The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-17

with unblushng effrontery to permit Mr.
Leeds to say single word IN reply TO
harangue by Commissioner Beckman. de-
seriblng his tour Ia the East and conveying
some information he extracted by the way
for the guidance of California and the pro-
lection of the Southern Pacific against the
evil designs of the Macchiaveliian manager
Of the Traffic Association. The associate
Commissioners were even facetlous as they
listened to the rambleS OF the Travelled and
erudite Bgckman. They insulted sir. Leeds,
corrected him, pummeled him, gave him to
understand that they had heard enough OF
him, and would be glad TO see him no more;
aud when that gentleman asked to be heard
for five minutes in reply, Mr.. Rea said 1t
was foolishness, and the other Commission
eTS evidently believed 1t must be foolish
neSs, for they forthwith adjourned Mr..
Rea uneonsel0usly uttered the truth wnen
he said that ''the commission IS beginning
to be looked upon with suspicion In the
State" What a long time 1t has taken MI.
Rea 10 find out that precious truth.
One of the subjects on which the meteor
ologIsts of the California Academy of
Sciences might throw little timely light is
the probleHi whether the rainfall oil the
State is undergoing change, and the reason
why. The rain comes down copiously
enough in months that knew it not in the
old pioneer days, and we seem to be in
danger OF losing the reputation our wheat
has of not being visited by a shower from
the moment Ii is in ear until it is reaped
and shipped. Not that showers every
month in the year would be harmful LIZ
would favor the agrlculturIst TO have the
long dry season modified with lew genial
showers, and could we depend upon dis
tTibutiOn of the rainfall regularly we could
! spare some of the deiuges that come down
in winter. The rain on Sunday morning
was as generously plentiful as 1t IS wont TO
be in January and February 1t is quite
/ possible the extension OF cultivation and
! the planting OF trees and vines ever large
areas have had some effect in producing the
! apparent change, and those who have sta
! tiStics and comparisons at command may
| be in a position to furnish explanations.
! The rains we have had are by no means
! disastrous IN Hoods, such as the Wholo
! Mississippi Valley is now suffering from.
The story that the Chinese are negotiat-
ing with Mexico for a concession Of land in
Tamaulipas, wherein they may settle by
the thousand or the million, and give up
! California as cOlonizing ground, may be
| set down as transparent nonsense. The
Chinese can go to Mexico any time without
the allurement of a concession, and II they
! were to swarm into the country like an
| army Of lOcustS II would be the business OF
| Mexico and not the United States 10 call a
! halt. The Chinese would Infinitely prefer
to settle in the United States, ana perhaps
| by going to a part Of the sister republic,
| close to the border line, they would look
! forward to a favorable moment when they
/ could cross over into Uncle Sans territory.
| But they are quite mistaken II they suppose
! that any threat to desert the United States
| and give Mexico the benefit of their de-
| graded lives would incline our citizens to
! relent in the policy Of exclusion.
! Besides the Eastern editors. California
has the honor at present of a visit from the
! American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
| the members of which have travelled by
special train, and are here for the purpose
! OF holding a business session. II Is a long
way TO come for discussion on papers, which
have dou btless been printed in advance for
/ circulation. but the results of such gather
/ ings are not measured by formal delibera-
! tiOns. The sightseeing during the various
! excursions must furnish men OF keen dis
/ ceTDmeut IN business facilities and posi-
/ bilities with considerable store Of inf0rna-
! tion which they can turn to account. They
will probably not be overcome with sur
! prise at our achievements IN mechanics on
| this coast, for we are yet in infancy CON-
/ pared with the adult age OF development
| and colossal undertakings in the East. But
| our progress is creditable in certain fea-
! lures and the future rich in promise.
/
! Guilty in convincing people that the opening
! of canal via Nicaragua would stimulate
trade between the Eastern States and the
! South Pacific and that high dividends
would be earned Immediately upon an eX-
pendIture of hundred million dollars. A
/ cut Of 0.0O0 miles in an ocean voyage is ap-
! probable in the commerce Of the world.
! What the public apprehend is that the
| control Of this canal may fall into the hands
/ Of the railroad companies, who would use it
/ to stife competition and to bolster up the
| tTanscOntlnental traffic by rail at eXOrbi-
tant rates. II this danger could be abso-
! lutely prevented the canal would not have
| a single enemy, save the Southern Pacific
| Company and a few associated railroad
| enterprises, whose chief consideration is to
| forward their own interests The firm
hand of the Government is vital TO the
securing Of the public rights in this matter
| of unfettered commerce by a sea route.
| The Panama Railroad is no relief as
matters stand aud the Nicaragua Canal
would also be Disappointing unless con-
! trolied in the interest Of the nation aud kept
1 out of the grip Of railroad seifshness.
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pEnpI TkIKEO kR0UT