The record-union., 1896-04-26
"UNREASONING PREJUDICE. y
straightforward Consideration of
Human PerVerSity,

(t'rom the Santa Ana Evening Blade.)
There is no form of unreasoning pre-
JUDGE that is more widespread, more
dangerous, than the demagogical cry OF
hostility to railroads. In some respects
this is a most wonderful demonstration
of the perversity of the human mind
The very class Of men who are and al
ways have been most benefited by rail-
road construction are the bitterest and
most blatant in their denunciation of
railroad corporations and railroad men,
Take as an illustration of this the fact
that the workingmens unions of Los
Angeles were so blinded by their preju-
dices against the Southern Pacific Com
pany, and especially against Mr. Hunt
ington, that they were willing to lose
the appropriation Of $1,000 900 by Con-
gress rather than accept it for an OBJ
ject advocated by Mr. Huntington. An
exchange, speaking of this madness,
says:
And yet when the Government pro-
posed to spend over So, 600, 900 for works
that would provide labor for the unem-
ployed, and would make times at Los
Angeles better than they have ever
been, the labor unions at Los Angeles
repudiated the Godsend almost within
their reach and telegrap pied to our Con-
gressmen that the workingmen had de-
clared in favor Of San Pedro or moth
ing
Could prejudice well be more unreal
soning than this? And yet it is on par
with what we daily hear from men who
are the most benefited by the great cor
porations which have done more than
any other combination of men for the
growth of the country and for the ad-
vancement of civilization.
1t is not because it is the Southern Pa
cific or the Central Pacific or the Santa
F'e that this howl of envy and hatred
goes up against them, but because they
are successful railroad corporations
Once let the Valley Railroad of San
Francisco be put into operation and it's
army of employes-no matter how
courteous or how gentlemanly they may
be-enter upon their duties and there
will soon arise the inevitable cry of an
tipathy to it that now is almost wholly
monopolized in that part of the country
| by the Southern Pacific
| A recent publication not in any way
under the influence of the Santa Fe
Company says:
THE Santa Fe Company has expend-
ed more than S20,O00,00O in completing
and equipping it's California roads
| What capitalists have ever shown such
confidence in this country as that?
| Other enterprises stand ready with
/ their millions as soon as we can guaran-
| tee them profitable investment and a
paying business but this company
comes with it's millions and opens up a
| new country and waits until return
| comes to it's immense investment, and
often and often waiting long before it
| comes"
| How many millions of this twenty ex-
pended by this great corporation have
| fallen directly into the hands of the men
most enthusiastic in their denunciations
of railroads?
We venture the assertion, based upon
many years Of bushes relationship with
the management of Pacific Coast rail-
roads. that there is no business or pro-
fession known in the country that has a
| larger proportion of broad-minded, gen.
erous-hearted, patriotic and intelligent
men in its ranks than are to be found
| within the two great corporations that
! with reasonable emulation are spread
ing out their iron fingers over Southern
California, not alone to fill their Golfers
with gold, but equally as much to bless
and benefit the country