The San Francisco call., 1896-01-25
Rising in Defense of Her Good
Name She Strikes a
Telling Blow.
HUNTINGTON is ON THE RUN,
Must Carry His Sack to Frankfort
but 1t Will Not Be So
Effective There.

Mayor sutro was yesterday as blitht
and light-footed as boy on the eve of 8
holiday. In his Montgomery street Office
he swung in his revolving-chair, clapped
his hand upon his leg and laughed at the
cracking of small jokes.
A telegram from Kentucky had affected
the Mayor to this humor. 1t told OF the
movement in the Legislature of that State
looking to the amendment of the charter
of the Southern Pacific corporation OF
Kentucky.
He had prepared and was about to send
away a telegram addressed to several OF
the leaders of the movement and Kentucky
State officials. The telegram reads as fol-
lows:
California thanks Kentucky. Encouraging
news in morning papers The name or your
State has been disgTaced in connection with
crimes and yillainies of the Sou thern Pacific OF
Kentucky. Wipe out the blot by promptly re-
pealing charter obtained by Misrepresentation
and under false pretenses. Justice demands it.
"The fight is in such hands there that
we need give ourselves no further worry
about it, said the Mayor. IF the Ken
tucky Legislature takes away the COM
pany's charter it Will leave the whole
rotten corporation hanging in the air.
DOM know just what the effect would be
the full extent of it, l meant ain not
lawyer enough for that, but its stock and
securities would, of course, be badly
shaken. 1 don't know how they could re-
incorporate. AT any rate, l consider this
the seyerest blow that has been struck in
this battle. l believe the funding bill is
dead-that this kills it. | was greatly
alarmed for time, but l think the battle
: (f t,ef A.
fight with the increased vigor that this
advantage enables US TO do, but the enemy
IS on the run. l shouldn't wonder Il
Huntington was already at Frankfort.
He will have to transfer his sack from
Washington. But he will find it different
IN Kentucky. The people there are not to
be bought in that way. The whole State
IS aroused over this matter, and not only
IN the State Legislature but at Washing
ton viii the people OF Kentucky be heard.
The Senators and Congressman from
Kentucky are among the most influential
men IN Washington. They can come very
near to swaying the vote OF the entire
Southern delegation on thing of this
kind.
When they realize how they have been
made the scapegoats of this band of out
laws they will never rest until they have
freed their State from the stain that has
been cast upon it. Why, just think of it
Kentucky is the proudest State in the
Union. She has furnished the country
more Presidents and statesmen of Ma
tlonal repute than any other OF the Union,
except Virginia. lIer people are high
minded and full of dignity. They are
proud of the history of their State-iealous
OF it. Now this is the State that the
Southern Pacific schemers entered, as one
might say, by stealth.
They asked and secured by fraud and
IA leo the r1rnteptinp nf tc 4<,
cover their plans. And under that brave
cloak they went forth to plunder and rob
the people of California, and IN q great
measure that of all the West. Year by
year they have laid US under an ever
increasing tribute, until the whole people
here have become a race OF slaves. This
in the name of the people of Kentucky I!
Think of it And year by year this proud
name of Kentucky has fallen in the es-
TEEN OF the people of the West just in
proportion as their burdens have grown
heavy and their shackles irksome bv the
safe asylum IL offers to the conscienceless
corporation that is responsible for them
The word is in every mans mouth as an
expression OF contempt. The Southern
Pacific of Kentucky, people say - the
Southern Pacific OF Kentucky.
at has come to mean place of refuge
for robbers and blackmailers; State that
grants ready license to freebooters, from
whose shelter they may sally forth and
levy tribute upon the surrounding PROV
inces. This is dis race, and what shame
IL is that unwillingly this proud people
have been brought into contempt through
out all the West by an act which they did
no doubt in good faitn. They have not
been aware of this, | am sure, For no
sooner have they been apprised of it
than they have risen up as unit to cor
rect it. l am myself almost astonished
\ 81
prised at the effect of our message to
them. Already the movement TO annul
the Southern Pacific charter is before the
State Legislature, backed By the sentiment
of the people of the entire State and being
pushed by some of her strongest men.
mo, we need give ourselves no more
trouble about Kentucky. She will keep
Mr.. Huntington busy trying to explain
for some time. But the explanations of
pirates long engaged at their trade do not
ex plain. The Southern Pacific people
went into Kentucky with capital of one
million all paid, and under that condition
readily secured their charter. That, how
ever, gave them the right to increase the
capital stock, and right speedily they took
advantage of that provision. For the orig
inal million it has now been increased to
over $170, 100000.
How have we aroused this sentiment in
Kentucky? Simply by making the people
acquainted with the facts. We have been
sending literature there in quantities.
The little pamphlet entitled The People
OF Kentucky Disgraced, (which the CALL
has published, was sent to every newspa-
per in Kentucky, besides all its officers
and other prominent men. Very many OF
the newspapers published it entire. The
effect, it seems, was electrical. 1t is not
safe to tell a citizen OF Kentucky he is dis
graced. They will not suffer disgrace.
they are going to redeem the proud name
from disgrace
Il repeat, this is the hardest blow that
has been struck the funding bill. 1t will
nave greater effect at Washington than all
the rest that we have done. The members
rom Kentucky will certainly work TO de-
leat the bill, and will carry with them
many OF the other Southern mem bers. |