The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
MAYOR sUTRo MAKING HIS SPEECH.

to prevent the perpetuation of this state Of
slavery.
Let us demand justice from Congress: let US
remind 1t that the passage OF funding bill is
not justice to US. 1t would be rewarding dis
honesty, rapacity and oppression.
Let US prove that our manhood IS not dead,
that the spirit OF the Revolutionary fathers Is
still living, that we are not towards nor slaves
Let our young men form clubs or companies
for self-defense in every precinct OF the City /;
by word and deed the ladies ought to encourage
their fathers, brothers and husbands to carry
on the good work persistently, and once again
the day of freedom will dawn and the sun of
justice honor and prosperity shine over our
well-loved country.
When the applause which greeted his
words had subsidized he introduced Mayor
John L. Davie of Oakland, who was re-
ceived with cheers. He said:
81 crossed the bay this evening to aid in pro-
testing against the refunding scheme of the Cen
tral Pacific Railway Company. Anew men came
together few years ago with very little money
and great deal OF nerve to build railroad
across the continent. When that road was
completed they found themselves mil
lionaires FIVE times over. Not salts
enslave your people. So far have they sue
ceeded that scarcely representative of any
mercantile firm dares to appear on platform
ana appeal against their rapacity: So AFRO.
CANT have they become that now they intend
to avoid by fraud and chicanery the payment
OF their just obligations.
We have created this corporation and now
we permit them to laugh in their sleeves at
their creators. Just so long as this corporation
can control the Legislature they will keep out
out competition. If our Legislatures for the
last thirty years had done nothing but try to
keep out opposition railroads they could not
have done better.
If you are men protest. Send back your rep
resentatives with instructions to say to the
your roads and show you that we can run a
railroad Just as well as we can run post
Office" You have let this octopus throw its
tentacles about you until now you are in its
power.
Colonel Thomas III. Barry said:
We are assembled here to evidence by our
presence that the Southern Pacific has not put
any shackles upon the people Of California and
the people of San Francisco.
If the road is bankrupt. If there is nothing
for the people to receive, then there is enough
confidence in the integrity in the people of the
United States to believe that If the mortgage is
foreclosed the people of California can make it
pay. II the ten speakers who speak here to-
night devoted their time to bare recital of the
mere iniquities which this corporation has
perpetrated, it would not suffice for litany OF
our woes.
We have no desire tonight Except to say
10 these men who hold that the law is power
less that the very judicial arm of the Govern
ment which they have so often paralyZed is
confronted with so simple proposition that
they cannot escape it. If you owe money, pay
it. The people of California say if you owe
money you must pay 1t. We say If the
road is good enough for Mr.. Huntington
it is good enough for the people. Imagine any
country or community in the world where any
discussion would be needed of such PROPOSE
ton. Only where the people, strong and pow
erful, have come TO doubt their own strength.
They have come to fear they have created a
monster SO powerful they are afraid to cope
with 1t. No man is so mean that the law shall
not protect him; no man is so great that he
can defy the law.
Do you say, Mr.. Huntington, because you
have robbed California do you say because
you are growing rich, while the necessa aries in
our little homes are growing scarcer, you are
account you can defy the law this meeting
says that California may vote Democratic this
year and Republican next year, but whatever
her politics may be so far as you are concerned
you must pay your debts.
Henry E. Highton on being introduced
said:
This meeting converges upon single point,
with two subdivisions. The point is the re-
lease of the people of the State of California
from more abject and poverty-breeding
slavery to the existing overland railroads than
First the defeat of each and every measure
that may be proposed in Congress for refund
ing the Indebtedness OF the Central Pacific
Company; second, the immediate foreclosure of
the mortgages held by the Gov eminent against
that company.
take the liberty on my own account of
adding third SUBDIVISION, namely: the re-
storation TO the security held by the Govern
ment of so much of its value as has been il
legally withdrawn, and the conversion of the
present holders of that Withdrawn value into
trustees for all the bondholders, including
the Government, through the largest
equity suit in history, based, however,
upon ancient and simple principles,
and which, on the one hand, would not import
into the litigation the National sympathy
against direct attack upon the Palo Alto
University, and, on the other, would exclude
any possible defense. based on strained con-