The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13
a MARES NEST.

Our highly esteemed contemporary, the
| Chronicle; thinks that in the recent state
ment of Mr.. Mcguire concerning the inter
est of the Goulds and Vanderbilts in the
| fight against the refunding scheme it has
! discovered evidences of a conspiracy in the
interests of the monopoly. This conspir-
acy it calls a Vanderbilt Huntingdon
| Hoke Smith-Thurston com bination," and
| argues that everybody who is opposed to
Government ownership and operation OF
the roads is playing into the hands of the
conspirators and either Intentionally or
ignorantly is betraying the real interests
OF the people.
The opinion of the Chronicle is worthy of
passing consideration. It is a familiar
proverb that ''lookers-on see most of the
game" and certainly in this affair the
Chronicle has been a looker-on. 1t has
taken no part in the fight. We are con-
vinced, however, that despite the wisdom
of the old proverb any one who gives
the subject the consideration it merits
will arrive at the conclusion that our
contemporary is mistaken. There is no
conspiracy in sight. That both the Goulds
and the VanderbiIts should desire to ex-
tend their railway systems across the con-
tinent is natural, and it Is certain that if
either of them should succeed in doing SO
we should then have transcontinental
line in competition with the Southern Pa
cific.
AS for the assertion that those who are
opposing Government ownership and oper-
alton OF the railroads are "defying the
wishes of the people and working in the
interest of Vanderbilt, Gould and Hunt
ington for fun," it is hardly credible that
any large number of people should believe
1t. even in the class that never stops to
think. To defeat the refunding scheme
and to provide for the operation of the
Pacific roads by the Government are two
different propositions. Many who dis
agree on the latter are united on the former,
and it is because of that union that we
have now such good prospects of defeat
ing the Huntington scheme and obtaining
at least competing line.
The proposal to foreclose the mortgages
on the roads without undertaking Govern
ment ownership is not a new one. In the
report of the Pattison committee of 1886,
it is said
There is only one course open to Con-
gress and that is the immediate winding
up of the affairs of all the companies, en-
abling the Government to withdraw at
once from all connection with the running
of railroads, or sharing in the profits of
their management. There ought to be an
end to the partnership between the Gov
ernment and the Pacific railroads; a
speedy and absolute divorce
This speedy and absolute divorce' of
the Government from the railroads is
what many people desire to see, and they
will be surprised to learn they are sus-
pected of working in the interests of a
conspiracy" We see no danger ahead in
the desire of the Vanderbilts and GouIds
to get control of the roads. They are we'll
able to bid against one another, and if
either should win we shall obtain posses
sion of a competing line. Moreover, we
would have the satisfaction of knowing
the Government had not compounded a
fraud, but had enforced the law against a
rich and powerful corporation exactly as
it would have enforced it against the
poorest citizen.