The morning call., 1892-05-11
The CALL CALENDAR.
MAY 1892.
WEDNESDAY
LIGHT BEEAKIEG.

We find the following report in THE CALL
Of Tuesday morning. Immediately follow
ing an account Of the meeting Of the State
Railroad Commits sioners, which we believe
every person in the State should read:
The routine business being concluded, the
Commissioners made haste 10 adjourn. The
reason OF this hasJy move was obvious.
Traffic Manager Leeds was present, and the
above action was taken In order 10 shut him Of
IN what he had 10 say. Alter adjournment Rea
engaged The traffic maa in conversation, in the
course Of which some very warm words were
exchanged.
"Any man" said the san Jose commissioner
''Who insinuates that I am working 10 the inter-
est of the Southern Pacific Company is not only
liar, but a coward as we'll"
Mr. Leeds replied that there was no necessity
f0s such f0Teibe language, when LItcAheld came
20 tie rescue OF his colleague.
"What do you mean." he said, "when you
talk OF impeaching tie members OF this commits
sOn2 You cannot impeach honest men, and do
you dare 10 say that We are dishonest? We
have had about enough Of your abuse, and for
one Will stand il no longer. Beekman may take
your attacks gOOd-natuTedly, but / confess That
! am very much burt. II you want 10 lmpeaeh
tie members OF this commission 90 ahead and
see where you viii land"
Leeds replied that lie had a right 10 his own
opinion 10 tie matter, and should express It
whenever lie chose 10 do so.
''You lad better be prepared to back your
opinion then" said Rea.
4 am al all times" said Leeds.
"Y0u are ready 10 draw your salary" chimed
IN LitchfelG, 'f0r delam.ng honest men. Every.
body can see your little game. Tie TrafIic AS
ISOLATION IS not an organization Of merchants,
but political combination that has shown its
hand within tie past few days. Tie country
people have aIl along been suspicious OF the as
ISOLATION, and now the whole State understands
that your people form a political ring"
Ms. Leeds replied that LitChheld had been
mlsintOrmed, and that a little investigation
would reveal the true objects OF the association.
TIE CALL believes the Inhabitants of this
State ara in fair way to understand the
true meaning Of the contest which has be-
gun, and which is destined to relieve them
from a rule which would cause almost any
other country 10 rise in open rebellion.
What are these expressions? They are
simply no more nor less than a rule over
Us which is destroying cur prosperity; tax
ing away, under pretense Of law and order,
not only our earnings. but the protection
which cur governmental institutions ought
to give US. The railroad company is taxing
to an iB0rdinate amount every industrial
interest in the State. Not a pound Of
freight goes east or comes west over the
railroad which is not made to pay
four or five families from 80 TO 80 per
cent more than it ought to. If an
orchsrdist has fruit to send to mar
ket, a load Of fruit which should
give the producer i've or six hundred
dollars on a carload often pays little or
nothing except to the company which hauls
it to market. The whole State and people
are made poorer every day, and this isIdone
under the pTetense Of law. We pretend to
have city and State government We
claim 70 elect members Of the Legislature.
Railroad Commissioners and Judges, but
what are The facts? For some years past
men connected with the railroad companies
have assumed to be exceedingly liberal with
political parties, which is undoub ,edly cor
rect. Prior 10 the assembly Of a convention
the agents Of the railroad are busy in
securing delegates, and such delegates as
will answer their purpose. 1t is not crime,
it is said, to expend money to elect dele
gates to convention who will do what
few men wish them to do; but suppose
suen members Of the Legislature are nomi-
mated as will do precisely what the railroad
managers wish them to do, where is the
difference in effect upon the public whether
these members of the Legislature are pur-
chased before or after election? To pur-
chase them after election is termed bribery,
but to expend money to secure the nomi-
nation Of the agents Of the railroads before
the election is said simply to be a
cUeditable act. Most of our officials.
in the opinion Of intelligent persons,
are selected in the way indicated. Indeed,
the public have not had much TO do in the
selection of their Judges, members Of the
Legislature or Railroad Commissioners.
Affairs have reached such pass that, In
the opinion Of most persons, it is scarcely
worth while 10 institute a suit at law
against the powerful corporation to which
reference is made, with the expectation Of
obtaining substantial justice There will
be a lapse somewhere, or it will cost oppos-
ing litigants so much money in trying TO
obtain justice that they had better submit
in silence than try 10 help themselves
through the courts. People have been told
over and over again that their substance
was being eaten up, but they have asked
what was the use In trying to do anything
to change the situation? The time has
however at last arrived when men realize
that they must do something; that they can
not live and be plundered forever. Mr.. Hunt
ingt0n sees storm coming. and he says get
out Of politics" but Mr.. Stanford is as
blind as a bat. he even thinks his money
would make him President of the United
States if be could obtain delegates enough
to secure his nomination Ia almost any con-
yention. but there Is not power enough in
the use Of money to encompass such puT-
pose. Possibly II enough railroad money
was used. it would secure the nomination
Of railroad candidate, but no amount Of
money would elect Mr. Stanford il he were
nominated.