The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18

railroad mass+meeting, though, as Chair.
man Ferguson explained, they were not
opposed to railroads and wanted more of
them, and the specific purpose for which it
was called was to protest against the OBJ
noxious inscription that General Graham
had carved on the monument over the
soldiers that lost their lives in the railroad
wreck at Sacramento. This point was by
no.means forgotten. Attorney George w.
Montefth recited the incidents of the
wreck and argued ably from them that it
was monstrous insult to say that the
soldiers were murdered by strikers" All
the other speakers characterized the in
scription in a similar manner, and the
following resolutions were unanimously
adopted:
WHEREAS, General ". NJ. Graham, the officer
in charge of the United States troops stationed
at the Preside has caused to be placed on q
monument erected to the soldiers who were
killedin the wreck of the train. near Sacra-
mento, July H. 1884, an inscription charging
the members. of the American Railway Union
with having murdered them. be it then
Resotyed, That we regard the action of the
SAID Graham as a libelous and cowardly at
tack upon the good names and regulations OF
innocent men, and that we look with horror
and reproach upon the use Of a sepulcher OF
The dead as q means of venting hatred;
spleen or malice, and that in the placing OF
this ghoulish libel upon the monument, Gen.
'eral Graham we'll merits the severest con-
domination of all lovers of justice and fair
playSand
:: Rssolved, That we demand of General
Graham the immediate removal of the fnscrip-
=: "MURDERED BY STRIKERS"
. considering its presence public insult and
disgrace, and
Resolytd; That in event of the failure of said
General Graham to remove that Inscription at
once the chairman of this meeting be requested
to at once forward copies of these resolutions
to the Secretary of War and to our Senators
and members of Congress with the request that
the proper action be had to cause the removal
ofthe said inscription:
But the meeting took broader scope
than this, and promises to accomplish far
more than the issuance of mere protest.
It.outlined plan for a great anti-railroad
3 State convention, to be held not later than
December next whose duty it shall be to
''devise ways and means to forever destroy
the political power and influence of the
great railroad monopoly IN governmental
affairs"
The resolution and its stirring preamble.
y.
and clarity of literary composition that
made Thomas Jefferson's document SO
famous, reads as follows:
WHEREAS, For twenty-five years the govern
ment of this commonwealth has been under
The practical domination and control of the
'Southern-Central Pacific Railroad monopoly,
and during the greater part of which period its
influence has been paramount in all branches
of cur State and local governments. legislative,
executive and judicial; for:
1t has nominated. and secured the election of
Governors and other executive officers to do its
bidding. =:
1t has controlled and corrupted our Legisla-
lures.
1t has in many cases secured the election or
appointment of Judges, who would at times
construe the law in its interest, and against
the Interests of the people.
1t has constructed and maintained a power
full political machine, by means of which it
has been enabled to maintain its unlawful
supremacy.
1t has fastened upon us a corrupt and in
iquitous system of political bossfsm by main-
tanning upon its payroll corrupt manfpulators
and political wire-puRlers.
1t has burdened US with an enormous bonded
DEBT based upon fictitious values, to maintain