The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-05
A SPECIMEN OF IGNORANCE.


A San Francisco contemporary, evil
IDENTIFY In the pay of the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe, is being imposed upon
by the officers of that railroad company
most shamelessly. Being entirely igno-
rant itself of any facts not relating to the
widening of street or the laying of
pavement in the city of San Francisco, its
credulity is very easily imposed upon.
In a recent issue it declares that one
George T. Nicholson, General Passenger
Agent of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe, is the great immigration inducer of
the world, and attributes to him the
growth of Southern California. 1t says
that when the Santa Fe system first ac
quired terminus in California, several
years ago. it was the Passenger Depart
ment of the company that led in making
things hum and brought on that immi-
grafton into the Los Angeles district that
astonished the world. A So rate between
the Missouri River and Los Angeles was
one feature of this crusade.
Now the paper that can be imposed
upon in this matter should have guard
ian appointed. The Los Angeles crusade,
as it is called, was in full blast before the
reduction of rates. 1t survived for
long time after the restoration of rates,
and it was not the Passenger Department
of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
that proposed the cut in rates. The Atch-
ison, Topeka and Santa Fe demanded a
position in the Transcontinental Associa-
ton and asked certain percentages in the
pool which the old members refused to
grant. Being refused the percentage
which it demanded, it cut rates, not in
the interest of California. but in the in
terest of being placed in position where
it could have fair share, or what it
deemed fair share, in the cinching pro-
cess, If that process is chargeable to the
Transcontinental Association. The paper
publishing this believes the Transconti-
mental Association to be the arch-enemy
of California, and the cut in rates which
1t attributes to the enterprise of single
officer of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe was device for the purpose of ac-
curing first-class position in the Trans
continental Association.
If the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
Railroad Company was such a broad
minded, public-spirited institution, why
don't it cut rates now? Simply because
it is satisfied with its position in the
Transcontinental Association and vet
that concern can impose upon the sim
plicity of a San Francisco newspaper
publisher to the extent of making it
commit itself to the story that George T.
Nicholson, the General Passenger Agent
of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,
cut the rates in the interest of settling up
Southern California. The story is alb
surd. No Passenger Agent ever had
such authority in any road, and the pub
Usher who will lend his columns to this
kind of gush is simply stupid ass.
1t is significant to note that immigra-
ton has ceased to Southern California.
Now there is nothing to prevent this
Passenger Agent of the Atchison max
ing 50 rate from the Missouri River to
Los Angeles. Why don't he do it? He
certainly possesses tine necessary public
spirit. In the estimation of our esteemed
contemporary, all railroads are public
spirited excepting the Southern Pacific,
and all have high-minded motives. Who
is holding this Passenger Agent from
keeping down the rate so that the flood
tide of immigration would continue to
come TO Southern California Somebody
must have depressed the noble rage of
this Passenger Agent because the boom in
Southern California did burst. Property
went down to twenty-five per cent of its
boom valution, and if Mr.. Nicholson was
responsible for the boom, and could have
prevented its collapse by continuation
of the fvedollar rate, he is probably the
biggest rascal the country has ever
known. He permitted whole section of
our enterprising State to pass into con-
dition of temporary bankruptcy by his
unwillingness TO continue rate which to
the supplemented conception of our San
francisco contemporary was the prime
cause of the great hegira to Southern
California.
No part of its statement is true; there
is not one single element of historical fact
connected with the silly story; but our
contemporary appears not to have the
kind of common sense which would pro-
tect it from this exhibition of stolid igno-
rance.
CnNTTNe.s no TrI-S SrNSr-S