The morning call., 1892-10-23
ANIE-RAlLROAD PLEDGES.
The Traffic Association Is
Bearing Fruit.
BUT ONE REFUSED TO SIGN.
Reports From Nearly 200 Legislative Candi-
dates Show Them AL to Be OPP
posed to Monopoly.
BUT ONE REFUSED TO SIGN.

"Wo have sufficient assurance already
that the people Of the State of California
cannot fail but to elect a Legislature this
year which, IL 1t meets as joint body. will
contain majority of men opposed to rail-
road oppression" Manager Leeds of the
Traffic Association said yesterday. in re-
Spouse to a query as to how the answers
daily received by him from legislative can
didates to the pledge-reQuestlng letters
sent ont few days ago, are constructed.
Nearly 200 of the men addressed have
sent their replies. aud there are only those
from distant parts Of the State whose letters
have not as yet been received.
Among them all there is only one refusal.
couched in weak apology. coming direct
from Southern Pacific railroad servant
This came from L. Ii. Van Setback, who
seeks election as Senator from the Twenty
first District on the Kelly -Crimmins- De
Young ticket.
Van Schaick sent bis letter Of refusal first
to Mike de Young's evening leafet for pub
lication, and only after he found his am
bition gratifed by seeing himself in print he
mailed the epstle to the Traffic Association.
where 1t was received next day.
All the other candidates frankly and
fesrlessly. without any subterfuge, pledge
themselves to support the'principles OF the
Traffic Association.
or course there may be men among them
who signed the pledge only as means OF
gaining popularity enough to elect them
and who intend to evade its provisions
after they have won their battle on No
vember 8.
But the spirit which prevails among the
members of the Traffic Association brooks
no good for any intending trifiers with that
pledge.
Ii any of It's signers who go to the Senate
or Assembly violates the provisions it con-
tains, his name will be branded and he will
be held up to the scorn and detestation of
every citizen of the State.
Mr. Leeds very aptly put IL yesterday
when he said 1--WE will present a reform
bill to the Legislature which, If carried, will
give the public the long sought-for relief
from monopolstic outrages In the railroad
line, and any man who dares to oppose that
bill openly or covertly, will be dead there
after politically, commercially and socially
as long as be remains within the boundaries
of California"
Secretary Hayes and Chief Clerk Gard of
the Traffic Association are Mr.. Leeds lieu
tenants in his campaign against railroad ex-
tortions and the latter has direct charge of
the correspondence which arrives contain
ing signed pledges from legislative candi-
dates.
lie pulled out one OF the drawers OF his
desk yesterday and displayed two long rows
of red cards.
''These are the registered letter receipts
for each one of the pledges we have sent
out" said Mr.. Gard; and smilingly he ad-
ded, "We did this so they can't say they
didn't get our letters"
On Wednesday there is the first annu al
meeting of the association. and it is not
likely that any steps will be taken in the
matter of publishing list OF the candidates
who have or have not signed the pledge.
1t is the associations intention to give
every one addressed ample time. so that his
answer may reach here before the lists are
closed.
Probably the close Of this month or the
first days Of November will be selected for
the purpose of letting the voters know how
the Legislative candidates stand on the
railroad question.
Tie meeting OF the Traffic Association on
Wednesday promises to be of unusual in