The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-05
A FARCICAL TRIO.
Railroad Commissioners i'm
a New Role.
He Wants an Investigation by the Leg
islature-Expert Morgan's Opin-
ion of the Press.

| lish nothing but the truth about this COM
| mission and its members will agree to keep
| him clothed for six months, and he will h6
| better dressed than he ever was in his life."
Such was the sheer in the hope or free
"ad' of Tailor Litchfeld. one of the menu
! bers of the Board OF Railroad Commission
ers at their meeting yesterday.
| All the members we're present, also Attor-
| neys Martin and Richards.
After Secretary Kelly had read the
| minutes OF the preceding meeting Bailiff
| Stafford tslephoned to Traffic Manager
! Leeds to come to the board meeting and
resume his testimony.
| Mr. Leeds replied that he was busy with
! a meeting of the executive committee of the
| Traffic Association and asked for days
adjournment
! The Commissioners, in the circumstances,
decided to postpone the further hearing in
| the Shivey case for a week, as Mr. Leeds
! had been the only witness subpenaed.
| A communication was read from the Ma
| tional City and 0tay Railroad. with re-
| yised passenger tariff. The matter was
| deferred till the next meeting The only
| change over former rates was an increase
of cents on all fares over 10 cents and less
| than 81 when collected on the trains.
| Colonel Richard T. Morgan, the expert,
! failed to put IN an appearances. and the fol-
| lowing letter was read explaining his alb
! sence and expressing his opinion Of news
| paper crtieism:
PALACE HOTEL, SAN FRANCISCO
December %, 1892.
| Hon. James ". Rea, President OF the Board Of
| Railroad Commissioners ST CaiUornta-DEAR
| SIR: 1t Is now month since my report was de
| liyered 10 the commission and nearly month
since you gave Ii 10 the public aud also gave
Official copies OF II 10 the press. Inasmuch it
| was satisfactory 10 you aud your colleagues,
and also because no qualified person bias for
4 al "A "a aAnIa and
conclusions. deem IL unnecessary for me 10 re-
main any longer ior The purpose OF Justitying ny
| report.
| | also believe that the Legislature about 10
| convene Will readily perceive that / have 10 the
| best of my ability faithfully served the State OF
| California, aud that therefore am entitled TO
! 4 return of the considerable sum of money |
| have advanced from my personal means for ex-
penses and also 10 remune alton Tor the eIyices
| have rendered. For these reasons an urgent
| demands upon my time elsewhere have decided
| TO start tomorrow morning Tor my Rome al
| Dwight, Ill. Some OF tile newspapers (thero are
several honorable excepti0nsl have published
| ibeous and damaging statements In respect 10
| myself In connection win my Work Tor The state
| With a feckeSSness that indicates irresponsible
| iiy; therefore, desire 10 formally say 10 the
| Commissioners, for such use as as they see FIT,
that every and ali charges and iniimatlons that
| my report was IN ANY degree affected by infu-
| enee other Than tie personal desire OF myself and
/ sou are maiiciously false. Ii necessary for me
| 10 return TO California shall do so. Yours very
| respectfully. RICHARD i. MORGAN.
+. S. III you can spare them, please send me
| twenty copies OF your report
Both Attorneys Martin and Richards
| stated that they we're not yet through with
examining Colonel Morgan, and after dis
| GUESSING the situation the secretary was in
! structed to notify the expert TO hold himself
in readiness to return to this city When re-
! CURED
Chairman Rea then offered the following
! extraordinary resolution and moved 10 for
| ward 1t to both houses of thu Legislatures:
| WHEREAS, The Legislature OF the state is at
| present IN session; and, whereas. the State Board
! OF Railroad commissioners has for the past sew
| efal months been frequently aud publicly as
sailed by the Traffic Association OF California.
| through its manager. J. s. Leeds, and has been
| charged VITA dereiiciion OF duly and Hith SUB
/ servency TO railroad Interest aud the personal
| integrity OF It's members also attacked, and.
! whereas, seid manager of the Tfanic Ass0-
ciaiioD, after vaipiy tying 10 commit this board
| to Illegal methods OF railroad regulation, has
widely published and announced Officially thst IL
was the purpose of The Traffic Association TO
| have the Railroad Commission abolished by the
| present Legislature; and whereas. now that the
| Legislature Is ia session, The said Traffic Asso-
| citation appears from the report OF lis egisalye
| committee 10 have suddenly abandoned It's
boasted purpose to abolish this commission; and
| whereas. this commission believes that IL has
/ honestly performed its duty aud proceeded IN
| the only legal manner 10 the solution OF the
| transportation problem In California;; and
whereas tile commission Is aud for several
| months past has been engaged In an iuyesti-
! gatlon OF the subject of railroad rates
| and fares IN the case of X. o. Shiyely against
| the Southern Pacific Company; aud whereas,
| during all Of the hearing Of this case this COM
mission and its members have been constantly
| and, we believe, dishonesty ass8iled by the said
j. ). Leeds as manager OF the II alc Association,
and by certain OF the newspapers OF The STAG
| openly known as the organs OF the Traif1c AssO-
| citation, some OF which have even ATTEMPTED 10
levy biackmail upon the complainant In said
case; and whereas. this commission believes that
| the age OF demagogy Is past, and that the
| dishonest assaults upon public boards engaged
| in dung their legal duty by hired and high
| priced managers OF such high priced bodies as
Y n n
| yeBtaton; and further believes an Inyestiga-
lion of The present and past official &C Ions or the
| Railroad Commission would be- eminently proper,
| in view OF the assaults upon II therefore be II
ResOlUed. That The State Board OF Railroad
| Commissioners Insists upon and urges the Legs-
| latuTe TO make an investigation during $ pres
| ent session, ana Tor that purpose suggests that
| legislative committee be- selected from the
members OF both houses ana Irrespective OF
| party; such committee 10 be composed OF honest
men above aud beyond any suspicion OF railroad
| affIalion. Influence or control. which committee
shall attend The present sessions OF the commits
sion during the pending inquiry into railroad
J charges ana thoroughly inform Itself and the
legislature as TO the integrity ana.utilty OF the
Railroad Commission, and also advise the Legis-
| la ure upon tile subject of railroad regulations,
and thus share with the commission the re-
possibility OF just and speedy sol niion OF the
| railroad problem In the State OF California
| Il oppose the adoption Of the resolution"
| said missioner Liehfied. Il don't care
what Mr. Leeds. the newspapers or any one
else say about me so long l have the APP
/ prevail OF my own conscience"
| Tie righteousness of the closing remark
| caused every one present to smile 4roady.
Chairman Rea was even more amusing
people" he said, ''have even questioned
| my honesty, and do not propose to have
| any one sit as judge on my acts or my
| honor without an attempt to make the facts
| clearly known.
"My purpose is 10 establish the honor and
| the integrity If this board. Corporations
| have brought about bad condition in poll
| ties and have corrupted politicians and the
| press.
Now we have an opportunity to clear the
atmosphere in the State of California. |
/ court the investigation. The railroad has
asked for II, Mr.. Shively wants it and every
! body is after it,"
Considerable dscusson ensued, during
/ which Rea said that il any member Of the
| LEGISLATURE should attack him during the
session, he would move 10 subpoena him a
| the close OF the session to come before the
board and tell what he knows.
Finally Commissioners Beckman moved in
| amendment that the resolution be laid on
the table Tor one week. which was adopted.
Chairman Rea moved that the secretary
be instructed to write to the San Francisco
| newspapers, asking on what terms the
| papers would publish the proceedings OF
the board from the stenographer's notes in
| full, the lowest bidder to get the work.
/ The board got quite hilarious over this
| farcical absurdity, and adjourned until