The record-union., 1892-03-07
THE HUNTINGTON INTERVIEW.

THE HUNTINGTON INTERVIEW.
We print this morning an article from
the San Francisco Examiner of March
4th, written by c. p. Huntington, Presi-
dent of the Southern Pacific Company, in
answer to a series of questions pro-
pounded by the journal in which the ar
ticle appears. These questions outline
the way of Mr.. Huntington's discourse
as clearly as stakes might delineate the
direction of a broad highway. With that
boldness and directness, which are char
acteristic of Mr.. Huntington, he meets
and answers all these questions without
evasion, and the result is paper of such
completeness as to leave but little oppor-
tunity for elaboration or comment. The
whole ground of transportation and it's
relation to the material development of
California is thoroughly covered. A
leading feature, however, of the article,
which is timely, in view of the approach
Southern Pacific Company in regard to
interference with the politics of the State.
Mr.. Huntington declares with great dis
tinctness that the railroad will not inter
fere with the peoples rights as expressed
in their election, or in their legislative
enactments. and he says, with candor
and an earnestness which cannot be mis-
taken and which ought not to be mis-
judged, II somehow feel that the good
people of California Will help me to carry
out my determination to keep the rail-
road out of politics."
One of the most significant features,
however, of the whole paper relates to
the future development of this State and
the way to get lower rates, which, in
Mr.. Huntington's opinion, is to increase
the tonnage or reduce the wages that are
now paid to those who operate the roads.
lie declares that this latter he would not
like to do, but he would like to increase
the tonnage. He then proceeds to saw
that if California would turn its attention
to building manufactures to develop the
the resources of the State, $50 as to CON
vert fiber into fabric the ores of their
mines into shapes, the product of the
forest into all the necessary forms for
the use of man." the products of the farm
could be increased and the rates of trans
portation could be lowered, and prosper
ity would supervene upon intelligent in
dustry.
We are shipping wool raised in this
State across the continent, to be returned
across the continent in the form of cloth.
We are shipping raw materials to New
York and to Boston, to be converted into
leather ana shoes and to be again
shipped back to US. We are, in
short, sending raw materials, which
constitute the opportunity of Gre
ating wealth, to more economic and
intelligent communities, and in sending
away this raw material we get the mini
mum out of our natural resources, and dpay
the maximum for the things into which
they have been converted, indispensable
to our use as civilized people. There is
no royal road to prosperity. There is no
magic entering into the building of States
and the enrichment of communities.
These things are accomplished by sober
practical labor; the lanyard, the shoe
makers bench, the wooden mill. the
smoking chimney, the whirl of busy
machinery, all these things are adj
juncts OF the growth of civilization. The
latter supervenes upon them. as splendid
monumental structures rest upon sub
sills and upon sub-structures hidden
deep in the ground.
Mr.. Huntington's declarations are those
of a practical, successful business man.
He views the conditions of our State
from summit of fifty years. active and
successful business activity. From his
standpoint, the whole topography of
economic consideration lies plainly under
view. He speaks of the prospect before
us as one might speak of a country from
the summit of mountain, commanding
view of valley, river hill, and plain
and sea, and from this broad view, the
declaration that our natural resources
must be supplemented by the skill of in
telligently directed industry, should re-
ceive at the hands of the people thought
full consideration and ultimate accept
anee. The lesson cannot be too often or
too deeply impressed upon the mind of
any people that the wealth of material
resources can never create great COM
monwealth unless supplemented by in
dustry and intelligence. Countries pos
sessing the greatest possible riches in the
way of natural resources may remain
barren wastes if their inhabitants are
idle, ignorant and slothful. Countries