The morning call., 1893-09-06
THEY ARE SEVEN.
Oakland City Councils
Latest Move.
IT'S REMARKABLE POSITION.
Members Who Were Elected as
Anti-RaiIroad Men.
is REMARKABLE POSITION.
r1R. TowNE's FINE ITALIAN HAND
A General Feeling of Indignation
Over the Killing of Restraining
Railroad Ordinances.

| The action Of the Oakland City Council
| on Monday night in tabling or otherwise
killing the railroad ordinances which were
to bring relief to the people across the bay
/ has called forth many remarks of dis
| approval.
OF the eleven Councilmen-all Of them
/ elected on an anti-TalrOad platfOrm-w
were pledged to pass the ordinances re-
stricting the privileges of the railway cor
pOratiOn only four remained true to the
promises which they had made. AS one
after another of the important measures
were brought up the ''sold seven" voted to
kill them, and by this action carried out
the expressed wishes of Mr.. Towne.
The four COuncilmen who held out
against the monopoly and for the restrain
ing ordinances-Capell, Towle, Dalton and
Manuel-are the heroes of the hour, and
around them the citizens intend to rally
in he continuation of their fight against
the Southern Pacific Railroad monopoly.
1t became evident yesterday that the
programme carried out on Monday night
had been prepared for more than week,
and that the presence of Mr.. TOwne and
his speech before the Council had been
arranged for long in advance to give
color of sincerity to the sudden change of
front of majorty of the Councilmen. 1t
is also asserted that the presence of John
p. Irish, Attorney George Baker.
Dr.. Ambrose and others, who ad-
dressed the Council in the interests of
the railroad, had been arranged for,
the idea being that if these men spoke as
citizens of Oakland-as they did dO-the
subsequent votes of the solid seven
would appear 10 be in accordance with
the wishes and sentiments of their con stit-
uents. Councilman r. 3. Smell, who until
Monday night had been the chief one
among the high and lofty takers and
workers in The anti-railroad ranks, was the
one who demanded that Mr.. Irish and his
fellows should be given an opportunity to
| speak. 1t was Mr.. Smell who offered the
amendment that made the speed Grdi-
nance Ineffective. and it was Mr.. Smell
who advocated the desirability Of allowing
the railroad company TO do away with the
right Of Oakland citizens to ride free
within the corporate limits of the city.
Now, because of all this there are to be
found plenty of people who are so unkind
as TO say that Mr.. Smell is trying to carry
water OF both shoulders because he has
designs upon the Mayors chair. 1t is as
serted that Mr.. Smell has been playing to
the gallery and that now he is trying to
capture the railroad pull by advocating the
wishes of the Southern Pacific corporation
of Kentucky.
''When l went to the City Hall last
night" said Councilman Manuel yester-
day, land found that a scheme had been
cut and dried 10 kill the ordinances it
made me really i'll. The railroad company
had got in its work, however, and the only
thing we could do was to sit there and see
the measures killed one after another. l
knew that the railroad company had been
at work on the Councilmen, but / had no
idea that any of them would desert the
principles for which they were elected.
The railroad company has sent men to me,
my personal friends. toe. who tried to con-
vince me that the ordinances before the
| Council were not what the people wanted,
and l suppose they pursued the same
tactics with the other members Fully a
week ago a niece of Mr.. Towne. who lives
in this city, told friend of mine just how
the vote would go-that the ordinance pro-
viding for 1agmen would be passed, the
one relating TO the speed of trains would
be amended and the other two tabled or
referred back to committee. which amounts
to the same thing AS this came straight
from Fourth and Townsend streets you
can readily see that the whole job was
patched up more than week ago.
"Mr Towne got up before the Council
last night" continued Mr.. Manuel, land
made long, ram bling speech supposed to
embrace many promises of what the
Southern Pacific Company proposed to
do for Oakland il the Council would re-
frain from passing those ordinances. Now
If YOU will take his speech and boil it
down you will not find a single definite
promise in the whole thing. The entire
speech was mass of glttering general-
ties framed for the purpose of deluding
those for whom it was Intended. MIR.
Towne is nothing il not polite. and he
did not come over here TO make promises.
He came for the purpose of deluding the
people by great show of cleverly turned
phrases about the deep and lasting in
terest fel: by his company in the present
and future welfare of Oakland and of her
citizens.
"The Southern Pacific has always dis
crimnated against Oakland in every posi-
bic way. 1t has attempted TO kin off all
opposition, and Its attitude in the matter
of freight rates is notorious. The only
proposition is whether the people Of Oak
land are to make their own laws or the
Southern Pacific is TO make them for tn hem
We make laws TO regulate electric roads,
eable-car roads and horseear lines, but
when 1t comes 10 the matter OF regulating
the Southern Pacific road, that we may
thereby insure the comfort and safety of
our citizens, MIR. Towne or Mr.. Huntington
steps In and says hands off, and the city's
representatives bow down before the
mighty presence. l tell you it is crying
shame"
The only grain OF consolation that can
be drawn from the action of the Council
by those who have been foremost in fight
ing the monopoly is the fact that public
interest Is again centered on the subject.
These people say that popular indignation
against the Councimen may do more to
further the anti-ralroad cause than popu-
lar indignation against the railroad.
Councilman Manuel says he will frame
new ordinance TO take the place of that
which was tabled on Monday night and