The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-03
POLITICS IN CALIFORNIA.
4 Glance at the Past Of San Francisco
and the State.
Oscillations Of Purity and Corruption The
Sinister Influence Of the
Central Pacific.
written for THE MORNING CALI.

pect il to be otherwise, for other States have
had their share of difficulty and disappoint-
ment in the endeavor 10 secure good govern
ment. A perfectly pure government, sin
gle-minded in devotion to the peoples well
fare, is chimerical and has never yet been
seen on earth and probsb bly, never will, and
perhaps we may console ourselves with the
reflection that struggle was intended ben
efcently for our higher publication and
elevation. A glance at the past will show
that We lave had plenty of strife for prln-
eiple, and very brief consideration OF the
present situation is needed TO show that Wig
lance and action are still primary duties OF
the upright citizen. 1t is wrong to the
community that so many who are upright
and honorable should hold aloOf from politics,
as if the science of government were neceS-
sarily communicating and degrad Ing. The
more they abstain from participation in pub
lie affairs the more things go awry, and the
more mischief Is done. Then come pero
ofcrisis when spasmodc efforts are made
at regeneration of the body polite, but the
beneficial effects too frequently are only
transient. and q feeling OF disgust and
despair depreSses those who have been
more hopeful Of results. Those who make
a living out OF politcS-a very numerous
band-return 10 the fray with whetted ap-
petite, and the better to attain their ends,
they may even llay the game OF honesty
with consummate effrOntery and hneSse,
losing nothing but gaining much when the
time comes TO haul down false colors.
When the standard Of public life is low,
there Is little apparent shame IN the pro-
cess. 1t is so easy to say that others have
done the same thing and have proSpered in
the world. Very soon the memory of bad
deeds becomes faint. q fatal weakness TO
which the apathy of men OF honor and repu-
tatlon contributes.
DAYS OF GOLD.
The pioneers of 1880 were honest in
politics, If they thought much about them.
They were honest personally, aud had no
occasion fer suspicion. Thefts were t rare
occurrence. Gold, in dust and nuggets, lay
exposed IN the mining camps, and very sell
dom did robber place his hands upon it,
This Arcadlan purity of lie did not last
long. The winter of 1850 brought privatiOns
enough in the mining camps and cities, and
unfortunately the news of gold having been
discovered tempted vicious and lawless
element 10 the coast. C6nyIctS began TO pour
10 from Australia and prCfigateS from
everywhere. R0bberies and oulrageS were
now Of frequent occurrence. and as a check
upon crime vigilance committees took the
law into their own hands and did apprect-
able service. The lawleSs element in San
Francisco succeeded in getting possession
of most of the city offices, and the courts
were so constituted and corrupt that il was
difficult to pnniss crime. Plunderng went
when crisis arose. James King
of William. editor of the Bulletin,
was killed by Casey, and the crime pro-
dueed great excitement Prior to that
occurrence there had been many other MUIR
ders, and the most notable was the killing of
Richardson, United States Marshal, who
was shot by Cora. There were actually IS
prisoners awaiting trial on the capital
charge. The NiglaGtes Of 1856 took action
upon the death OF James King OF William,
and they did not relax their efforts until
they had cleared out of the municipal Offices
nearly the whole gang Of the vicious tho
were IN possession. The public cut adTift
from the Democratic party, under whose
auspices much of the corruption bad arisen,
and they formed an independent party and
put independent candidates in the field.
Those candidates were elected almost with
out exception, and purity regned as long as
they were in office. 10 this movement the !
peoples party had the vigorous support of
the Bulletin and Alta California.
EFFECT OF THE WAR.
The Civil War broke out and the people
were so much absorbed in the tremendous
issues at stake that the local independept
party was virtually dropped and was merged
In the Republican party, IN support of the
preservation Of the Union. For time local
government excited no special interest and
was not marked by any feature calling for
opposition, but just from this laXity bad
element again began to wedge itself into
politics, and almost coincident with this
return TO corruption was the appearance Of
the Central Pacific Railroad managers in the
arena. They made their Influence felt by
establishing newspapers ard subsidiZing
others. Once In politics, the Central Pacific
did not relax their hold, and manipulated
parties TO suit their own selfish designs. In
1872 the encroachments Of the railroad COM
pRny had become so serious that the Com
mitee of One Hundred was formed for self
defense That body for time checked
corruption ia politics TO a certain extent,
but tie evil was soon again rampant. Cor
ruption went on, in fact to a greater extent
than formerly. The railroad interest de-
termined to control everything In State
politics, and since that time there has been
little cessation in the strife. 1t has been
question Of the railroad on one side and the
people On the other, and that is the situa-
ton still
MANIPULATfOSs OF THE CENTRAL. PACIFIC.
movement was initiated to relieve San
Francisco OF oppressive charges for over
land freight There was hope that COM
binatlOn of Eastern roads would take the
matter up, but 1t was necessary on our part
10 have a line constructed to the Gulf of
Mexico. Subscriptions were promised to
the amount of about $4,000 COO and
the Intention was to build a road to the
Colorado and there connect with one from
st. Louis. The Central Pacific naturally
did their utmost 10 defeat this scheme, and
found willing assistance in some men who
we've on the Committee Of One Hundred
Finally the enterprise was abandoned.
Then the Central Pacific built southern
road themselves They first endeavGred to
obtain from San Francisco an Endorsement
OF bonds to the extent Of $4,000 600, but they
made no Roadway with that idea. While
the road was under construction the CON-
pany Issued bonds and obtained for them
more than the road actually cost, and they
had In addition subsidies from various
places. The situation both in politics and
Ia railroad accommodation was not I'm
proved. IL was indeed worse, for in their
method Of handling politics 1t did not mat
victorious. They elected members OF the
Legislature on both sides, and thus made
certain that In any project they took in
hand the Central Pacific would not be left
in the lurch. This notorious manipulation
OF affairs by the Central Pacific gave
strength to the independent ticket. on which
Newton Booth was elected Governor.
THE LABOR AGITATION.
When dull times came and men were out
OF employment and were glad to accept 81 a
day, the labor organizations began their agi-
tation and made their power felt in politics,
Kcarney denounced the Chinese. and ultI-
mately the Chinese question became a
burning one on this coast All parties saw
that Mo1golian Immigration was fatal to the
progress Of the coast. and with agreement
came legislation by Congress on the subject
But that was not the only result Of Kear-
Deys appearance In politics. One instance
may be cited. There were certain parties
cooperating with De Young of the Chron-
icle to secure the election OF State Judges,
and timely information of the movement
being given, THE CALL and Bulletin gave
their assistance In defeating the plot
and defeated it was. OF the State
convention, which was constituted to
revise the constitution. it may be
said that the changes effected made little
real alteration benefclally. From that time
there have been various ylcisSitudes in the
drift Of politics, but with the Central Pa
eihc always creeping in and controlling
affairs Just as they wished They at least