The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-25
HOUSE LEADERS FAVOR IT
And the Lesser Lights Come Along
After Them.
Mr.. SUTROS CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION
Has Aroused Resentment on the Part
Of Many Representatives in the
Present House.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.-Representatlve
Mcguire will meet and talk with Repre-
sentative Boatner tomorrow about racine
railroad debt legislation. Boatner Will not
present his substitute until he has talked
with all the members of the California del
egation. Mcguire and Boatner Will also
discuss the matter of legal procedure
against individual stockholders.
Boatner said tonight: This Paclhc
railroad debt question is one of the worst
mixed up matters ever tackled, and the
more study it the more complicated 1t
gets. No wonder Congressman are not
expressing themselves for or against any
proposed plan, for not one of them in fifty
understands anything about it. Another
thing I want to discuss with Mcguire Is
the question of default and about the pub
lication of the sinking fund. We must try
and decide the matter of default be-
fore we know what to do so far as
legal proceedings against individual Pacific
railway stockholders is concerned, and
whether or no there is warrant for that.
Such suits could not be successfully main
tanned at this time. One thing is sure, that
man in the Department of Justice (Olney)
will not do anything, for he is in sympathy
WIFI COIpOIdtlOuSs IL 10 ICdAl1 WOAONAAOA
to observe the way in which United States
courts and all the legal machinery of the
Government is manipulated by the cor
porations. I don't mean to allege down.
right dishonesty, but courts and officers OF
Justice are influenced unconsciously. The
majority of the Supreme Court and Circuit
and District court Judges have graduated
from corporation employment, and it is a
hard thing for them to forget their corpora
ton training. They look at everything
through corporation spectacles, and this is
why so many of our United States court
proceedings and decisions are favorable to
the railroads and big companies"
Mr.. Boatner, by way of illustration, pro-
ceeded to name number of Supreme and
Circuit Court Judges who had formerly
been counsel for railroads, and the infer
ence from his conversation was that
Attorney General Olney would never pro-
coed against trusts, railroads or stock
holders unless compelled by Congress, and
even then the will of Congress would be
frustrated on account of his corporation
sympathies.
Senator Brice talked with Senator White
recently about the Pacific railroad funding
bill. Brice, as chairman of the Senate
Pacific Roads Committee, is actively at
work for the funding bill. White told him
plainly that he would fight the bill as Wig
orously as he could.
81 would rather the Government would
present these roads to some one," he said,
''than refund, for then California would
not have the burden to shoulder and would
get some relief from competing railroad
rates."
Mr. White will filibuster against the bill
in the Senate if he cannot defeat it by
other means.
The Pacific roads people are claiming
that there will not be fifty votes in the
House against refunding. 1t is not known
on what they base such calculation, for
at least three-fourths of the members I'M
derstand nothing about this legislation,
and care less. They don't express them
selves one way or another. There seems
to be prevailing opinion that the funding
bill is sure to pass, because a great many
Congressman in their ignorance will follow
the House leaders, Crisp and Catchings
and Chairman Reilly, like sheep, not
knowing what else to do. The setting of
days for the bills consideration places up
on Reilly's measure the seal of approval of
the House leaders, and the muttonheads
will follow them blindly. The campaign
of education of Mayor Sutro has aroused
the animosity and resentment of many
members of Congress. They object
strongly to his imputations that members
can be bought for so much per head.