latter project was
the Atlantic and Pacific scheme Subscrip-
tons were promised to the amount Of ten
million dollars. but through the hostile in
stTumentality of RalstOn and his support
ers, and also Of the Central Pacific Railroad
Company and their friends, the project was
defeated ultimately. The Board Of Super
yisors declined 10 give its sanction. Mean
while the Central Pacific agitated It's Goat
Island scheme. This was proposal to con-
meet the Oakland shore with Goat Island by
bridge ard TO build wharves and ware
houses. The audacious proposal created
great excitement and il required vigorous
fighting to kill it.
THE RAILROAD COMPANY IN POLITICS.
Having become prominent in the control
OF politics, the railroad company did not re-
lax Its efforts. which were always put forth
purely In own interest. This was seen
In its having its creatures in all nominating
conventions. The conventions were used
TO nominate men TO Offices who were favor
able to the company, aud it was a matter of
indifference to which party they belonged.
This game OF playing on both sides has been
continued as occasion has presented down
to the present time. William b. Carr, as
political agent in electioneering work for
the company, was doubtless well paid for
his services and became wealthy. Another
Influential agent in securing nominations
vi
tics run smoothly in the manner ap-
proved by the Central Pacific was Mr.
Stow. Whenever there has been chance
TO elect officers who would serve the people
the cry has been raised that the organization
trying to secure this has been formed in the
interest OF esgning persons, and Stow anG
those who work with him have gone into the
conventions and secured compromises so
called. This means the selection of num-
Der OF candidates who are in the interest of
M rail mad M
der that all the important offices have been
IN the hands OF fIiendS of the monopoly,
Tor all the arts of political debauchery have
been practiced seducttvely. 1t is believed
that many leading men in business have
had drawbacks on freight and other
discriminating concessions made to them in
return Tor their support This explains to
a certain extent why men who otherwise
would have been fighting in the interest of
the State have stood aloof from politics.
BOSSES AND BooDLING.
The Cars, the Higginses. the Buckleys
and number of other bosses have always
been available for the dirty work of the
railroad company in securing nominations.
Scarcely convention has assent led in this
State since 1872 in which the railroad CON-
Dany has not had Its agents ct work to make
certain that any candidates of use to them
are secured in their interest. Judges,
Railroad Commissioners. municipal and
State officers of every kind have been
chosen through the assistance Of the rail-
road managers, and are more or less bound
In the execution OF their duty to see
that the behests Of the company are
duly considered. The obvious inference is
that men who allow themselves to be
the tools Of a corrupt corporation are SO easy
in the conscience that when they see any
advantages cropping up in their own inter-
est they do not let them pass unutilized.
The whole system is direct incentive TO
the perpetuation of Doodle and rottenness.
When men are selected for office because
they are corrupt. political debauchery is apt
to prevail in every direction. The Legisla-
ture has been managed in the most brazen
fashion in the interest of the corporation.