The San Francisco call., 1898-07-07
ANTI.RINC ''' POI PcPULIsTS Appeal to the Public to Fight for Liberty. OPPOSED TO THE RAILROADS PLANNING FOR A MONSTER OR GANIZATION. San Francisco to Be Purified and the Railroad Commission
 to Be Sus-
 tained.
 
OPPOSED TO THE RAILROADS

The anti-ring Populists met in the As sembly hall of the Parrott building yes terday and prepared an address to the public calling on the people of the State to organize to fight for their liberty from railroad monopoly.
 W. T. Baggett, A. W. Thompson and George W. Monteith were appointed a committee to perfect the plan of organiza- ton. The address is as follows:
 To the Populsts of California: few years ago the then untried bark of popuism was launched upon the stormy of American politics. Manned by few honest and cam est patriots 1t nailed the banner of liberty to its masthead and went forth to battle in the cause of freedom and humanity. In the pros ecution of it's high aim it offered reward and held forth no inducement of material gain simply asked the toiling millions to join in the redemption of the republic from the fate ful domination of monopoly and corruption. canism, it called all patriots to join in a common movement of the common people for the common good.
 It knew no South, no North no East. no West; 1t recognized neither caste, nor creed. but believed in one nation for one peo- pie; 1t sought their happiness; 1t asserted their equality and it demanded their liberty.
 In the great American nation million hon. est hearts responded to it's call to arms, and a million sincere patriots arrayed themselves around it's standard. Men forsook the politi- cal associations of a lifetime and buried all sectional hatred and party prejudice in a united effort to better the conditions of those who labor that they may live. These brave vol sought the redemption of the republic from the domination of the avarlcious plutocracy that held 1t in thralldom of misgovernment and corruption.
 Its short life has been marked by crises, due to the subtle efforts of its enemy. to accom- plish its ruin. Two years ago its good name and party privileges were bartered to aid in a battle upon minor issue which left the party in a state of hopelessness and heiplessness bordering upon demoraliZation and much so that 1t is now almost in the throes of disso- luton, with treachery in its ranks and cor ruption at its guard line It's future is of anxious concern to two great parties one of which seeks its destruction and the other its absorption.
 Here in California we see our State bound hand and foot by conscienceless monopoly rupted the halls of legislation dsgraced and the temple of justice defled. Our famers are in servitude for their farms are made profit less by the extortions of the monopoly. Our mechanics idle and our merchants are un- paid. Our people struggle to exist; they face starvation, misery and ruin. and in the midst of a land more generously endowed by nature earth. their condition grows steadily worse ano worse.
 ton of the Southern Pacific monopoly that lies upon it as incubus.
 While not moving one jot from the great principles of Populism included in na- tional platform, we have no hesitation in say ing that the duty of the hour is redeem our State from the destructive supremacy of the old monopoly. The first duty of a man Is to his family and his home. and our first duty Is to save our homes and ourselves from the baneful influence that oyershadows us so com
 Political differences must sink in the acheve ment of common purpose-the destruction of the great political machine which dominates every department of State government and which cuts off from every source of relief We must liberate California, and until that is achieved we must forego no effort that will accomplish that end.
 Upon the Populist party to-day rests heavy responsibility. The 60,000 Populists who voted the ticket four ears. ago are just as sincere Populists to-day they were then, and they ment nTe ef tbst appeas te their nteIgence sa isfes their Judgment, and stirs their hearts to action; No boss can successfully @ crack +, the an independent free born and liberty-loving citizen, who will bow alone to the dictates of power to save California; to secure upon the official ballot ticket that will command the confidence of every honest man. It must not alone propose measures. but it must provide men who competent and who can be de- pended upon to carry its measures forward to success Untried and unknown men will be but experiments, worthy, perhaps, but until tried not to be confided in.
 To win the great battle against the railroad two things must be accomplished. The rail- road political machine must be destroyed and provision made to prevent its being repaired or a new erected in its place. The days of corruption and machine rule must be num- bered.
 To practically accomplish this the State con- stitution must be amended, and to that end honest Governor ana Legislature must be elected; our judicial system revised and salu- tary laws promulgated.
 The Legislature is the key to the arch. The best men in the State must be induced to go to the Legislature-men of sufficient courage to not only enact good laws. but who will im- peach those judges and other officials who have made the administration Of justice in this State a scandal and disgrace.
 The Railroad Commission must be sustained and it's hands upheld, and when this Is all done the people must take into their own hands the power to regulate their State government rrrla fha hU abl a to directly annul bad law, compel the en- actment of good law, and remove at will all unfaithful servants.
 The city of San Francisco is the hotbed of corruption: it must be cleansed and purified. As result we must elect an honest Governor and honest Legislature two honest Supreme Judges, three honest Railroad Commissioners and sustain the New Charter. The men se- lected should be those who have been tried and found true. for these are the vantage points in the coming campaign. We can com bine and conquer; we can divide and lose
 With the single purpose of elevating our party to this former hieh standard we earn estly appeal to our State convention to take that action which will redeem the State for md fOr al