The record-union., 1893-03-04
GODCHAUX AMENDMENT.

IL Is Passed by the ASsembly-Mr.
Duckworth's Speech.
The Assembly yesterday reconsidered
the vote of the previous day by which it
refused passage to the now celebrated
GodchauX amendment, and finally passed
it by exactly the requisite two-thirds
vote. About three hours were wasted
under call of the House proceedings,
much to the disgust of members who
have important business before the As
senbly demanding attention.
Mr.. O'Keefe, who supported the Bar
low substitute on the previous day and
who voted against the passage of the God
chaux amendment, announced that he
had been convinced that the Traffic Asso-
citation measure was a good one and
should be passed, and that he would vote
for it.
Mr.. Carlson offered substitute for the
amendment under consideration. He
said he is railroad President, is inter-
ested in a road to the extent of S293, 900,
and knows something about railroads.
Down in his country the people are suf-
fering from the Santa Fe corporation
What is necessary to solve the railroad
problem is q competing line, but under
the provisions of the Constitution there is
no encouragement offered to capitalists.
A tie or a rail cannot now be laid but
what some landowner objects and he
tries to cinch the railroads. He told the
members of the Assembly that they knew
nothing about the Leeds or Godchaux
amendment, and it reflected no credit on
them to vote for measure they did not
understand. Leeds, he said, framed the
bill just to have something to do, to draw
down his $4,000 salary per annum.
Mr.. Carlson said he was not dema-
gogue, and spoke from principle. If the
GodchauX amendment should be adopted
no encouragement whatever would be
afforded for a competing line. Instead of
driving out capital, his substitute pro-
posed to encourage competition by giving
to railroad companies the same rights as
municipal corporations, vesting in them
the power to acquire rights of way.
The previous question was moved on
the adoption of the substitute, and with
the solid Traffic Association delegation
arrayed against it, it failed of adoption.
HOT SHOT.
Mr.. Duckworth, who was prevented
from discussing the amendment on the
previous day, got the floor and fired in
digestible facts at the supporters of the
Godchaux amendment
I'm opposing this resolution" said Mr..
Duckworth, II do so because 1 conceive
it TO be my bounden duty to resist its
adoption by every honorable means
within my power. 1t is a sacred duty
that l owe my constituents to labor for
the advancement of their welfare by re-
sisting the passage of this piece of ill-ad-
vised legislation. To my mind, the solu-
ton of the railroad question does not lie
in a continual tinkering with railroad
legislation by body such as this. which
from its,very nature cannot be convers-
ant with the facts requisite to an intelli-
gent settlement of the problem. Not
withstanding the vicious onslaught of a
venal press on every fair-m minded man
who is disposed to stand his ground,
assert his manhood, and endeayor to deal
fairly by all men-even though some of
them have committed the heinous crime
of investing their capital in railroad en-
terprises through which a superb devel-
opment of our States resources has been
brought about propose to raise NV
voice and register my vote as my con-
science tells me would be fair and right.
JOURNALISTIC FRAUDS.
Notwithstanding the fact that men
and papers whose Golfers have in the past
been lined with railroad gold are now
leading an anti-railroad crusade: not
withstanding the fact that 1 have been
labeled as q railroad man in the columns
of that sweet-scented pair of journalistic
frauds which once upon a time were
'caved down the bank;' Notwithstanding
the fact that by dispensation of Divine
Providence beyond the province of NOR
tai man to comprehend transformation
has been brought about so that the CuLL
and Bulletin now seek to further bleed
the hand that fed them in the hour of
their dire distress, and that every man
whose manhood rebels at the thought of
submitting to their tyranny and corrupt
dictation is subjected to a trade OF abuse
and SANDER, propose, at the risk of still
further misrepresentation of my motives.
to discharge my duty to my people to-day
as God has given me the light to under
stand it.
"Mr. Speaker, 1 stand here to plead
the cause of Monterey, of Fresno and OF
San Benito. I speak to you with the
warmth and earnestness of one desirous
| OF protecting the interests of his people,