The record-union., 1896-01-21
FAvoRING GOVERNMENT OWNER
SHIP


SHIP.
An esteemed contemporary quotes
some strong expressions of a recent ed
itorial in the Record Union" and con-
demns their vigor. This same esteemed
contemporary is in favor of the Gov
ernment ownership of the road. It is
now informed by convention claiming
to represent the sentiments of Califor-
mia that it is not in line with the anti
railroad sentiment of this State; that
In lighting the Government ownership
of railroads it is favoring Mr.. Hunt
ington. Mr.. Sutro declared that he
knew as much about this whole ques-
ton as any living man, and he knew
that the advocacy Of Government own
ership was in the interest of Mr.. Hunt
ington. An amendment was offered to
the resolutions adopted by the Sutro
convention to the effect that the con-
vention would look with disfavor on
any form of redress that does not in
corporate in its provisions the foreclos-
ure of the mortgages and the taking
over of said railroads, to be forever
after the property of the people. oper-
ated in their name and for their inter
ests
Speaking to this amendment, Mayor
Sutro said: you could not do any
thing that would please SSr Hunting
ton better than to adopt the amend
ment. The people in the East, the
members and Senators from the East,
do not understand this question as
thoroughly as we do, and they are gem
orally opposed to the Government TAX
ing hold of these roads and running
them If we want to wiz our fight, let
us stick to the subject matter we are
fighting about" He then ruled, as
Chairman of the convention, that an
amendment declaring the convention
In favor of Government ownership
was out of order.
We call the attention of all our es-
teemed contemporaries who have sup
posed themselves to occupy an anti
railroad position by favoring the Gov
ernment ownership of the road, to this
sweeping condemnation of their course
by Mr.. Sutro and the convention which
had been called together to express
the sentiments and opinions of Cali
fornia. All Of our contemporaries who
have favored Government ownership
are officially declared to be railroad
hirelngs-to be In the service Of Mr..
Huntington to be secreting and covert
ing BILL They are also informed that
the people of the East will have none
of their proposition; that the ownership
OF the road is not one of the questions
that is in issue; that there is only one
question, and that is, Funding or
Gnti-funding" True. Mr.. sutro and his
convention did not say what they
wanted. They merely declared what
they did not want They did not want
any extension of time given to the
railroads to pay their debts to the
Government. but as to what they want
ed. they were significantly silent.
There are only three propositions be-
fore the country. One is to refund and
extend the time; another is to sell the
Governments claim at auction; and the
third is to pay off the first mortgage.
foreclose the Governments claim and
take possession of the road to be owned
and operated by the Government. Now
the convention declared against two Of
these. 1t declared against the funding
bill, and declared that an amendment
proposed OF taking over the road by the
discharge of the first mortgage with
Government funds was even out of
order in an anti-railroad convention
This Of course implicitly leaves the con-
vention in favor Of selling the Govern
ment's claim at auction
But what becomes Of the highly patri-
otic and defantly anti-railroad attitude
of all of our esteemed contemporaries
who have declared in favor of Govern
ment ownership? The convention called
to express anti Huntington. anti-South-
ern Pacific anti-funding bin sentiment
declares that such a proposition is in
the interest Of the railroads, promoted
the passage OF the funding bill. and
also declares the ownership by the Cow
ernment Of the Pacific railroads prac-
tfcally an impossibility. In all good
temper. we call the attention Of our es-
teemed contemporaries to the attitude
IN which thsx are left They are told