The record-union., 1893-01-17

members present INDUCED in a hearty,
laugh at his expense.
This was act one in the farce. It was
q great success and put everybody in
good humor and i'll a mood to enjoy what
was to follow
Godchaux was then allowed to read
portions Of the revised Traffic Associa-
| ton bill, which provides for constitu-
! tional amendment and the establishment
OF distance tariff
When he had concluded Mathews of
Tehama arose and said that he should
OBJECT to favorable recommendation.
for the reason that the proposed schedule
Increased, instead of decreased rates.
GcdchauX looked alarmed, and every
body laughed.
Mathews made few figures to prove
ms statement, and in the confusion that
followed. Bledsoe turnedsthe discussion
INTO another channel but not before the
revised bill had been referred to a COM
mlttee OF three for a report this evening.
AFTER time BledsOe got well under way,
ana with one of his usual preludes, read
resolution, intended as a substitute for
one previously referred to by Schlesinger.
IL proposed in brief to remove the pres
ent railroad commissioners from Office,
without hearing or an investigation Of
any sort In introducing his resolution
he SAID he had discovered that there was
no provision in the Constitution whereby
the Commissioners could be impeached,
| but IN his opinion they should be got rid
OF IN short order, and the resolutions
faVorlng Immediate removal seemed the
! quickest and surest way OF settling the
matter. Il know" he continued, "that
we shall hear ofarguments for an iuvesti-
galIon, but these men are entitled to no
heaHng. We know that they are guilty.
They are entitled 10 no trial and they
should be removed at once"
Schlesinger replied to the arguments Of
the humboldt man by calling attention
OF the members to the pertinent fact that
no specific charges had been made against
the Commissioners, and that it would be
unjust to dismiss them without an in
vestigation.
Mathews said he would not vote to re-
move the Commissioners without a
hearing. when the cost of transporta-
ton IS taken into consideration, he con-
tlnued, Il am not prepared to say that
rates in California are too high. I want
to know what | am voting on. True /
have heard rumors to the effect that the
/ present commission has not done its duty
to the people. But l am asked to con-
| denim these men on hearsay alone, and
without shadow of evidence. The
| proposition is absurd, gentlemen, and l
! shall oppose the resolution"
Mordecai said that he did not believe in
| hanging a man without a fair trial.
Give the Commissioners a chance to be
! heard in their own Defense" said he
If they have failed in their duty, we
/ ought to remove them, but until we are
sure OF this, let us in the interest OF JUS
/ tice hesitate"
Lynch made an argument against a ia
/ vorable consideration of the resolutions.
| SHOW me facts, said he, sin support Of
the allegations made, and | am with you
But how can you reasonably ask us to
condemn without proof? We have no
evidence before us on which to remove
1 the present Commissioners and until
such evidence can be produced, l shall
strenuously oppose the. resolutions. 1t is
not talr; and, besides, it is very bad policy
| to attempt snap judgment in this import
ant matter. Let us go slow, and be sure
that we are right"
In clear and logical argument Schles-
singer pointed out to the memb bers the
utter fallacy Of adopting the resolutions.
he told them that such a course would
not only be unfair, but that it would de-
feat the very objects which they sought
to attain. You are setting trap for your
own legs, he said. We can get no sup
port in fight Which isat once cowardly
and shOrtsighted. ReTnsve the Railway
| Commissioners without a hearing? WhV.
gentlemen, your proposal has no preced-
ent in the annals Of legislation, and YOU
will find your foolish attempt opposed
and beaten by law, equity and public
/ opinion. You have not the legal right to
remove these men from Office without
hearing, and you will find that you have
! made serious mistake-one that will
initiate severely against the very end for
which we are striving.
Bledsoe closed the argument for the
prosecution with an outburst of rage
at the opposition that brought on com
plete exhaustion, and he sank into his
chair to rest. The HUMBOLDT Assem- bly,
man is not strong, and the least mental
effort throws him into dangerous spasms.
After some further discussion the reso-
lutions were adopted.
Leeds, imported agitator and chief
demagOgue OF that anti-interior society
known in San Francisco as the Traffic
/ Association, was present, and when
asked to favor the members with a
speech he read some of his Justly cele-
brated rate schedules, and concluded
with the opinion that the members Of the
committee had made great mistake in
deciding to recommend the Bledsoe relo-
luton.