The record-union., 1893-03-11
Three Of Leeds Hobbies Die in
the Senate.
EARL'S MASTERLY SPEECH.
The Falacious "Distance Tariff Gets
Its Deserts.
SALVATION OF THE SMALL ROADS.
The AsSenbly's Substitute for the Reas8eSS-
ment BiI-Mr. Mathews Tries
TO Save His County.
SALVATION OF THE SMALL ROADS.

The Senate cleared its file of three anti
Railroad Commission constitutional
amendments yesterday.
Assembly Amendment No. IA came uI
first, but after being discussed awhile was
withdrawn and Senate Amendment No. 8
its counterpart, was substituted.
Senator Earl took the floor and made
an argument against the amendment
which for soundness and force surpassed
anything of the kind heard during the
present session.
CHAIRMAN EARL SPEAKS.
He said that the Committee on Consti-
tutional Amendments, of which he is
Chairman, had given the proposition the
fullest and fairest investigation, and had
before it both the proponents of the meas
ure and the opponents, the Traffic Asso-
citation and the railroad companies of the
State, some thirty in number. AS re-
suit of the investigation, the committee
had reported unanimously against the
whole amendment, although minority
report had been submitted favoring the
adoption of that portion of the amend
ment providing for the repeal of the pro-
visions of the Constitution creating a
Board of Railroad Commissioners. Con-
tinuing, Senator Earl said:
1.-The proposed amendment strikes
from the present Constitution those pro-
visions establishing Railroad Commits
sion and proposes as a statute in lieu
thereof regulation of the railroad COM
panies by the Legislature as before adop-
ton of the new Constitution, save and
except limitation is placed on the legis-
lative control by uniform maximum
distance tariff for passengers and freight
service, and also by freight classifica-
ton comprising quarto publication OF
some eighty pages. This uniform dis
tance tariff and classification is made
applicable to all of the railroads in the
State, some thirty in number, under in
dependent ownership and control, regard
less of the length of the road, the amount
of business, or cost of construction and
operation, or whether operated in mount
aims or valleys.
sit will be seen, therefore, that this
amendment, prepared by the Traffic As
sociation representatives. embodies two
DIOJOSlllOl4S eADlOksdllOh Vi LLlO ADOdl u
of Railroad Commission provisions OF
the Constitution, and the adoption of a
uniform distance tariff to be known as
the California distance tariff, incorporat-
ing into our organic law an eighty-page
book. The distinguished Senator from
Napa stated in his argument in support
of this amendment that the amendment
presented simply and substantially the
proposition to abrogate the constitutional
provisions creating a Railroad Commits
sion and comforting its powers and duties.
Manifestly he is in complete and total
error. He might as well have said that
the proposition involves simply the
adoption of the California distance tariff
into the Constitution with the Western
classification. He would have been as
correct had he so stated as he was in stat
ing what he did.
1.-The Traffic Association has sent forth
these two propositions. Those that wish
TO bow to the Traffic Association must
accept them both. They are inseparable
and it is disingenuous for the distin-
guished Senator who introduced this
measure into the Senate to declare that
the one lu6d, Tie uOluE away VI lI6 Nall
road Commission, is the sole proposition
involved. We shall see why it is that he
wishes to divert attention from the true
purpose and scope of this amendment
During the investigations of the commit
tee that had this matter under considera-
ton, there appeared before it the distin-
guished and far-famed Mr.. Leeds, the
Manager of the Traffic Association of San
Francisco. wish to say in regard to the
Traffic Association of San Francisco
that l deem it a most honorable associa-
ton of high-minded gentlemen, en-
bracing
THE COMMERCIAL GENIUS
OF the great metropolis of San Francisco
Against the Traffic Association, as such
/ have not one word of criticism to direct
1t has worthy, laudable andlhonorable
purposes, nothing less than the develop.
ing of the commercial interests and the
property of the great city of San Fran
cisco, and indeed of the whole State
There are many evils it seeks to redress
hut what do criticise is, that one, al
least. of it's prominent officials has de-
vised a measure of this kind and by the
weight of his reputation palmed it of
upon the Traffic Association as a wise
niece of legislation, calculated to remedy
existing evils. One thing we know, that
many of the most eminent gentlemen
composing the Traffic Association, since
the matter has been called to their atten-
tion. have most earnestly expressed theil
protests against the scope OF this amend
ment.
"As first presented, this amendment
provided that the maximum charge fol
the transportation of freights by the rail
road companies should be a rate set fortt
in the California distance tariff. The fact
was developed before the committee, and
Mr.. Leeds himself admitted it, that the
rate, with here and there an exception
universally prevailing in the United
States was three cents q mile, and th'
committee thereupon asks him upor
what ground, what principle of justice
and right, he could justify the PROPOSE