The San Francisco call., 1896-01-25
SOCIALISTS SAY BOYCOTT.
The Subject of Government Own.
ership Discussed by Sew
eral Speakers.
Resolutions Adopted Favoring a Gen
eral Embargo on All Southern
Pacific Roads.

Government ownership of railroads was
the subject discussed at last nights meet
ing of the local branch of the American
Socialists at Mozart Hail. Morrison I.
Swift called the meeting to order and after
a few Introductory remarks presented the
following series of resolutions. which were
adopted without dissenting vote:
ResOlUed, That the morning newspapers OF
the City, which have so vigorously conIended
TO defeat the Vaccinations of the Southern
Pacific be requested to publish their editorials
opposing the funding bill and favoring Govern
ment ownership of the Central and Union
Pacitics as pamphlets, and that they be asked
TO circulate them widely through the East.
RESOLVED. That it is the sense OF this meeting
70 refuSe TO patronlZe the Southern Pacific
Rallroad either by the purchase OF goods
brought over the lines or by mail upon it.
whenever it is possible 10 do so.
ReS0lued, That anti-immigration society
should be formed TO protect settlers from
coming to California from the East to fall prey
TO the rapacity and robbery of the Southern
Paelfic as thousands have already done. We
be1eye that in common honesty the fraud
which Is perpetrated upon those who are in
duced to bring their savings to this State for
investment should be exposed and brought to
an end, and that as long as the Southern
Pacific regns overs this part of the coast settle
ment here should be assiduously discouraged.
Rev. E. B. Payne of Berkeley was to have
read paper favoring Government owner
snip OF railroads, but was unable 10 be
present, and, therefore, deputized his
daughter to take his place. Referring to
the funding bill the writer said
This bill considered on moral basis is
wrong. The directors OF the Central Pacific
have promised that if the time for the pay
ment OF their debt is extended they will meet
their future obligations when they come due
We must suppose that they say this IN good
faith and know the earning capacity OF their
"a iC xrbx -ha
their debts during the past twenty-five years
They certainly know what the property can
earn, for they have laid up enormous fortunes
from lis earnings, and we have no assurance
tnat they Will be any more honest in the future
than In the past. THIS is one OF the reasons
why am opposed 10 the funding bill.
am not only in favor of the foreclosure of
the mortgage, but in favor of the Government
ownership and operation of the road.
1t is claimed by those opposed to the Coy
ernment operation of railroads that it woul
prove losing proposition. Well, let US try it,
and If it really does prove failure there is
still time to sell the roads to private indi-
Ylduals. Even il the Government should lose
the entire amount of the debt by reason of
this experiment it should still, in my opinion
be tried, as it would prove thorough test OF
the question OF Government ownership OF
railroads.
A. A. Dennison then spoke on the sub
iect of The Coming Great Railway
Trust" He said:
One of the arguments against Government
ownership of railroads is that they would be
used Tor political purposes. Can any one re-
member any time since the last spike was
driven that the railroad has not been in poll
tics? l need not repeat the details of the pol
luton OF our municipal, State and National
governments by the railroads. They have
maintained regiment of hlrelings wherever
ana whenever 1t was necessary to secure some
privilege or retain one already obtained.
Inc great railroads OF the country virtually
control the price of every article produced in
the United States. They decide upon the rates
OF transportation and in this way actually fix
the value OF productions. They have spent
mllhons to keep the cost of water transporta-
ton up, so that their charges would not be re-
duced, and it is their influence that has pre-
vented the construction OF the Nicaragua canal
should the Government demonstrate its abil-
1ty 10 operate portion of the railroads in the
county there Is nothing to prevent its ope1at-
ing all OF them through properly organized
department of transportation
Government ownership would mean a saving
IN the one Item alone of legal expenses of the
sum OF $l2,O00,0O0 annually. This sum is
largely expended in the payment OF attorneys
who are no more than lobbyists.
John r. Robinson, in speaking of the
second resolution, adopted during the
early part of the meeting, said:
Are you aware that you cannot get out of
California or into it without patronizing that
outrageous monopoly the Southern Pacific
Company? There are only three routes out of
| the State by land. One of these is via Ogden,
over the Central Pacific Railroad, and over
which route each passenger contributes $35 to
the octopus. Another route is via Portland
and on this the tax exacted by the railroad is
$50. The third is via Mojave, and on this
route the passenger is made to give up but
$11 80 to the monopolists. These are facts
Ihat snould De Kept IN mind by every one
travelling out of or into the State of California.
They should patronize the last-named route
and travel over the Santa Fe road whenever it
is possible to do so.
He then related the history of the
SOQthnTn Pacific C0mpanu ond ori,x
inal four chief owners. alleging that as
early as 1869 they had divided among
themselves the enormous sum of $206, ,OO0,-
600 as net profits.
Several other fve-minute speeches were
made, and then the meeting adjourned.