The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-15
THE END rs AT HAND.

The enormous power of the Southern
Pacific Company over the welfare of Cali
| fornia has been exercised during the last
quarter of century only by the consent
of the people. That this company, in the
pursuit of its private interests, has Incl
dentally made possible such development
| of this splendid State as all may see, none
can deny. 1t is not necessary to discuss
here the question whether it has distrib-
| uted benefits as great as those which it has
received. That is a threadbare subject at
best. The strange, new thing which now
confronts US is the evident fact that this
magnificent power is waning, and that the
beginning of the end is at hand.
The one overshadowing misfortune that
California has suffered has been the lack
of sympathy and cooperation between the
company and the people of the State. 1t
would be superfuous to discuss the rea-
sons for this. So far as we are informed,
the controlling spirits of the company are
men of distinguished ability, and clean
and generous in their private relations
with the community. Doubtless the COM
pany has been charged with innumerable
sins which it never committed, and GER
tainly it could never have been worse than
countless knaves who have worked them
selves into Office by playing on the IN
popularity of the railroad. A statement
of the whole truth must include the ad-
mission that the people, by permitting
whatever wrongdoing is chargeable to the
company, cannot evade their share of the
moral responsibility for its acts, nor plead
exemption from participation in whatever
material damage they may have suffered
from its aggressions.
But all this is merely retrospective, and
is valuable only as it may show US that we
are not competent righteously to judge
others until we have examined ourselves.
1t is more important to face the new con-
dition of things and in dealing with it be
guided by the wisdom which our short
comings in the past should have taught
US. Discipline, not revenge, should be our
motto. Evidences OF the disintegration OF
the railroads power are multiplying.
Demagoguery is disappearing before the
advance Of a broadening perception and an
enlightened understanding. Timid men
are growing courageous, and strong men
are putting forth their arms. Legislators
and other public officers who betray their
trust in the interest Of the railroad are now
denounced where formerly they were en-
We'd. The moral sense of the common
wealth is growing finer and stronger. The
recent violent agitation against official
corruption in San Francisco is but another
evidence of the growing spirit which is
making men less fearful of the railroad
and more ready to assail it for its sins.
The Traffic Association, with its tireless,
patient, dignifed, intelligent work, was the
crystallized expression of a cool and judi
cious desire to rid the State of the ham
pering monopoly of transportation. 1t
dared openly to face the Southern Pacific
and fearlessly announce It's intention.
Strange to say, the heavens did not
fall, nor did the sun turn back in its course.
The members of the association went
calmly about their business, safe in person
and inspiring awe for their daring. Out of
their efforts grew the organization of a
powerful company of capitalists to build a
railroad from San Francisco to Bakersfield
in open competition with the Southern
Pacific and with the declared intention of
reducing transportation charges to such
figure that the farmers of the San Joa-
quin Valley might thrive, largely in
creased population be assured, and the
growth and prosperity of San Francisco
placed beyond doubt. All these things
have inspired the timid with courage and
the wealthy with pride and enterprise. 1t
is revolt OF the people and the death-knell
of railroad power.