The record-union., 1897-01-22
CUI BONO
That is What the "Californian" Wants
to Know.

From the Bakersfield Californian.)
Come now and let us reason to-
gether."
1t cannot be denied that a large por-
ton of the people of California are re-
joicing oyer the defeat of the funding
bill, and what they believe to be the
certainty that the Pacific railroads must
change hands and pass under different
control from that which has obtained
since their construction. Whether their
rejoicing is we'll or ill founded time
alone can tell
So far as the probability of the roads
changing hands is concerned, that is
not at all assured. The only persons
mentioned as being in a position to
make the vast investment necessary to
acquire control are the VanderbiltS. The
question at once arises, how would it
profit the people of California to have
such a change and what would the eff
feet be?
The Vanderbilts will be remembered
as the sonsors in the person of the
then head of the family, for the IA
nous or rather infamous utterance,
The people be damned" This in reply
to a polite query as to the bearing on
the public interest of certain proposed
railroad changes. The phrase quoted
We'll illustrates the attitude of the Van
derbilts toward the public. They have
been known always in their railroad
operations as the most ruthless enemies
Of the people, the most earnest seekers
for their individual ggrandizement, the
most callous to public opinion.
That they will at once blossom out
into philanthropists upon obtaining
control of the Pacific roads is a pleasing
fiction which will be credited only by
those fatuOus enough to find cause for
rejoicing in the promised downfall Of
public spirited citizens who have been
largely instrumental in the development
Of California from a wilderness into a
garden.
That the Vanderbilts, if they shall
obtain control of the Pacific roads, will
do so with the sole purpose of squeez-
ing every dollar out of their operation
that is possible, need not be said. Every
one who knows their history knows this
to be true.
But there is one consideration that
should not be lost sight of, which is
of great Importance to the prosperity of
this State but which no one appears to
have referred to. The Vanderbilt sys-
tenn always has had the reputation Of
paying the lowest wages to it's employees
of any great railroad. They have re-
duced the wage question to a science,
and know just how low wages can be
forced without causing their employees
to refuse to work longer. The employees
Of the Vanderbilt lines are the poorest
paid operatives in the country, just as
the employees of the Central and South
ern Pacific are the best paid and have
more privileges than those of any other
road. For example, brakemen on the
Vanderbilt roads receive about $40
month, while on the Pacific roads they
receive twice that, and in some cases
even more And so on along the list Of
employees.
Can any one doubt that if the Van
derbilts should obtain control of the Pa
cific roads, one Of the first things done
would be to reduce all wages to the
Eastern standard? Such a reduction
will follow as sure as night follows day.
How do the thousands of railroad en-
ployes in this State relish such a pros
pect? 1t is to be hoped they will think
seriously on this matter before lending
themselves to the enemies of the Pacific