New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-10
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE STANFORD sUIT-sENECA SWAIN
cDr,,r As A STAGE ATTRACTION.
.nr rrLr.nArn b ~ IlmCYE !

! -, rr,,.ls.1. June S-Thc action x Attorney
General Olnev IN fling claim Tor N''O0oo0'
ag,,,s, the stanford estate IS regarded mere As
~. = noli,cal bunc3mbe devised % have rs III
cuence with ant-monopoy voters az t"e "eN'
cle.,ion What hurt It's force was the iact tha'
olnev had Just declared himself IN FAVOR OF '"e
one hundred bonds T. make 50 complete
soner.ault is seldom within the power ~ the
most agile polit.cal trimmer Mrs. stanford
only concern over this action was lest X might
interfere with the University. which IS her hTs'
thought The best lawyers here. however de-
clare that Oneys position IS !ndefensiole' ana
tina, tn. estate cannot be held for the debts OK
the Central Pacific Railroad.
The onslaught made upon California Judges
and Legislators by ex-Congressman Sumner be-
fore the House Committee on Pacln, Railroads
ksounds vegy much Ike campaign speech X
Is the same old talk Of wholesale bribery which IS
heard on the stump but which NJ one can prove
In any specific case Summers words give the
impression that California IS corrupt 10 the core.
yet II is doubtful whether legislation in this State
has been Influenced more strongly by the South
ern Pacific Company than was legislation In New
York thirty years ago by the Central and Erie
railroads Such loose talk as Sumner INDUCED
in hurts California just the reputation Of our
general bribery Of Senators and Representatives.
The clean Republican sweep in Oregon has
made California Democrats very Respondent
They counted on great Populist gains. but the
result showed that the property-hoding class III
Oregon feared 10 see the Populists In control ana
thus defeated any attempt AZ fusion between
them and the Democrats. Another important
factor was the resentment of Demo Gratis at the
failure OF their party l. fulfil the pledges on the
tariff Good judges Of politics here predict the
hp
I'm Oregon. The Republicans were never IN
better condition for strong campaign as every
large industry has been hurt 10y the tariff tink-
er!ng and thousands who voted for Cleveland
under the idea that he would restore good times
are now prepared u do what they can to defeat
the Democracy.
The Orientals are coming out In great force at
the Midwnter Fair. The japanese to-day gave
a brilliant and picturesque display. and next
Wednesday and Thursday the Chinese propose
TO have pageants never cqualled In this country
even By the big dragon procession al New
Years. one Of the features of the Fair is the
large attendance Of Chinese. Merchants are seen
nearly every day attended by wires and children.
all richly dressed. and even the poorer class OF
Aslatics appear 10 patronze the show literally.
The pardon this week Of Seneca Swain after
he had served nearly his entire term OF seven
out peculiar story Swain was the intimate
friend OF Clara Belle Mcdonald. the first wife OF
the young bank-wrecker, r. II. Mcdonald. jr.:
who is now in Jail awaiting trial for larceny OF
the Pacific Banks funds. Swain was arrested |
as he journeyng eastward with Clara Bellies |
tewelry and diamonds, valued at $1,000. lie |
swore they were intrusted to him by the woman. !
who wished to leave her husband but public !
opinion assisted by the Mcdonald wealth. hur- |
ried Swain TO prison. He went into San Quentin |
a handsome man-about-town. he emerged gray. |
cadaverous and hollow-eyed. only TO ind his |
old enemy In precisely the same position that he |
occupied seven years ago. Swain isn't vndic- |
tive but he said when released that he was glad |
the cant and hypocrisy Of Mcdonald had been |
exposed at last
The personal property roll of San francisco |
amounts this year TO s6i.250.OO0. decrease or
nearly two millions from last year This de-
crease the assessor attributes TO the great shrink
age OF values due to the hard times. Throughout
the State the same reduction in assessments Is
reported AS the expenses OF State government
have not been curtailed, the assessments VIII
have to be increased or there Will be a big def
icit.
The meetings of the American Medical AS
ISOLATION this week created much interest ana
several OF the sections were crowded Adolph
Sutro entertained over one hundred OF the wives
of visiting doctors at lunch yesterday in the