The San Francisco call., 1895-12-23
SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE.

The appointment Of Powers of Vermont
to the Craftsmanship of the Pacific Rail
road Committee of the House may be re-
garded as assuring report in favor OF
funding bill. 1t is therefore a notice to
the people of the Pacific Coast that they
must be vigilant and prompt in devising
means to defeat it. There is no time to be
lost. We must act at once ii we expect
our action to have any effect whatever in
determining the course Congress will take
In dealing with the subject.
1t should be borne in mind the contest
Is by no means as hopeless as some de-
spondent people think. Mr.. Powers sup
ported the Reilly bill in the last Congress,
but none the less it was defeated and if
another of like nature should be reported
TO this Congress there is no reason to
doubt it would meet the same fate. The
only danger is that some cunnlngly de-
vised compromise may be brought Tor
ward under the cover of which the monop-
oily would gain all that it wishes and
nothing be ompromised save the interests
of tn people. To defeat such q scheme
Eastern Congressman must he made to
understand the vital importance of the
that the only rightfuI or expedient course
to pursue is to maintain the law and en-
force the claim of the Government against
the monopoly as it would be against
private citizen.
The crisis calls for ihe resolute express
sion of Western sentiment against any
form of funding the debt, and fortunately
San Francisco has already prepared to
speak resolutely. A committee of fifty
citizens, appointed by the Mayor in re-
sponse to resolutions adopted at crowded
mass-meeting, is already in existence and
organized for action. Through that COM
mittee San Francisco can not only speak
but act. 1t is composed OF men well quail
fed for the task before it and thoroughly
earnest in the work they have undertaken.
The duty of all citizens therefore is to give
that committee strong, united and de-
terminsd support. Liberal contributions
should be made to furnish it with the
money necessary to carry on the contest,
and in every other way it should be aided,
encouraged and given strength to battle
with the lobby of the monopoly.
The issue is too important to be neg
lected, even for the pleasures of the holi-
days. Huntington and his allies are busy
in Washington and they will not rest for
Christmas. The California delegation in
Congress may be expected to do every
thing in its power to defeat all funding
schemes that may be advanced by the
monopoly, but the delegation ought to
have the active help of influential men
from all parts of the West in making the
fight. San Francisco, as the metropolis of
the vast region dominated by the monop-
oily and as the community that has suf-
fered most from its exactions and frauds,
will be naturally expected to take the lead
in the contest. She must send men to
Washington to represent the resolution of
her people and make known their Just de-
mands. That is the action the great West
expects of her and has right 10 expect.
The crisis is at hand and to falter will be to
fail. Stand by the committee of fifty.
STAND with 1t. Stand up for it. Let the
whole force of an earnest and aroused peo-
pie sustain it and power will be exerted
at Washington strong enough to battle the
monopoly, maintain the law and protect
the people.