The record-union., 1898-12-03

so Iudicrous that / assumed for the
moment that it was a play of humor
on the part of Mr. Spreckels. and /
accordingly replied that il they named
a satisfactory man, all right; but sub
sequent conversation developed the
fact that Mr.. Spreckels appeared to
be really serious in the idea that ]
had proposed or agreed that he and
Mr. De Young might name the Sen
ator, whom the company was bound
to support. OF course,I told them that
such proposition was absurd-that
my conversation with Mr.. Spreckels
was simply in a general way discussing
the different candidates. and that,
while I had expressed the desire that
a candidate satisfactory to all inter-
ests might be found, certainly the idea
never entered my head that the COM
pany would blindly agree to support
any candidate that might be named
by Mr.. Spreckels or Mr.. de Young. I
reminded Mr.. de Young that T had
only suggested to him that if he could
not be the Senator he should direct
his efforts to securing some one for the
place that would be friendly and sat
isfactory to him, and that he had met
consider or favor any ones candidacy
except his own. This statement seemed
to dispel the idea of these gentlemen
that they had secured the right to
name Senatorial candidate whom the
company would support, and Mr..
Spreckels expressed the idea that some
effort should be made on the part of
himself, Mr.. De Young and the South
! aV71 a0if fi1 w 10
satisfactory Senatorial candidate.
'He asked me if I was authorized to
represent the railroad company in that
matter. I told him that I was not;
| that it was not likely that the company
would take any particular interest in
the Senatorial matter, but that if it did
so the decision would be reached by the
owners of the property, and would not
be decided by myself, and that they had
| not authorized me to make any such
decision. Mr.. Spreckels then COM
planned of the fact that the Southern
Pacific Company had no authorized rep
| resentative in political matters; that,
while Mr.. De Young could speak for
himself, and he could also do the same.
no one could ever find out what the
company really wanted, or who repre-
sented it,
AT this point I ventured to inquire
of these gentlemen what the public
would think of the fact that they and
the Southern Pacific Company were Sc
lecting a United States Senator for the
people of this State To this Mr.. De
Young replied, We (meaning himself
and Mr.. Spreckels) represent the peo-
pie. We publish the two reading Re-
publican papers of the State, and we
are entitled to a controlling voice in
this matter
Il inquired if they wished me to sub
init their proposition to the Southern
Pacific Company, namely, that they
would like to make the effort with the
company to agree upon some Senatorial
candidate satisfactory to the three in
terests. To this both Mr.. De Young
and Mr.. Spreckels replied in the affirm
ative, and it was understood that I
should submit such proposition to the
company and bring them a reply at the
time We then agreed upon, namely, the
following Tuesday.
II thereafter saw George Crocker,
who is in this city and Submitted to
him the proposition of Mr.. Spreckels
and Mr.. De Young, above stated On
Tuesday morning he gave me a written
memorandum which he said representa-
ed the position of the company in the
Senatorial matter I met Mr. Spreck-
els and Mr.. De Young at the time
agreed upon TUESDAY afternoon) in
Mr.. Spreckels' private office, and, after
some preliminary talk of an Animpor-
tant character, / read to them the
memorandum Mr.. Crocker had given
me, as follows:
1--WE do not think the company
should undertake to make any one
United States Senator, or to- assist in
the fight of any candidate for this
place. When it shall appear that any
fit person is the choice of a majority
of the people the company may then
use it's legitimate influence i'm behalf
Of such person. In no event will the
company use its funds to make any one
United States Senator. We have no
doubt a Senator can easily be selected
who will ably represent the people of
the State, and at the same tirIa not
antagonize our interests
Mr.. De Young brusquely said that
the company had taken an interest and
was taking an interest in the Senatorial
fight. Among other things he stated
that Colonel Burns had spent $14 600 in
supporting the legislative candidates,
and intiMated that the company was
responsible in some way for this expen-
diture. I replied emphatically, accord
ing to the truth, that knew nothing of
any expenditures which had been made
by Colonel Burns, and that if he had
made any it was entirely of his own vo-
litiOn and ON his own account; that the
company had nothing to do with it and
was in no manner or form responsible
for such expenditures, and that the
memorandum I had read to them, ac-
cording to my best knowledge and be-
lief, truly represented the attitude OF
the company concerning the Senatorial
election.
II have thus stated the substance of
the two interviews had between Mr..
Spreckels, Mr.. De Young and myself
at Mr.. Spreckels office. These gentle
men would have it appear that the
first interview was designed by them
as a trap for me, and they say that
at that time / declared that the COM
pany was for Colonel d. NJ Burns for
Senator.
IT made no such statement in these
interviews. At the first interview I
told them that the company had no
candidate for the Senate, but when
was asked if I had a personal prefer
ence replied that would prefer Col
onel Burns. subsequently, in the in
terview, it was stated by Mr.
Spreckels and Mr.. De Young that I had
said the company was for Colonel
Burns; but I made no such statement.
That / did not make such statement