The herald., 1895-01-02
FRESNO rs IN EARNEST.

The people of Fresno are losing no
time in the effort to settle the question
OF competing railroad to Los Ange-
les. The leading business. men OF the
county have decided to call a mass
meeting OF the citizens for the purpose
of taking immediate action in regard to
the proposed enterprise. 1t was also
agreed thatthe state constitution should
be amended to permit counties to issue
bonds as a basis of financial credit to
aid the enterprise. The opinions of the cit.
liens OF Los Angeles a. published in THE
HERALD were read, and il was resolved
to call the mass meeting, with the OBJ.
lsot OF building a competing road to Los
Angeles without reference to San Fran
cisco in any particular.
This is business. The people of Fres.
no are unit in the determination to
Tree themselves from the slavery and
oppression they have been compelled to
endure at the hands of the Southern
Pacific railroad corporation. To accom-.
plish this they have appealed to tho
merchants of San Francisco, who. AZ the
mlddleman in the traffic of the San
Joaquin valley have profited in second
airy proportion to the Southern Pacific.
Inc business men of San Francisco
were asked to contribute $3.50, 900 to.
WARDS puildlng g. competing road
through the valley, but they failed to
respond, probably because they imag-
ined that their own profit in the enter
prise would not equal that of the pro.
Queer and the shipper.
Another reason why San Francisco 70.
fuses to aid the people of the San Joa-
quin valley ID thus tersely expressed by
the E. aminer:
Inc truth appears to be that there is plenty
OF money in San Francisco, or accessible to
San Franciscans but that its holders. with few
exceptions, are reluctant to get themselves dis.
hKeo by the octopus" Ii the Southern Pa
cinc were of their backs they would fill the
oan Joaquin valley subscription books in day,
Ihey do not appear to realize that the only way
10 get the Southern Pacific off their backs is TO
roll 1t Off themselves. If they build com.
peung railroad of their own they will have
nothlng more to fear. Instead of being ME-
huntington's bond servants they will have him
tnen' In the undisputed proprietorship Of their
own souls, and give audience to Mr.. Stubs
"hen ne humbly sends in his card to beg the
Iavor OF part of their business. Such a salts
faction would be worth paying for. When it is
attalnable without COST merely throu7h a
prontspie Investment of surplus capital hest.
tation to secure it gives rival towns some
ground for the assertion that the old enterprise
Of San Francisco is extinct.
Of
Joaquin are now preparing to teach the
merchants and jobbers OF San Francisco
lesson. They propose to ignore that
city altogether and by deprivng that
sllurian community of millions OF dol
lars in trade each year punish the old
toll taker for her psrsimony. her cow-
ardice and her lack of enterprise. Per-
haps. when San Francisco awakes from
her Rip Van Wrinkle sleep she will re-
gret her ipaction at the present time.
Then. in all probability she will yawn,
etrsIun ner gauns ~u0 Iapro NV
slumber once more.
In the meantime Los Angeles is wids-
awake. She cannot afford to let this
golden opportunity slip. She will meet
Fresno and the people of the San Joa-
quin more than half way and before San
Francisco or the Southern Pacific rail-
road corporation grssps the situation
Los Angeles will control the trade OF the
valley.