The record-union., 1892-06-01
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 3l.-A representa-
tive of the RECORD-UNIoN called on
William II. Mills, General Land Agent
of the Southern Pacific Company, at his
office, at Fourth and Townsend streets,
to ascertain what that gentleman had to
say of the rumors that he was to be Mr..
Huntington's political 'Prime Minister"
Mr.. Mills replied that it was not his Gus
tom to take care Of the public misappre-
hension concerning his relation with his
employers; that whatever relation he
sustained to Mr.. Huntington, or the
President of the road, or the directors, as
directory or individually, was not an
affair with which the public had any con-
Germ. Speaking particularly of the ru-
NOR that he was to be Mr.. Huntington s
political Prime Minister" he denied
unequiyocally that Mr.. Huntington
needed political prime Minister" OF
that he would accept such an appoint
ment if il was rendered to him.
MIR. Mills, continuing, said: 81 have
no taste for political manipulation, and
nothing would induce me to accept a DO
sltion which would engage my time and
attention TO the details OF political man
dR6ulGII. L nave never Ol1SIeu IL PUBLIC
officer or an individual anything but q
public reason for a public act, and never
Will. Mr.. Huntington has seen tit to re-
Ter some matters Of general admlnlStra-
ton TO me, but they do not relate to poll
tics. | have never been part Of the pO-
litical force OF the Southern Pacific Com
pany. and do not propose to be. l have
most heartily approved of the effort Mr..
Huntington has made, and is honestly
and sincerely making, to place the great
interests of transportation i'll natural and
harmonious relations with production.
During all the years | have been inter-
eSted in public affairs in California, l
have looked forward earnestly and hope
FULLY to Il time when an adjustment be-
tween transportation and production
upon a basis of right would secure to
both that perfect repoSe SO necessary to
the progress and prosperity OF this State.
l do not expect this adjustment to come
through railroad politics on the one hand
or through anti-railroad demagogism on
the other. The proper relation between
the shipper and the carrier must be de-
termined by standards Of commercial
ethics. Nothing is ever settled until it is
adjusted upon a basis of exact right, and
l believe the policy which Mr.. hunting
ton has sought to adopt, and which he
will adopt if permitted, will result in
harmonious adjustment mutually adj
yantageous to the rights and interests of
both thesShipper and the carrier.
There has never been time in my
life when l have felt less interest in the
result OF party politics than to-day.
There has never been time in my life
however, when l was not interested in
the course of public events. Current
history has for me most fascinating in
tereSt AS All individual citizen, shall
continue to take such part in public
affairs as may seem best for me and as
determined by my own judgment. But
l am in no way connected with what has
been called railroad politics; nor has any
duty in that line been assigned to me by
the President of the company l serve
The entire story is pure fiction. 1t has
been said that the daily press has
abolished the function and the office of
the village tattler. 1t is to be regretted,
however, that there is a class of journals
and seemingly an element in journalism
which is the legitimate successor to the
ancient busy-bodies who serve the COM
munity as distributors of village gossip.
Small-mindedness always manifests itself
by interest in inconsiderable things
This political prime minister story is the
result OF the uninventive stupidity of the
legitimate successor of the obsolete village
tattler."