The record-union., 1893-02-06
CONSTITUTION TINKERING.
The Instrument Must Conform to Sa
Francisco Notions.

Francisco Notions.
From the Stockton Daily Independent
The proposition to so amend the Con-
stitution that it shall conform to the no.
tions of the San Francisco wholesale mer-
chants and their factotum, Mr.. Leeds, is
preposterous. 1t is all the more so be-
cause those merchants and Mr.. Leeds do
not know exactly how they want to
change that instrument. They know that
its workings do not suit their purposes
and they arranged scheme OF amend
ment before election, but when the cleo
ton was over that was not strong enough
for them and they have made several
changes. They do not seem to under
stand the purpose of having Constitu-
ton. AS it is it stands in the way of hasty
and unwise legislation-a device to give
steadiness and reliability to a govern
ment. 1t is not device to play into the
hands or subserve the interests of one
class or one section of the State, and that
is what troubles Mr.. Leeds and his EN-
ployers. They want the distractions re-
moved so that they may Influence" the
Legislature one way this year and another
way two years hence, 10 suit their altered
circumstances. That the Constitution
works well for the whole State matters
not TO them. What they want is legisla-
ton that will continue their old-time
prestige in trade, and they want the con-
sttutional barriers to that kind of legisla-
! ton removed. The cause of this desire is
that in the development of California
competition has come TO these San Fran
cisco jobbers. This competition has COM
PEELED the old-timers at the bay to
reduce their margin of profits. Mer-
chants in the interior can buy their goods
in the East as cheaply as they can, regard
being had 10 quantity, get them as
quickly and at as low rates of freight
as San Francisco wholesalers. This has
transferred an immense amount of busi-
ness from the San Francisco middle-men
into direct trade with importers and
manufacturers in the East. San Fran
cisco merchants want stop put to a sys-
tenn that deprives them of the ability to
take toll from every dollars worth of
goods brought to California. The way to
do it, they think, is to amend the Cousti-
tuition, and they have hypnotiZed some of
| the people of the interior into aiding them
IN their scheme of privateering, for it is
nothing better. People of the interior
who aid them are laboring to enslave
themselves. but the San Franciscans are
cunning enough to cover the chains they
have forged for the interior trade and
make them look like ornaments. They
have played their game rather Skillfully,
but they cannot be successful, without
the aid of the interior, and the interior
would be insane to give them that aid.
Leu Ine Sdn Il franclScanS learn from the
merchants of other cities to accommodate
themselves to the changed conditions
which development brings about. Let
them forego the profits of 40, and do
business on modern principles as busi-
ness is done in Chicago, st. Louis, Gin
cinuati and st. Paul. If they do not, all
the constitutional amendments that can
be adopted will not avail them. Eastern
cities will absorb their business and San
| Francisco will continue to decay, The
| fundamental law of the State is too inn
portant matter to be changed at the be-
hest of any class, and when that class is
one that wants to levy tribute on the in
terror the interior should present unan-
imous opposition to it.