The herald., 1894-10-08
THE REILLY FUNDING BILL AND THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Congressman Mcguire, in an able
speech lately delivered at Bakersfield,
alluded to the Reilly funding bill and
the position of the two great parties
with reference to the railroad question,
as follows:
The Reilly funding bill is q menacs to
the people OF the coast for several reas-
ons: First, if enacted it will continue for
another SO years the -uinous domin-
ion by the Pacific railroads. Second,
it will authorize these monopolies to
levy tribute on the people of California
to pay the railroad debta of nearly $780,
600 900. This levy will come in the form
of excessive freights and fares. The
people do not owe this debt. If those
who do ere to be released from paving
it, it should not be aaddled on the peo-
pie.
Whether this bill passes or not de-
pends on the people of California. II
they sustain the Democratic congress-
men who have fought the bill, it will be
beaten. but if the people discredit the
fight we have made they will probably
lose the support OF enough eastern
Democrats to fneure its passage.
The eastern Republicans with four ex.
ceptions will vote for it and the western
and southern Democrats will vote
against it.
We had fair test of their positions,
upon the 81, 100000 claim of the South
ern Pacific, which was rejected just be.
fore congress adjourned. In spite of
the showing made even by the Southern
Pacific attorney in another matter, that
the Southern Pacific was mere agent
of the G. P, every Republican present
in the house, with five exceptions, voted
to pay the claim, while the Democrats
with four exceptions. voted to off.et the
claim by the Q. p. debt to the govern
ment.
The only reliance of the people is up
on Democratic representatives.
Bad as the Reilly bill is it is 100 per
cent better than theiRepu blicRn funding
bill drafted by Senator Davis and cham
pioned by the Republican majorities OF
the Pacific railroad committees. Every
Republican on the committee except
one favored Hat funding bill without
conditions. 1t was a 75-year 2 per cent
bill, and ior the hrst 10 years the cor
poration was to pay but l per cent.
Besides this the government WAS to re-
fund all the private debts OF the Central
Pacific. In order to get enough Demo-
cratic votes to fsvorably report the Reil-
ly bill tho Democrats forced them to
insert q condition that all roads must
pay their first mortgage bonds before
taking advantage of the bill. No Re-
publicans and not even Mr.. Bowers
came before the committee to speak
against the bill. Mr.. Bowers did not
even declare himself opposed to it until
California's Democratic congressman
had worked over two months against it.
Judge Mcguire might have added that
while the majority of the committee
which reported the Reilly bill is Demo.
cratic, nevertheless, there are five Re-
publican members on that committee,
and of these four voted in favor of the
bill. 1t is thoroughly understood at
Washington that there is hardly eny
opposition on the Republican side of
either house to the pending measure.
1t would be we'll for the Republican
anti-monopolists of the Sixth congress
sional district to consider carefully
whether they can trust congressman
who was nominated by the combined
efforts OF Dan Burns, w. w. Stowe,
Charley Webber and Hervey Lindley.
The Populist who votes for Bowman is