The morning call., 1893-01-17
A RAILROAD ROUT.
Victory for the People in
She Assembly.
VOTE ON THE TAX BILL.
The ReaSSessment Bill Unanimously
Passed to Third Reading ShaEa-
han and BIedsoe Quarrel.
VOTE ON THE TAX BILL.
special to THE MORNING CALL


Assembly with an aggressive ant-TaIroad
fight The corTuptiDg influences Of ihe big
monopaly have,nOt vet reached the Assem-
bly,. anG, with one weak exception, every
member was ready and eager to put himself
on record as against the Southern PacIhe
Company.
Shanahan's railroad rpassesSment bill fur
nished the material for the opening fight.
The second reading of it was, Oh Saturday
last, made a special order for this afternoon
at2o'cIock. The discussion of the measure
was chopped on Saturday at the point
where Anderson amended it, changing the
date from 1882 to 1889, and that was pre-
cisely where it was taken up this afternoon.
Anderson does not seem TO relish being
elasSed as s railroad man, and his remarks
upon opening his argument in favor OF his
amendments showed it. He said that in in
PRODUCING the amendment it had not been
lis idea to aid any corporation, but the pro-
posed change was in accord with his views.
There was nothing in the wording OF the
bill to show that il was directed specially
against the railroad Only by imputatiun
was il known to mean that He said that
the bill applied to every corporation ard
every individual as well. La a legal sense
the measure could never become valid
law, for the reason that the statute of limi-
tation had run on the railroad debt. and the
courts would so declare If the bill were
passed and became a law. The member
wound up by declaring that the journals
that had published him as a railroad man
had done him an injustice. They Ind
honOred him with distinction that was
not his.
Shanahan made a fiery speech in behalf
10 H. lz.sa 5fiofgi A
derson severely for having made the off
hand statement that the bill. if passed.
Wond place an invalid law on the statute
books. and for having said that the Legis-
nature was going beyond the limit of the
law. THE people of this State" be de-
clared, have been struggling ever since
1S62 for relief in this matter. Fully $780,
900 IS held back 10y this gigantic corpora
ton. Only two years ago an infamous
measure passed through this House which
eompels individuals to pay Is per cent extra
on all deliuqueucies and lets the railroad
company of with per cent. l regret TO
say that l sat here and saw the bill pass,
but l had relied upon the integrity Of the
members Of the committee to see TO it
that DO such injustice should be done the
people"
After scoring the railroad company in
general terms, Shanahsn said that all the
money that the Southern Pacific had paid
over TO the State during 1882 and 1889 they
had termed donations. why, in 1882. in
my county the public schools were COM
PEELED 10 close on account Of the refusal Of
the railroad to pay its taxes. After that
year. the rate of taxation was raised so that
the schools could be opened. But this was
not the worst wrong that has emanated from
the refusal OF the railroad to pay its taxes.
Our Legislature and our courts have been
debauched, and manhood has been reduced
TO the mud and mire of degradation by
reason Of the corrupt use of the wealth of
the corporation. We have become an eye
sore to our sister States. owing to the
manner in which we have been handled by
this gigantic corporation.
''This amendment proposed by Anderson
strikes at the very heart of the measure,
and if If were adopted, would kin it"
Shanahan then went into the legal aspect
of the bill, and, after reading from various
authorities, declared that the bill if passed.
would be a valid one. He said he had
listened 10 the arguments of railroad attor-
neys for years on those very points, and in
regard TO the statute of limitation having
run, why let the Legislature 90 on with the
against the wishes Of the people.
Bledsoe spoke in similar vein. He
rallied upon his fellow Republicans TO be
true TO the interests of their constituents.
Heretofore the Southern Pacific Company
had been able to defeat all Legislation that
was hostile to its interests. II had con-
sroled the majority of the Republicans on
the floor Of the last Assembly. but the Dib-
bles, tie Lows, the NeCaIls and the
Burners had been showed under by the
people and left at home. Let us show" he
said, whether we are the servants Of the
Southern Pacific Company or of the people"
He said that the majority of the members
of the Supreme Court in the past had been
branded with the railroad collar. COneInd-
ing, Ble1soe called upon his fellow-members
to show their hands as the servants of the
State. and not as the tools Of the Southern
Pacific.
Afford also spoke in favor of the bill, and
Dodge Of Alameda followed him with the
remark that now is the time to Demon
strate whether we are owned by the South
ern Pacific or whether we own ourselves.
Let US defeat the amendment with an over
Yhelming majority"
This terrific whirlwiEd of oratery which
blew with such velocity had the effect of
weakening Anderson, who, when be found
himself alone and unsupported, was in
cined to swing around with the popular
side. He rose to withdraw the amend
ment, but Bledsoe objected, and the ayes
and noes We're called on it. There were II
noes, and Anderson was the only one who
voted aye.
When the baIloting was over, however,
he changed his vote, and made the passage
of the bill to the third reading unanimous.
1t was made q special order for tomorrow
at 2 o'clock
Bledsoe then called up Shanahan's
scalpers' bill. the second reading of which
had also been made special order for this
afternoon. ShaEahsn, who had talked
himself down to a wheeling whisper on the
reassessment bill, was opposed to going
ahead with the debate, and asked that it be
put over until tomorrow to give HIM tirns
to recuDerate.
Bledsoe, who proposed to make motion
TO knock out the enactng clause of the bill,
urged that the matter should be proceeded
with. His persistency irritated Shanahan,
who limited that Bledsoe must have OBJ
tanned his zeal from the army of scalpers
who had flooded the city and the Assembly
chamber during the day.
This rather settled Bledsoe for the time
being, but later on, after having chewed the
cud OF reflection for while, he arose TO a
question Of privilege and said that he did
not want the gentleman from Shasta TO cast
imputatiOns upon his Integrity In that
manner. 1t was an Infamous outrage for
him TO do so.
Shanahan replied in strong language and
a lively scene eIsued, which was only
quelled by the lond rapping Of the Speakers
gayel
Tie sentiment of the majority of the
members of the Assembly is against the
scalpers' bill, and there is but little doubt
that it will be killed. It is looked upon as a