The San Francisco call., 1896-01-18
THE LAST OPPORTUNITY.

Whether California shall prosper or
stagnate in the coming years is question
soon to be determined by the Congress OF
the United States. We have sufficient con-
fidence IN the integrity and intelligence OF
that great body of representative American
citizens to believe that if they can be made
thoroughly to understand the inevitable
results of passing the funding bill, they
would crush it without hesitation. The
convention of representatives from all
parts of California to be held in this City
TODAY has been called for the purpose of
informing Congress on the vital and far
reaching character of the proposed legls-
lation.
We are to make an appeal to the loyalty
and fraternity of the great Nation OF which
we are a part. Our demand is based on
the strictest justice. We have only to in
struct the country at large concerning the
relation of California to the prosperity OF
the whole people and the ruinous effect
any funding bill would have on every hope
and possibility of making California de-
velop its highest efficiency in contributing
TO the happiness of the Nation.
The passing of a funding bill would
mean a perpetuation OF the monopoly
which has retarded the progress of the
State; would increase the burdens which
already have prevented our broad, shining
and fertile acres from receiving the dense
population which would have filled them
had the power that has kept them vacant
been used with wisdom and Justice; would
condone one of the grossest wrongs ever
perpetrated on civilized government
would practically render the introduction
of competing railroads an impos3ibility /;
would increase the political power OF a
strong private interest, which notoriously
has been able in the past to keep firm
hand not only on the State and minor po-
litical affairs of California, but also on
public policies of National Importance
would be an encouragement Of the present
tendency of great railway corporations to
unite for the purpose of controlling the
commerce and prosperity of the Nation !;
would add to the difficulties of construct
ing the Nicaragua canal, and would nullify
the splendid natural advantages which
California enjoys as the westernmost
outpost of the United States, fronting the
rapidly developing resources OF the Orient.
1t is to the interest of the Nation to en-
courage the growth and settlement of Cali
fornia, and it is to the interest of Califor-
mans to fight for their homes and indus
tries. The blow which California would
receive from the passage of funding
bill would fall also upon every State west
Of the Rocky Mountains. This is q vast
and noble empire, and we are now fight
ing earnestly for its freedom and advance
ment.
In this contest for the enforcement of
law and the protection of the public well
fare, the convention that meets to-day has
an important part to play. Much depends
upon what it shall do and what it shall
leave undone. Aggressive it should be,
but not beyond the bounds of wise con-
servatism. 1t should confne itself strictly
to the object for which it was called-that
of devising means to defeat the funding
scheme. That task is sufficiently difficult
to tax all our energies at present, but it
can be accomplished If attention is not
distracted to other things.
1t is certain that if there are any agents
of the railroad in the convention they will
do all they can to confuse the defeat of the
funding scheme with other issues. If they
can bring about this confusion, one of two
thlngs Is ukely 10 happen. Either the
convention viii be led to adopt resolutions
too radical to receive general support, or an
acrimonious debate will be aroused which
will result in dissensions and weakness
These dangers can be met by a simple
resolution of the convention to stick to the
object for which it was called. The issue
is to defeat any funding scheme that may
be devised, and we should not turn from
that issue until the battle has been fought
out and the victory won.