The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-28
CALIFORNIA; CHANCE
Should Lose No Time in Send
ing Material for the Fight
Against Huntington.
HONEST MEN ARE FOR REFORMS
But the Southern Pacific Lobby Will
Rally for Most Determined
Struggle.

FRANKFORT, KY, Jan. 27.-It is now
certain that Senator GoebePs bill, for the
repeal Of the charter granted the Southern
Pacific in 1884, will not be taken up until
next week. The bill will probably be re-
ported back by the Judiciary Committee
on Thursday, but the calendar is crowded
and its consideration will be postponed
for q few days.
Until the Senatorial contest is settled
there is but little prospect of the Legisla-
ture getting down 10 its regular work, and
until It does there is but little proba 6ility
OF the GoebeI bill to repeal the charter of the
Southern Pacific Company being reported
by the committee having it under consid-
Grafton, unless special efforts are made to
bring il forth.
That strong efforts will be made to keep
it in the committee until Huntington s
henchmen and lobbyists have completed
their preparations for its final defeat goes
without saying, and it will take active
and vigorous work to secure its passage.
Many of the memb ers of both houses OF
this Legislature, as with those of the past,
are the regularly retained attorneys of the
several railroad corporations whose inter
T ests are likely to be affected by legislation,
and, as q rule, all such men stand together
IN a case like this or can be easily per-
suaded 10 do so.
From The western section of the State,
from Louisville to Paducah and Fulton,
through which the Newport News and
Mississippi Valley Railroad and its several
branches run, Mr.. Huntington will have
some strong supporters and some strong
opponents, and so from the section east oil
Lexington along the line of the Lexington
and Big Sandy division of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad. Though the people in
general in these parts of the State are bit,
terry hostile to his system, he usually
manages to secure the election of candi,
dates friendly to his interests, and sc
thwart the plans of his opponents.
This year, however, is CALIFORNIA;
golden opportunity. At the last election
the tidal wave Of Republican success which
so unexpectedly swept over the State OF
Kentucky carried down before it many OF
the railroad attorney members and others
who looked upon the seats in the Legisla-
ture as their own personal property, Oh
places to which they had lifelong lease.
New and better men have taken then
places-men VINO were elected on pledge.
TO reform the abuses of their predecessors
and unless d sufficient number are
promptly persuaded over to Huntingdon
side there Is danger in store for him-no
on account of the Southern Pacific charte
alone, but from desire to correct many
other abuses which his management il
perpetuating upon the people W no from
lack Of competition are at his mercy.
1t may be said that the temper of the
people Of Kentucky and OF their Legisla
ture is more favorable now to the correc
ton OF corporate abuses than it has beer
since the war or will ever be again. Al
unlooAed-for combination of circumstance.
has made It so, and California should mo-
lose the opportunity that will probably
never be within reach again. Indeed, i
may pass beyond her reach even now un.
less prompt measures are taken. All the
pertinent facts bearing on the history o.
the Southern Pacific Company, and the
status of the fight that has been made
against it, should be laid before the severa
members of the Legislature in printed
form and also by a strong and capable
committee without loss of time. DELAY
will almost insure defeat, as it will give
Huntington time to fix things to his own
liking.
That the Legislature has the power tc
repeal the charter OF the Southern Pacific
Company, or any other like charter, in
whole or in part is now generally con
coded. Many cases have arisen in the pas
six years in which that power has beer
,,,+ 81, III -,
instance affirmed. Several of these wer,
from the City of Louisville. The old con
stitution provided in a measure for tn,
exemption from taxation OF property de
voted TO religious or educational purposes
To avail themselves of this privilege
number OF schools in Louisville secured
the passage of acts making them corporate
bodies, such acts containing a clause ex
empting them from taxation.
In 1890 the Legislature passed an &C
amending the charter of the city of Louis
vile, and by this act virtually, if not in 81
many words. repealed so much of tn
school charters referred to and others a
exempted them from taxation. The school
combined to test the case, and were beatei
in the Louisville Law and Equity Court
The Kentucky Medical University, how
ever, carried their own case, which hat
some special features, to the Court of Ap
peals. which decided against them, saying
that they acquired no vested rights undo
their charter from the State that tn
State could not take away.
The fight was long and hard one, ano
the case was well presented and fully dis
cussed. The opinion of the court wa
unanimous as to the power of the Legisla
ture to repeal the exemption clause.
IL UNTINGTON IN WASHINGTON