The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-03

the game of struggling for possession Of
office Reform was impracticable in the
face of the buying and selling OF nomina-
tons, t or which there was always money
available from the railroad company. The
people were not satisfied, for taxes had
mounted up and the city was completely in
the hands of corrupt politicians, but
still they would not combine for their
protection. Papers like the Bulletin and
MORNING CALL. which had supported
honest government. found out that as
long as apathy existed it was useless to
offer advice But IN time IL became appar-
ent that the business of the city and State
was being crippled; that every enterprise
was paying out more money than IL should
be called upon to sacrifice; and that The
northern States Of the coast were being
built up at our expense. A feeling OIL alarm
spread through the community, and IL was
justified. THE CALL and Bulletin rendered
the public a genuine service when they
made an exposure of Buckley and his coad-
tutors four years ago. They succeeded In
partly breaking up the combination. but it
still held control over the members of the
Legislature. Two years ago the Buckley
faction was completely routed ana seat
tered.
The deeds of the last Legislature and the
failure of Judge Wallace to get some of our
abuses examined. the Grand Jury he Sc
lected being declared unconstitutional,
should at length have convinced all per-
sons of honest purpose that there Is no way
to secure fair dealing in the administration
of affairs except By enforcing reforms them
selves. astonishing efforts were made by
the railroad company and their organs to
manage the last Legislature. which did its
work with unblushing audaaity and disre-
gard of iDfamy. The Australian ballot law
was impaired in usefulness by the insertion
OF provision by which an outside indepen-
dent ticket will only be allowed If there is
a large number of applications for it.
Nearly all the papers in the pay of the rail-
road struggled TO defeat the Australian bal
lot law, but they only succeeded in marriug
it, A previous Legislature passed stat
ute by which certain felonies are not pun
isbable after three years. This enables
good many rogues to draw their breath
freely.
THE PRESENT ASPECT.
The business men of the city are now
organizing ana In the State also there Is
movement to improve politics and keep
down the power of the railroad company.
How will tresutP 1t is commended III some
quarters that there will again be an indie
pendent party. But it may be safely said
that at this moment the people OF Cali
fornia do not relish throwing overheard the
national Republican administration TO have
all our protection laws repealed. To that
extent they must support the Republican
ticket in the election OF members OF Con-
gress and otherwise. But it is a serious
question also whether, IN defiance OF the
two great political parties which have been
openly bought and sold in the past and which
have nominated corrupt men &c offices, an
Independent ticket should not also be n0ml-
mated for the control OF local affairs. 1t is
the belief of most intelligent persons that
this will be the result oil the struggle which
has been waged so long-that we shall go
back TO where we were before the war,
when this city and State had a compare
lively coed government and when the best
class OF people were nominated for offices.
The people have always been in favor of
honest government and their eyes were
opened last winter to tie dangers OF bad
government. They should now be stirred
up into a resolute determination 20 protect
themselves and advance their real interests.