The record-union., 1893-02-22
The Traffic Associations Chi
ealery Shown Up.
THE TALL SYCAMORE ROARS.
lie Declares He VIII Not Be Made a
Fool OF.
LEEDS LEFT HIM IN THE LURCH.
Gssi6rd Also Skipped The Associations
Inconsistency "A Minority Report
Fayoring the Commission.

Whether or not the Railroad Com
mission shall be abolished and q whole
mass OF figures relative to railroad
freights and fares be embraced in
an amendment to the Constitu-
ton, will be finally decided next
Monday morning. In the Assembly yes
terday afternoon Godchaux's amend
ment, which is Traffic Association
measure, came up for consideration.
Mr.. Shanahan moved as a substitute
the adoption of an amendment offered by
him, which simply proposes to abolish
the commission, differing from the Traffic
Association measure inasmuch as it does
not propose to have inserted in the Con-
stitution whole mass of figures, known
as the Western classification and Cali
fornia distance tariff. regulating the rate
of freights and fares which railroad COM
panies shall charge.
with all due respect TO the members
of this Assembly, said Shanahan, 81
venture to assert that not one member on
the floor of this House has read the Traffic
Association amendment, excepting, per-
haps Mr.. Godchaux. After being tied
up for ten years with a constitutional
Railroad Commission, we are asked to
enact measure which will bind us to
certain and fixed rates of freights and
fares, no matter what the condition of
affairs may be, which can only be changed
by two-thirds vote of the people of the
whole State.
LEEDS CANNOT SANCTION HIS OWN
MEASURE.
Mr.. Leeds" said the gentleman from
Shasta, "instead of staying here to ex-
plain the merits of the amendment, as he
was invited to do by me, fled the State. 1
do not believe he can sanction his own
measure, which was presented to this
House by Mr.. Godchaux.
II went into the Senate yesterday" he
continued, "to interview Senator Ges-
ford, who introduced the measure in that
body, but ne, too, had left town. I
have no time to go hunt up the gentle
man, but | will not make fool of myself
by voting for an amendment which l
think is unconstitutional. To me it
seems ridiculous to place a long schedule
of this State.
1.-THE Traffic Association does not know
its own mind for six weeks at time. Its
members are very inconsistent. I want
to agree with the members of that as
sociation, but 1 cannot on this PROPOSE
ton. am opposed to The power of ad-
justing railroad matters being delegated
to this Legislature. We have not the
time nor are we sufficiently posted to deal
with that perplexing question:"
Mr.. Shanahan said he favored abolish
ing the commission, and the adoption of
an amendment offered by Mr.. Finlay-
son, which is in force in Iowa, and which
provides that the Legislature may, if in
its wisdom it is deemed expedient,
authorize the Governor to appoint
commission to aid the Legislature
in settling the perplexing railroad ques-
ton. He had signed the Traffic Asso-
citation pledge, but did not agree to that
part which proposes TO insert in the Con-
stitution a mass of mystifying figures.
Rather, however, than see the defeat oi
all legislation to abolish the commission
he would vote for the Godchaux amend
ment.
Il signed the Traffic Association
pledge, and do not propose to vote fo1
adjournment until Godchaux's measure
is passed." sung out johnson of Santa
Clara. who has figured SO conspicuously
in the Rea-Johnson investigation.
The Humboldt bantam never loses an
opportunity to make Shanahan's pompa-
dour to stand stiff. He started in to at
tack that gentleman for his Inconsistency
claiming he had agreed to stand by the
measure introduced at the instance of the
Traffic Association.
al did not! did notr' very sharply
responded Shanahan. The manner Of
his reply was considered discourteous by
Speaker Gould, which caused him to GEN.
sure the gentleman from Shasta.
LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION.
Mr.. Finlayson spoke to the substitute
motion of Mr.. Shanahan, and urged its
passage. "That measure, which aboIishes
the commission" said he, with mine
conjoined, will make complete and har.
monious whole, and will solve the
vexed railroad question. My bill pro-
vides that the Governor may appoint g
commission, virtually committee, il
rates of freights and fares. The commits
sion will be a creature of the Legislature
which shall have power to depose said
officers whenever they desire. 1t is an
utter impossibility for any Legislature tc
handle this big rsilroad problem"
81 am willing to accept the wisdom O.
the Traffic Association, which has made
this subject study for years." said Al
ford, of Tulare, although I did not sigr
its pledge" He said he supported the
Godchaux amendment, not alone because
II was Traffic Association measure, but
because he had studied it and believed il
a measure which would permanently
settle the railroad question. The sub.
stance ofthe tariff schedule proposed reg.
mates seventy-six companies, he said
throughout the United States. He con.
sidered the statements made by railroad
managers, that the conditions are not as
fsvorable in this State as elsewhere fol
.be construction of railroads, as hypo