The San Francisco call., 1898-04-29
HUNTINGTON KNOWS SECRETS Now He Will Be Asked to Reveal Them
 Explicitly.
To Show How Much Southern Pacific Money the Examiner
 Received.
Duty the Railroad Commissioners Owe to Themselves as Well
 as to the Public

Mucn Interest HdS been taken in the decision of Judge Morrow Tn the Rail- road Commissioners' case. While the purport of the decision is generally un- derstood brief explanation may not be out of place.
 The Railroad Commission had sought to make a certain rate on grain shin ments. The Southern Pacific set up the claim that it could not make the haul at the schedule specified, and that the commission had no right to fix an ar bitrary rate until the road should be in receipt of profits applicable to divi- dends. Then the commission tried to find out why there were no profits. It wanted to know if money had been di- verted for the corruption of courts. Legislatures, newspapers or individuals, expressing it's belief that if this use of funds could be established its right to fix rate would not be impaired by the apparent absence of profits.
 At once there was demur on the part of the company. It did not de- sire it's inner workings laid bare and an injunction was issued, temporarily depriving the commission of power to act. Relative to this injunction testi- mony was heard by a special master in chancery, who took the ground that the proposed inquiry was relevant timely and proper. In this view he has been sustained by Judge Morrow, and the cat will soon be out of the bag The commissioners have full liberty to trace every expenditure from the treasury of the Southern Pacific to the ultimate pocket. It will drag secrets from un- willing witnesses and occasionally be | cheered by finding willing one. Naturally the public feels a sense of qualification.
 One oe the important witnesses will be c. P. Huntington himself. The Ex- aminer has been urging upon him the duty of telling all he knows about Southern Pacific affairs, and he knows much. The spirit of Self-sacrifice which impelS that paper to clamor for the whole truth has heretofore been pleas antly mentioned; for some of the most damaging information the venerable president of the corporation can pos sibly divulge will show the Examiner as daily offenSe against morals. There is about this statement nothing of con- lecture. MT. Huntington has already confirmed it. Of course he will be ask ed to reaffirm it under oath. If the commissioners were to neglect so plain a duty, the rumor that they are under the control of Hearst or his agents would begin to represent actual belief; while if they put questions designed to bring discredit on the road and yet to shield the Examiner. the belief would be fixed and final. So they owe some thing to themselves as well as to the public.
 Without doubt MT. Huntington will relate how he cut the Examiner from the pay roll after 1t had for a period of twenty-two months received 5000 monthly for aNsilence, the value of ,trlf fnI, d Ylrr @o.1 He may explain the old running ac- count, which never came to a close, and make clear why his company has had to pine un -er the disregard of MT. Hearst. All of which, while tolerably well understood, will be interesting. But there are ther things too import ant and bearing too directly upon the situation to be overlooked. The Ex- aminer could interpose no objection, for it's howl to have the facts set forth has filled the land.
 There Is story about a colt which may be interjected at this point Per haps the Commissioners have heard 1t, but it would enlarge their views if they were to hear it again from a source so high as Huntington. The question is, who paid for the colt? Also if the Southern Pacific can legitimate ly go into livestock as a side issue, and then claim that it makes no profit, and so WlIn CledT COnSClence ClIcn the DeO- pie. This colt was of the Electioner line, high toned as to pedigree gener- ally, and the Examiner offered him as a prize. He was Selected-so runs the tale-by a representative of that pa per and the price of $2500 agreed upon with Senator Stanford, this to be paid in cash. The prize having been drawn. the holder of the ticket demanded his colt. The Examiner sent to Palo Alto, and Ariel Lathrop refused delivery of the colt, wanting first to see the money. An appeal was made to Senator Stan ford, who instructed Lathrop to de- liver the colt Lathrop again refused unless the order from the paper bore the name of w. R. Hearst, contending the "The Examiner" constituted no sig nature. Such an order was received, and the colt went from Palo Alto.
 Some days later MT. Lathrop sent to the Examiner a bill for $25O0, but no attention was paid to it. Then he called at the office of that paper and was presented with bill of $50OO for an old write-up of Vina ranch, a write. up never authorized, ordered nor coun- tenanced. On the face of this bill was a credit of $2500 for the colt, and a de- mand for the balance of S2500 was pre- scented. MT. Lathrop was not pleased His anger was noticeable, and he with drew to report to Senator Stanford. The Senator viewed the affair as one of the vicssitudes of capital and said that, notwithstanding the injustice of the Examiners claim, he would have to stand the loss. Thus-so runs the story still, for it is rather long-was Senator Stanford's pastures footed of one valuable colt. The Examiner claim, being absolutely without merit. has never been pressed.
 Now there are several points about this colt case that come within pur- view of the commission. Senator Stan fords affairs were so intimately mixed with these of the Southern Pacific that it is deemed probable that an examin- ation of the railroads books would show who stood the loss of that colt, and why the $2500 for a worthless write-up was neither paid nor payment of it urged.
 Once Creed Raymond, now gone to his reward, made a speech before the Senate Committee on Pacific Roads on the equities which might be pleaded as an offset to the claims of the Govern ment The commission must not forget to ask whether the Examiner charged and received S7000 for the publication. There are allegations that this was it's price.
 Here is another thing of more than