The San Francisco call., 1898-01-21
WARNING OF THE LOS ANGELES CASE.

HE unpopularity of corporations in this coun-
 try due to their conduct, or at least to the
 conduct of some of them. In the nature of things there Is reason why the business of corporation should be done differently from that of individual Corporations and partnerships and individuals capital for profit in enterprises. In each con tracts are made and there IS buying and selling. The ethics of these transactions do not change with the parties to them.
 The unpopuarity of corporations has arisen Tn the disposition of to violate contracts bargains and seek advantages which are not theirs honestly
 These acts are most frequently done in corpora
 ton with public officers the representatives of the people in their political government Muni- cipal Councils Boards of Supervisors State Legis- atures and the Federal Congress have been the legal bodies most frequently manipulated for improper ad vantage by corporations If these bodies had always been composed of a majority of wise and upright men, insusceptible of such approach, scandal would not have been made and corporations would have been kept in the line of right conduct and their pres ent bad repute would never have existed There is doubt that members of such legislative bodies have learned more than to give to corporations that which they ought not to have. They have learned that there is profit in threatening take from them what is theirs by law and right So have the legislative 'cinch' that is loosened by bribery. Corporations having got what does not belong to them find them selves able to retain what does only by the payment of money to corrupt public officers. In this way the parliamentary expenses" of many large corporations have become burden and legislative blackmail has taken high place among the black of politics.
 The issue over the water works of Los Angeles is a sample of the methods by which corporations win deserved unpopuarity and popular government is brought into contempt.
 In this there Is plainly stated contract, under which public property leased for thirty years to
 private corporation. By expansion in population unforeseen by either party to the contract, 1t has proved of immense profit to the private corporation It is about to expire and its plain recital of what is to be done then leaves room for any reasonable disagreement It is the duty of the city government to proceed faithfully and in line with the public in teres to arbtrate and ascertain the value of the bet terments put upon its property by the private poTation and acquire the in the way pointed out by the contract II this were done the members of the private corporation would surrender the public property they have proftably used under lease hold and would retire with fortunes that none would grudge them. The city officers would get that popular approval deserved by who do their duty. The get check and the of corporate unpopuarity would not be increased
 If such sharp and dishonest practices as are illus trated by this Los Angeles incident continued un til public desperation leads an irresistible attack upon property rights in which guilty and innocent suffer in a common wreck, in the final analysis the blame will rest upon those who refused to be con tent with fair gains and with fair play.