The record-union., 1896-02-01
Fwo CALIFORNIA CoNeREssMEN.

TWO CALIFORNIA CoNGREssMEN.
The opponents of the hefunding bill have
beeh brought tothe dire necessity of de-
elsEing in favor Of some affirmative
R4lacy. The Sutro Convention declared
agadnst the operation Of the road by
the Government. Tt declared the at
talnder Of treason attached to all who
favored the Government ownership and
operation Of the road. Forced by the
dneNorable logic of the situation, S. c.
HAbopn was won't to confess that this
was the ultimate object Of the oRposi-
tion to refunding.
NEr. Hilborn appeared before the Pa
cidc Railroad Committee Of Congress,
and was asked by Mr. Johnson of this
district: do understand you to be op-
posed to any refunding measure?" "Un-
mistakably." said Mr.. HIborn. You
say you are opposed to a refunding
measured" said Johnson. YES" was
the reply opposed to anything of this
nature that have ever seen"
Up to this point Mr. Hilborn's position
was strictly in accord with the position
requiredfo of him by sutro and the "Ex-
aminer." But the irrepressible John
sSn brought the logic of the situation
to the lore by the question: What do
you suggest that Congress ought to do
then@' Face to face with the inexora-
bic logic of the situation, Mr.. Hilborn
had TO take an Affirmative position. He
and his kind had sought refuge behind
a purely negative attitude, but johnson
is mot made Of the material which per
ullts his antagonist to remain in hid
Ing. He pulled Mr.. Hiiborn out of his
hole, stood him up before Congress and
his constituency and made him say
and in this we use Mr.. HiIborn's exact
guage-"There is but one thing to
do; foreolose the mortgage. and if
purchaser cannot be found, let the Gov
ernment operate the road"
Then the Chairman took Mr.. Hilborn
in hand by asking the question: do
you think the situation would be i'm
proved'if some other corporation should
come into possession of the road?" and
the California Congressman had to say,
81 do"
Fn all this Mr.. HiIborn simply proves
that he was acting in the interest of
some other corporation, which he de-
sired should come into possession of the
road, and in all this Mr.. Hilborn proved
himself to be a small-minded dema-
gogue, and to misrepresent the senti-
ment Of the people Of California. The
opponents Of the funding measure had
better keep such weakIings away from
the meetings Of the committee. They
give away their case through his ineon-
siderate folly too cheapIy.
The eolloquy we have herein pre-
sented between the Chairman of the
committee and Mr.. Hilborn outlines 3.
policy affirmative in its character. and
Il is that the Government should fore
close the mortgage. force the Central
Pacific and the Southern Pacific out of
its ownership and substitute a new cor
poRation. That new corporation would
necessarily be the New York Central
or the Pennsylvania system. and in
such an event Mr.. Hilborn knows, or
at least ought to know, if he has sufi-
eient Intelligence to represent the Third
Congressional District of this State in
the Congress of the United States, that
the road would be operated under East
ern sympathies and in the interest Of
Eastern development.
The people Of California then are face
tosface with the issue. The extension Of
the time for the payment of the debt
leaves the operation of the Central Pa
eifc in the hands Of a California cor
poration owning and operating over
5000 miles Of local lines in the State.
The trunk line would necessarily be
operated IN the interest of these lines,
which means that inherently there
would be a force establishing a constant
tendency toward the operation of the
trunk line IN the interest of the branch
iines; that is to say, in the interest of
the growth Of the industries and the
commerce of every part of the State.
Mr. Hilhorn has been forced to confess
that he and his compatriots desire that
the trunk line from Ogden to San Jose
shall fall into the hands of an Eastern
corporation. Congressman Hilborn pre-
sents himself in the light, Sbeing