The record-union., 1896-10-20
FACE TO FACE.
The Proposition Which ConfrontS Sacra-
mentO.
How the Workers in the Great Rail-
road Shops Feel About the
Election.
(From the Sunday News.)

W rom the Sunday NeWS.1
Inc address of the Executive Com
mltoee of the shop clubs that was is
sued yesterday brings the people of
sacramento face to face with condi-
tlon that must be met. The sunday
News has already, without suggestion
or advice from anybody, indicated the
sharp Importance to Sacramento Of the
contest for Congress in this district. We
nave told the people that there never
was an election in which their persona.
interests were so much involved as in
this. A tremendous effort is being
made to force a Government seizure of
the Central Pacific by eleoting to Con-
sress men who are pledged 10 oppose
funding or extending the railroad in
debtedness to the Government. We
need not point out the seriousness Of
this proposition to the people of Sacra-
mento. It is so clear that such an as
sault upon the Southern Pacific Com
pany is an attack upon Sacramento
that we cannot add anything to the
argument by celebrating in detail.
The issue is fair and square. There
is nothing in it to mislead. There are
two men before the people asking Sac
ramentans to vote for them for Con-
gress. One is pledged to oppose any
proposition looking to a settlement Of
the railroad debt except seizure by the
Government by foreclosure; the other
Will urge a business settlement of the
issue, an extension or funding of the
debt to the end that the road may pay
1t and remain under its present man
agenent until it is paid. The one is
Marion de Vries of Stockton; the other
is Grove l.. johnson of Sacramento.
Who will the people of Sacramento vote
for? We have never seen so clean and
clear-cut an issue presented to the peo-
pie anywhere. AS the shop workers
say, it is a question of our homes. 1t
is more-it is a question that the back
ward or forward movement of this
community will answer. On former
occasions when we have had occasion
TO point out the seriousness of the
situation we have wondered what man
ner Of man he must be who by his vote
Will help to damage the city Of his
home. What kind of a merchant must
he be who would vote to knock out
about S2,0000 900 a year from the earn
ings of the workers Of the city? What
should be said of a property owner who
would sanction a proposition that woulG
cut the value of his possessions in two:
What would be a fit designation of the
Workingman outside of the railroad
shops who would vote to throw his
brothers out of employment? Indeed,
we are utterly unable to discover q
single reason that can justify any citi
zen of Sacramento in voting for De
Vries and against Grove L. Johnson.
A vote for De Vries is against the
heaviest material interest of Sacra-
mento.
We believe that the people of Sacra-
mento are fully alive to the situation;
that they appreciate the dilemma in
which the city is placed. The railroad
company has made no threat to move
the shops. 1t is quite satisfied to keep
them here for sound business reasons.
But if the Government seizes the Cen
tral Pacific the shops must go. Sacra-
mento ought to be in favor of funding
Lii and ought to be unanimous in favor
of il, as nearly unanimous as if the
direct issue 'shops or no shops" were
put to a vote. The vote for Grove L.
Johnson ought to be as great in this
county as if the distinct proposition to
move or retain the shops was printed
on the ballot on November Sd. There
is no politics in this. Sacramento
wants funding bill under which the
Central Pacific shall not pass into other
hands, and, wanting a funding bill, if
wants Grove l.. Johnson in Congress to
sustain that measure of protection for
Sacramento
II Johnson were opposed to funding,
If he held the views to which De Vries
feels himself bound, the "cinching of
the Southern Pacific we would be
bound, as Sacramentans loyal to the
city Of our home to oppose him. A Sac
ramentan who would pursue the course
that De Nries pursues would deserve
the contempt Of every citizen Of this
county. Mr.. Johnson is doing lust
what any Sacramentan would do. II
he had chosen a different course. if he
had been willing to be disloyal to his
home and the people of this community
whose interests are identical with his
own, If he had said: II want TO go to
Congress and don't care how 7 get
there" if in pursuance of this reckless
ness he had denounced funding as a
fraud and sought to sail into office upon
the anti-railroad tide we would no,
hesitate TO brand him as traitor to his
home, unworthy of the trust or conf
oence of the people.
If Mr.. Johnsons aim were solely tc
go back to Congress he would have
easily been able TO do that by shaking
eff his natural feeling Of devotion to the
city and the people Of his home. joinine
IN the clamor Of the demagogues against
railroads, fighting funding and shout
ing for the Government to cinch the
Southern Pacific by foreclosing its sec.
ond mortgage. If he had done these
things the Examiner would not be
brutally clubbing him a dog, picturina
his home as a kennel and by every de-
vice of pen and pencil holding him VI
TO the contempt of his fellow citizens. II
he had only consented to be a traitor tc
xssysysrssaysns.sxGs1sl.r
g wrvzxza,.