The San Francisco call., 1896-02-05
Two Telling Facts That Should
Hasten the Repeal of the
Charter.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC FIGHT.
Senator Goebel's Bill to Be Considered
at Once and Reported for
Passage.

FRANKFORT, KY, Feb. A. Until
within the past few days not many mem
bers of the Legislature and few people of
this State generally had any idea that the
great Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
which they knew of only in general way,
owed its birth to the plant and persuad-
able Legislature of this State. They knew
that the Legislature of 1683-84 and some
before it and after it had fastened many an
odlous measure upon the people of Ken
lucky and passed many a venal measure
Tor the benefit of individuals and corpora
tions belonging at home, but they little
dreamed that among their nefarious acts
was one which gave birth to an instru-
ment which, In the hands of conscience.
less conspirators, was being used as IL
cense to enthral and plunder the citizens
OF sister States and means of defying the
laws which are made to protect their lives
and their properly.
Though a portion of the State is suffer.
ing under similar curse-from the char
ter of the Newport News and Mississippi
Valley Company, under which Hunting
toms roads in this State are operated
their troubles and expressions are mild
compared to what their brethren in Cali.
fornfa are suffering.
The anti-Huntington literature that has
been sent to Frankfort has been a source
OF surprise to the members of the Legisla-
ture, and to many OF them great mortifi-
cation, and they have made up their
minds to wipe out the disgrace. A great
many of them will certainly stand to their
convictions to the end and support Goe-
bells bill, no matter what influences ara
brought to bear against it. But there are
others who are not so stable, who, un-
trammeled and uninhuenced, would sun
port the bill to the end, but are liable to
trade their votes on this question for sup
port for some measure on which they are
specially interested. Huntington has a
st rong force now on the scene of action
and they are well advised as to the special
interests which the several members have
in the various bills that have been and are
yet to be introduced, and they are secur-
ing and fixing pledges for votes every dav
by the system of trading which has long
been in vogue at Frankfort.
Some of the mem bers do not realize what
the failure of the repeal bill means to the
people of California. but many others of
those opposing do fully realize what they
are about to do, and are doing it for ''con-
sideration" of one kind or another. The
lobby is rich in considerations, fertile in
resources and entirely unscrupulous as to
the methods they employ. This does not
apply to some Of the local men who are
here in support of the bill, and who, while
they will use every influence that their
social and political connections give them
to compass the defeat of the bill, will not
do Huntington's work for him at any
price, nor will he call upon them to do it.
For such work he has men specially
trained, who are not eloquent and talk
little, but when they know their man and
the occasion is opportune can say word
or two, accompanied by an ''object les
son." which settles the matter satisfac-
torily.
The excerpts from the Cotton letters,
which have been largely read by the mem
bers, will make the shady fellows very
careful, if not deter some of them alto
gether from any deal, but efforts will be
made to overcome their fears. So far the
committee having charge of the distribu-
ton of Repeal literature has done quite