The record-union., 1893-03-10
NOT A COMPROMISE.

+ 1erred that l agree with those who have
claimed your attention before me that
this substitute is compromise by which
the rights of the people are surrendered.
| Speakers who have preceded me, 1 do
not think, have touched upon the main
/ question. To my mind the issue now is,
Shall we abandon all attempt to agree
upon plan Of reassessment? If the
amendment proposed by the gentleman
from Los Angeles is incorporated. be-
lleve the Legislature will adjourn, and
especially the Democratic portion of it,
without redeeming the pledges made to
| the people,"
Mr.. Mathews here read the plank con-
corning railroad taxes in the platform
adopted at the Fresno convention. He
then continued:
| by that plank we were instructed to
pass reassessment bill, and l consider
that each member is in duty bound to ex-
erclse his individual and best Judgment,
ana answer to his constituency for the
manner IN which he discharges that obli-
gauon. Ii we neglect to do this. [ be-
AleVe we Will fail IN our duty, and the re-
suit VIII be lnimicable to the future inter-
ests OF the Democratic party. 1t is not a
question of compromising with the rail-
road company, but with a coordinate
oranch o1 the Legislature. The Assem-
oly has put itself on record by passing
the most radical reassessment plan pro-
posed, and l voted with the majority.
The Senate refuses to accept our plan, but
sends us back a substitute which. in NV
humble judgment, will result in giving
us nearly if not quite
ALL THAT is DUE.
1t is certainly the best we can hone
for at the present session of the Legisla-
ture. We must accept that or await the
result of tedious and uncertain litigation.
and the doubtful action of another Legis-
lature. The substitute will give to Te-
hama County more than $4,000, and I
know that my constituents will indorse
my action in agreeing to accept that
amount rather than we should engage in
TWO or more years of litigation which. in
the end, may result in no better success
than mas attended the efforts of the late
Democratic Controller of State.
There are those who believe it is good
policy, as well as good politics, to prevent
any settlement of the railroad tax ques-
ton. infer that such are the views of
the Chairman Of the Democratic State
central Committe, if he is correctly
quoted by San Francisco paper. He is
OF the opinion that our success in this
state IS due to the active part taken by
the railroad company in politics. NV in
dlVlduaI observation has been that when
ever the railroad company engages in
politics it is always to the detriment of
the Democratic party. Some newspapers
seem to be imbGed with the idea that I
am railroad man. The only answer
that have to make to such inslnuations
is, that 1 have been.
ELECTED FIVE TIMES
A member of this House, and every time
L have been compelled to fight the in
| fiuence of the railroad company. have
no fears but that my constituents will
sustain me in whatever action I may talk e
in this matter. They have, whenever
afforded the opportunity, indorsed nv
legislative record. am guided in this.
as in all other public matters, by desire
to serve them faithfully and to the best of
my ability, and to DO my whole duty as
see it by the light of such investigation
as have been able to make.
lin almost every instance where the
railroad company has had an opportunity
to deal directly with counties, compro-
misses have been effected. In NV candid
! opinion large majority of the people of
this State will indorse our action if we
accept this Carpenter substitute. At any
rate, am willing to accept the RESPONSE
| blity of casting my vote lin accord
ance with the dictates of my Judgment
and conscience and accept the conse-
quences, whatever they may be. 1 conf
IDENTIFY believe that time will vindieate the
wisdom of my action, and 1 am equally
confident that my constituents will credit
me with integrity of purpose and honesty
of motive in my efforts to guard and pro-
tect their interests to the best of nv
ability"
TALKED MUCH AND SAID LITTLE.
The champion demagogic speech of the
day was made by Mr.. Gould. 1t was
very evident by his posings and manner
of speech that he was supremely delighted
to talk to full gallery and full lobby.
He endeavored to present a word picture
| to what baseness the State of California
has been reduced through alleged
Vaccinations of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company. His speech was sar-
castle, but chestnutty. His remarks we're
confined principally to abuse of the rail-
road company and its officials. and lacked
| argument He approved of the substi-
tute offered by Mr.. Finlayson, and har-
angued in favor Of its adoption, but when
he had finished everybody wondered
how man could talk so long and elo-
quently and say nothing.
THE PoPULISTS IN LINE.
Mr.. Vann, the Populist member from
Colusa, said he would vote for the SUBJ
stitute of Mr.. Finlayson. The Senate
substitute of Mr.. Carpenter did not suit
( him nor the other members of the Peo-
| ple's party. In fact, if the author OF the
substitute had been minute later he
/ should have offered one of like purport.
1 He thought the railroad owed taxes from
! 1879, and would treat all offers of compro-
mise with scorn. He did not care what
action tho Senate would take; he believed
he was right and hoped the Finlayson
substitute would be passed.
Mr.. Taylor said he had listened with
much pleasure to the legal lights on the
floor, and the remarks of the Speaker
had touched tender spot in his heart.
The question before the House required
no eulogizing or abuse of men, and there
was no necessity for describing the
beauties of the State. He wound up his
remarks by saying that he was in favor
of the substitute before the House, and
would not vote for any bill which will