The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-17
BUSINESS AND POLITICS,

The recent articles published in THE
CALL showing how the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company has formed com bina-
tons with other transportation companies,
the effert Of which has been to deprive this
city Of much OF its natural business, should
convince cur people among other things
that our political nc more than our bust
ness affairs are safe in the hands OF this
company. California does not want its
enemies in the seat Of power We do not
want railroad men who have conspired
with other transportation companies to
ruin the business interests of the State to
nominate our Senators, our Repres enta-
tives in Congress, our Legislatures or our
Judges. The Republican party is not strong
enough to pack the Southern Pacific people
any longer. II the tools Of the Southern
Pacific are not beaten in the Republican
Convention the Republican. will stand a
good chance of being beaten before the
people. In little more than a month a
Republican State Convention will be held
to choose delegates TO the National Conyen-
ton. Foar year ago Senator Stanford
named the delegation. At the head Of it
was the chief counsel of the Southern Pa
cific Company. and in the ranks were a
heavy stock holder in the company and the
paper organ in this city. There will prob
ably be an effort to throw the State Conven-
ton again into the hands of the railroad
company 1t is of vital importance to the
party that this effort should not be allowed
to succeed. Men who stand in the light the
Southern Pacific has been shown I'D in
should not be placed in positions W here
they can do the State any mischief. 1t has
been shown that to increase their own
profits the Southern Pacific has pursued
policy that has driven various kinds Of
business out of the State. 1t is quite time
for the people to take their political bust
ness into their own hands. 1t would be a
great relief to the Traffic Association at the
present time If there was man in our
delegation to Congress upon whom they
could depend. But the Traffic Association
knows that for years no man has been
elected to Congress who was Objectionable
TO that company. If there was fearless
representative of California now In either
House there would be some hope of dis
ciplining the Pacific Mail Company through
an inquiry into Its methods by Congress-
But which one of our nominal representa-
tiyes can the Traffic Association submit a
plain statement OF facts to with any conf
dence that they would be urged upon the
attention OF Congress! IL tle State goes
on and continues these men in power Con-
gress will justly say that whatever iniqui-
ties the Southern Pacific Company may be
guilty of are approved by the people. Con-
gress will say also that it Is hardly worth
while to help people who do not lit a
hand TO help themselves 1t should be
stated. however. that the coming election of
delegates viii not be fair test of the
strength OF The people as against the rail-
road company. But little more than one
half the delegates will be chosen at prima-
ries. the remainder being appointed by the
county committees. The line of division
Is that counties casting 5000 votes and over
for Governor Markham shall elect, while in
counties casting less than 5000 the commit
tees appoint. But it is probable that when
the convention meets some of the best dele
gates will hail from the smaller counties.