The herald., 1894-10-17
THE SOUTHERN PACIFLC AND
THE PEOPLE.


presidency of the Southern Pacific rail-
road some three years since he caused
to be published through the daily press
letter in which he said that thereafter
the Southern Pacific company would be
run on strictly business principles.
That he deprecated the bad repute into
which it had come in consequences OF its
interference in the politics of the state.
That he realized that in order to make
the Southern Pacific company paying
investment its management must court
rather than antagonze the people and
that it must obtain and retain the good
will of the patrons, who were in posi-
tion to give to or withhold from it the
business from which it must look for its
revenue. He said that in future his
corporation would be willing and ex-
pected to abide by the laws now exist.
ing and future legislation looking to the
regulation and control of his own and
like corporations.
This was nice talk. It sounded we'll
and was reasonable. 1t appealed to the
good sense OF the people and many oi
them were inclined to accept it as sins
cere and believe that the Southern
Pacifc's policy of rule or ruin was to be
thing Of the past.
But for few incredulous ones who
had probably suffered as result of
over.con6dence in the past and thought
it safer to let Mr.. Huntington prove his
faith by his works, his scheme might
have, and probably would have worked
out as he had planned it. That these
promises and professions were as false as
they were designing has since become
too evident to need more than the bare
assertion here. That they were laid out
with definite object in view cannot be
doubted. That they were to be carried
to successful issue, by means either
fair or foul, Mr.. Huntington himself has
demonstrated.
That he has no interest in the welfare
of this state or its people, only in so far
as it promotes and furthera his own, his
past actions prove. II our memory
serves us rightly the Santa Monica har-
Dor scheme came to light soon after all
these fair promisea and professions we're
made. TIE reasonable inference is that
this move was one of many then con-
templated, probably was already
planned, and it is not unlikely that this
open letter to the public waa written to
disarm their suspicious and prevent
their opposition to his purpose to
secure an appropriation from con-
grees for his Santa Monica harbor
The result of bis efforts in this direction
is well known. But for an early detec,
| tion OF his plans and concerted oppo-
stion thereto. there is but little doubt
that an appropriation would have been
made for Santa Monica and that San
Pedro would have been shut out from
future consideration. That the Southern
Pacific company is as much in politics
today as it ever was is too well known
to need more than it's simple mention,
and it is safe to assert, and act upon the
assumption, that it does not favor one
CahuidbtO iOA OAuCo Ot0I AHutAcfs huu
does not interest itself in his election
unless such candidate is already obli.
gated to it or it has good reason to be-
lieve he will not antagonize, ii he does
not openly champion it's cause.
The interests OF the Southern Pacific
company and those of tho people are
essentially antagonistic. Its professiont
and promises are unworthy of credence
or belief. Its present Management has
10 long had things its own way, has &C
long domineersd over and used the pub
lie for it's own purposes, that it has be
come second nature to it. and it indig
nantly resents and defiss any law OF
proposed law looking to its regulation, OIL
the restriction of the immunity and self
sssertive action and liberty it has hith-
erto enjoyed.
The Southern Pacific company has
never asked US for our opinion OF Its
course. We infer that it has never con-
sidered that any opinion we had OIL
might have would be valuable to it
Possibly it is right about this. Its pas1
judgment of that which would promote
its welfare seems to have been good,
and we are willing to admit that 1t may
be able to run along Q while Longer