Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03
Many Questions That Influence the
Campaign.
4 FIGHT AGAINST RAILROAD CONTROL
The Congressional Candidates and
Their Chances.
HILBORN TO GET JUSTICE


For general mix-up on matters political
California can claim the palm in this cam
paign and need not be afraid that she will
be surpassed in any degree even by New
York with the unquenehable feuds between
the state democracy, the regular machine
and the various factions in Brooklyn. In
this state 1t is not the democratic party
alone that is in the throes of fractional
fight; but all parties are included in the
general mix-up. All the trouble has arisen
over the entrance of the railroad question
into politics. The Southern Pacific Railroad
Company for years has dominated in Cali
fornia, and it has grown to be a political
proverb on the Pacific slope that the rail-
road company owned the slope. In past
campaigns determined effort has been
made to overcome the influence of the rail-
road, but the effort has been only partly
successful, and this year there Is general
uprising that is confined to no political
party, and which finds its means of making
itself felt by becoming opposed to all men
who are suspected of being in sympathy
with the railroads, no matter what ticket
they may be upon
All over the state the independent anti
railroad men are placing their own tickets
in the field, sometimes indorsing the NOM
inees of one party and sometimes putting up
men who have not been prominent in any
party, but have fought the railroad. San
Francisco set the pace, and the other cities
and finally the country districts followed
the example of the metropolis. The desired
contamination Is a capture of the legislature
and election of a Senator who will oppose
by voice and vote the proposition of the
government to fund the debt of the South
ern Pacific, and thus place that powerful
corporation in its full strength again. How
ever, it is desired from a local standpoint
that the sheriffs and assessors principally
and other county officials shall be anti-rail-
road in order that the property of the COM
pany may be looked after in the interests Of
the people.
The Paramount Issue.
This is the paramount issue, which disre-
CARDS all party lines and therefore it has
little bearing on the congressional elections
except in so far it affects candidates in
their personal standing on the funding bill
and whatever other legislation in the inter-
est of the Southern Pacific which may
come before Congress. However, there are
other issues of a more partisan nature that
are cutting a very good figure In the cam
paign between the two parties. 1t would
be difficult to say which Is regarded as the
most important-the Chinese question, the
Hawaiian question and the tariff question
are equally strong in the different sections.
On all these three the democrats seem to
have the worst of the argument. The new
Chinese treaty Is very unpopular, and Sen
ator White opened himself to a great deal
of criticism when he chose TO support the
policy of the administration on 1t. Added
to 1t was the Discrimination of the admins
tration to execute the Geary law before the
ratification of the present treaty. On the
Hawaiian question California was very
| much worked up. The interests of the state
are such that the acquisition OF Hawaii
| would have proved greatly beneficial, and
neither party would support the acts of
/ President Cleveland in rejecting all offers
| for annexation. The action of the demo-
7 Gratis on the tariff cut both ways in Cali
| fornia. If there is anything in the world
| that is really wanted by the Golden Gate
state 1t is free coal, as all the supply of
| that article must be brought from abroad,
and the imposition of heavy tariff duties
| works to the great injury Of the people and
manufacturers of the state. Therefore,
! when the democrats refused to make coal
free in spite of the promises that had been
given in the campaign on the racine slope,
| there was a great deal of dissatisfaction,
which lost nothing in intensity when the
| democrats took off a great deal of the pro-
| lection that had Heretofore been given to
| prunas, mica and other important products
| of California. Therefore, at the outset, the
democrats are handicapped on this issue.
Democratic situation UnfavOrable.
| Under these conditions the situation does
not look very bright for the democracy.
| At first it was claimed that they would
! save a majority of the delegation from the
| state. but as reports have been coming in
| from the different districts 1t looks as
though they would be fortunate if they
| succeeded in saving more than one The
| fortunate one will probably be Judge Ma
| guire of San Francisco. who has made
| himself popular because or his strong stand
| On The railroad question While IN congress.
He comes from the district In the city
| where there is the most likelihood of fraud,
| and it is openly charged that the railroad
| men are WORKING in repeaters by the hun
| dreds to defeat him. However, the Judge
| has fought this influence before ana mas
| overcome all attempts at bribery and
| trIckory through the assistance of the Aus
| trailian ballot law. His free trade, single
| tax and silver views are very popular with
| his constituents, and he is now counted on
| as a certain quantity, though both L. Is.
| shannon the republican nominee, and Ii.
| O. Collier, the popujist, are in the ll8ht 10
| win, and the former is backed by the re-
| publican machine.
| chance with Geary also. His principal
| strength lies III the fact that he fathered
| the law that would make miserable Tor all
| time to come the life of any Chinaman VINO
| dared to come unauthorized on the soil OF
| the United States. There Was some rear
| that he would lose on account OF his atti-
| tude IN opposing the caucus action OIL the
| House of Representatives taking lne senate
| tariff bill: but this action, if anything, has
| Int tended to make him more popular with
| his constituents as he stood out for free
| coal and was not so strongly against the
| Ixeen:ng on of d few duties on the products
| of California. IIe stands well on the Ha-
| waiian question, and is also in line with
| the anti-ra.lrodd men in his opposition to
| the funding bill He has a GOOD lght on
| though. and IL he Is successful he may
| find it necessary to go into the pontlcai
| hospital for a time for necessary repairs
| for there will be strong evidences that he
| has been in fight and good one at that
| John A. Barham, the republican candidate
| Is from Geary's own town, and he Is max
| ing 1t very warm right in the home quar-
| ters while r. F. Grigsby, the popullst Is
| making Il lively in the outside regions. The
| fight is hardly three cornered, but the pop
| uIists will draw of a great deal of the dis
| gruntIed strength of the democrats.
Democratic Chance.
The only other district in which the dem
ocrats stand a good chance is the second
where Caminetti is making strong can
| vass for reelection. Caminetti is strons
man in the district He has made severa
good campaigns and has the record o.
| having no defeats of any consequence II
his pclittcal career. He knows his district
| Thoroughly, and Is making one of the bes
| campaigns that has ever been known there
| since the first campaign of Budd, the pres
ent democratic candidate for governor o.
| the state. Perhaps the strongest point II
Caminettrs canvass is his reputation of thu
acts of the administration on silver, the