The record-union., 1894-11-16
WHAT CALIFORNIA WANTS.


In the adjustment of the relation be-
tween the Government and the Pacific
railroads, what California wants is the
longest time at the lowest obtainable rate
of interest. This position on the part of
California is so reasonable and so defens-
IDLE that it will commend itself to the at
tentlon of the Government by reason of
Its strong common sense. We venture
the opinion that there is not citizen of
any State in the Union east of the Rocky
Mountains who would think of advocat-
ing the Governments taking possession
Of the Pacific Railroads and operating
them. An extension bill will be passed.
The Government has invested its money
IN the roads and it wants that money re-
turned; and it does not propose to
operate them solely in the interest of the
people of California; it proposes to operate
them in the direction of getting return
of the money and interest on the invest
ment.
a contemporary has suggested that
California become the lessee of these
roads and operate them for the benefit of
the State. We are more disposed to favor
this proposition than that relating to
Government control. If the people of
California are to be presented with the
whole value of the subsidy by having the
Government forego all hope of recover
ing any part of it, the logic of the situa-
ton requires that the State of California
take possession of the roads, and the
state Government is quite as capable of
managing these roads as the Govern
ment of the United States. In either case
an experiment of Government operation
would be in process. The overland bust
ness yields but a small traffic at best, and
very soon there is going to be a COM
petitor in the way of the Tehuantepec
Railroad, which will augment the force
of the sea as factor in overland business.
1t is scarcely a contribution to the dis
cussion of this question to say that the
Government can recover the money out
of the stockholders. We are not disposed
to dignity this position by answering it.
The Act of Congress created statutory
nen- And besides, it is well known to
thelegal fraternity that by decisions of
tha Supreme Court of California the ope-
ration of the present liability clause is
limited to three years after the date of the
creation of the obligation. After that Pc
riod it expires and has no force and effect.
In our opinion, the Government in
tends to get the money that is due it out
of the road, and the people who use it
will have to pay that money. So that,
really, the only question for California to
deal with is to see how little they will
have to pay and through how many gen.
erations they can extend the payment.
The Pacific Coast owes an undischarged
debt to the original constructors of the
Central Pacific Railroad-to their genius,
energy and foresight we owe the entire
railroad system of the Pacific Coast But
for them it's construction would have been
delayed for half century. They are
frequently the objects of prejudiced ma
levolence. The source of this. however,
is from the camp of the demagogue who
finds an inherent prejudice in the minds
of those of either no fortune or small
fortune against the successful men of
every age and time. Such men have no
voice in the verdict of history and no part
in framing the law Of public opinion.
Beyond this and even above it stand
the requirements of justice. The stock
holders of the Central Pacific Railroad
Company have rights, and no Govern
ment can afford to be unjust toward its
citizens. The Inauguration of govern
mental injustice is the overthrow Of lib
erty and the establishment oftyranny. In
the final adjustment of the pending diff
fculties, the enlightened conscience of
the nation will do justice to the stock
holders of the road, and the small super
fetal voice of animadyersion will not be
heard.