The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-18

labor union to which he belonged. would be
sure to receive the individual attention OF
President Cleveland as soon as the inaugu-
ration 0bseQuies were over.
AS l was saying, the building OF COM
peting roads for the purpose of giving the
people the benefit of competition in rail-
road transportation almost necessarily In
wolves the cost of opening and building two
roads for the purpose Of handling freight
and passenger traffic which could be trans
ported over single public road.
''For example, If the Central Pacific Rail-
road from Oakland to Ogden should be
taken by the Government in satisfaction OF
the mortgage debts and opened as public
highway to the trains of all Eastern COM
peting roads, sc would have on this coast
Immediately the benefit of the competition
of all such Eastern roads far more COM
pletely than we could ever have If all OF the
Eastern roads should secure separate rights
of way and 90 to the expense OF building
and maintaining separate tracks.
"Unquestionaby this matter will be
brought before the next Congress, when
the question OF settling Inc central racine s
Indebtedness comes up.
Aud [ will press this method for the
solution OF the railroad question In Con-
gress in connection with any legislation,
either concerning railroad debts or the In
teTState Commission.
II want to say word or two about the
telegraph monopoly, but l find there is a
gentleman outside who wants just one
word and If you will. Thank you; l
viii be back in just moment"
Now this was not the last OF the inter-
rupti0ns. but It was fair sample of them.
The interview was begun at O'Clock. It
was concluded at s P. NJ. just before Mr.
MaQUiTa eScaOpd by the skVIirbt
The telegraph monopoly" said be, when
he returned to the inQustor, "is based
upon the franchises of the several telegraph
companies and the enormous expense of
constructing competing lines for the trans
mission OF news, as IN the case Of the rail-
road monopoly
The transmission Of news generally and
of communications between citizens of the
country has always been recognized as a
public function and l am in favor of estab-
fishing a system OF government postal tele-
graphs as complete as our POst0ffice system
and as completely public in all respects.
in short. in dealing with questions like
the railroad and telegraph, l believe in
drawing this line between public and pri-
vate functions:
THAT whenever any enterprise of general
utility or advantage will. in its nature, be-
come a mon OpOly If left TO private control.
then such enterprise should, 10 the extent
of the danger Of private monopoly, be recog-
niZed and maintained as public functions.
THAT all other enterprises, except those
that relate TO public affairs or that are
quasi public in their character, such as the
transmission Of correspondence by letter or
telegraph, should be left absolutely to prl-
vate competition.
THE tariff? Well. believe it should be
the effort of the Government TO raise all
public revenues from the sources which re-
ceive the greatest advantages from the Gov
eminent and from the presence, industry.
enterprise and virtue of the people.
IL believe that in raising public revenue
the first effort should be to appropriate to
public use the values which arise exclu-
sively as an indirect result. from the pres
enee, industry and enterprise of the eople
of the several taxation districts.
81 believe that as far as possible all taxes
when fall as a burden upon labor, produc-
ton ana commerce should De avoided
Subject to this principle, that form Of
taxation which yields the greatest percen:-
age of revenue to the Government with the
least percentage of waste by failure of col
lection and in the expense of collection,
and which bears most equally upon all
citizens, should be adopted.
Tariff taxation is obnoxious TO all OF
these rules Of equality. jusiica and ex-
Dediency. 1t obstTucts commerce and bur-
dens industry. 1t affords the greatest OPP
portunity for fraud and evasion, and the
cost OF collection Is enormous By comparison
in proportion 20 the revenue resulting.
"a a system of revenue | believe the
tariff 10 be tue worst system existing in any
civilized country, and as a means OF foster
ing industries similar to those affected by
the tariff, | believe that every tariff laid for
such purpose has wrought tenf0d more
injury than il has ever accomplished for the
particular Industry which 1t WAS laid to
protect.
Even the iron manufacturers Of San
Francisco who opposed my election because
| advocated the entire removal of the tariff
from the raw material of all industries have
themselves published within the last two
weeks a most sweeping petition to Congress
praying for free coal and free scrapirOn as
means OF stimulating their manufacturing
industries.
why any citizen Of this great seaport
city of San Francisco, which depends for her
greatness. even for her very existence, upon
ocean commerce, should be in favor Of a
system Of tariff taxation which compels the
ships that enter her port to come in ballast
instead OF carrying merchandise both ways,
has always surpassed my comprehension.
The system OF taxation which does most
completely conform 10 the true principles of
taxation as l have stated them IS a single
tax upon the value Of laad irrespective Of
Its improvements.
"0n the question Of national finance |
have not, so far, reached satisfactory con-
illusions on the matter as to justify any pub
lie statement Of my views.
But II does seem 10 me that in the whole
dircussion OF this question there is false
quantity. The mOney~sEstem of our country
should be devised solely for the purpose OF
securing to our whole people the best and
most stable medium of exchange. And In
determining the question as to the best sys-
TEN OF finance no consideration whatever
should be given to the effect which the sys-
tenn adopted may have upon owners Of gold
or silver mines.
IF. as an incidental result. the bes. sys-
ten Of finance which can be adopted shall
afford special advantages TO some interests
let it be so, but the advantage to those
Interests should never be permitted to have
any influence in determining what system