The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-01
THE HUNTINGTON DICTATORSHIP.

Ut has been the custom OF MI c. P Huntington
during his annual visit to this State to deliver one
speech in which his imperial DEGREES were sue
cincty registered This year the latest phase OF rail-
road policy has been developed in succession OF adj
dresses by Mr.. Huntington in which his autocratc
character is boldly and ncisively revealed,
He appears to entertain a sublime confidence in
himself and an unfnching determination to govern
both State and national policy. His blunt express
sons however, in the first place. conflict with estab
lished facts and, in the second place, excite the
deepest hostility IT, in few sentences on his own
behalf and representing his railroad corporations, he
would announce his withdrawal from all pretense Of
supremacy over the law and social industrial and
political action, and then live up to the declaration,
harmony would be restored and the railroad and the
public could labor together for that kind OF prosperity
that would lit the State OF the slough OF corrup
ton to level corresponding with its geographical po
sition and its natural advantages.
But Mr. Huntington seems to be obstnatey bent
upon rigid adherence to despotic conservatism, and
when with the stern paternalism of William OF Ger
many he occasionally expresses his personal wish to
advance the public interests prolonged and bitter
perience contradcts his statements.
In his address OF Thursday night at the Palace
Hotel banquet he formulated his belief in which the
intelligence of the world shares in the future OF San
the State and of the railroad were identical. This
proposition has never been seriously disputed except
bv Mr. Huntington himself, whose definition Of
mutually OF interest, like Lord Glosmores concep-
ton OF liberty, means unqualified submission to rail
road demands and to railroad aggressions. With
marked consistency with his past conduct but with
equally conspicuous Inconsistency of sentiment, he
advocated Asiatc expansion, which would insure an
endless supply of cheap and degraded labor but
recognized the great necessity of California to be the
introduction of thrifty coonists. He even addressed
honeyed words to the unfortunate Firms, whose ex-
cellent capacity for colonization will be generally con-
ceded. But what immigrating spider would be de-
srous of entering the railroad web? Does Mr.. Hun
tington remember the Dutch colony that induced
to settle few miles from MERGED which comprised
an unusual combination of intelligent, educated and
honest families, possessed of means, who transferred
themselves and their possessions with their Lares and
Penates to California? Those people were drawn
from their native land by glowing representations and
by fatterng proposals. They brought with them the
industry and the integrity of their race and expended
large sums of money, established substantial homes
erected ornamental and attractive structures for So
ca purposes and commenced horticultural operations
upon extensive and diversified scale The result
was that within few years their capital was lost and
their enterprise abandoned Most of them were re-
duced to poverty and the survivors returned to Hol-
land To-day their settlement is an unnhabted ruin
The SOIL thnly spread the bedrock, would bring
no fruit to perfection and the dead orchards and the
crumbling buildings are ghastly memorial to fraud
and to greed.
White colonization is prime necessity to this
State, but must be promoted under public auspices
1t will not flourish through railroad methods
There are many other striking points in the last
manifesto OF Mr. Huntington. He indorsed in words.
as an excellent rule OF mercantile life suppementing
the payment OF legal taxes by allowing reason
able margin OF profit to purchasers of goods but he
| omitted reference which the community will sup