The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-13
RAILROAD SANDLOTISM.

HE evening organ OF the railroad and sandot
combination on Saturday last was in an
ecstacy OF vulgar enjoyment 1t clapped its
hands kicked up its heels threw sand in every direc
ton and literally reveled in its diversified nfatua-
tons. Railroad proletaranism could scarcely have
been more wildly illustrated Its recent fears must
have been temporarily allayed and it must have been
satisfied that the OF righteous indignation that
overwhelmed its corrupt representatives the Board
OF Supervisors and in other quarters had subsidized
The favorite character of the railroad impressed
upon its newspaper agencies is that OF bully When
the people rose in indignation at the obtrusion OF
Dan Burns Mr. Huntingtons candidate for the
Federal Senatorshp, they were promptly slapped in
the face. The same course pursued when the
Market Street Railway Company directed its 1nunoi
pal subordinates to donate it in one bunch what
ever easements and privileges San Francisco still re-
tanned For short time however the embematical
warning OF hemp stiled this sandlot clamor in the
chamber OF the Supervisors and violent demand
temporarily reduced a comparatively modest
solicitation
On Saturday last, however, the original instinct for
insolent dcaton developed by ncessant practice for
a generation reasserted its controlling power over
the sandoted monopoly 1t roared and lied and
shook its fists and beat the air until produced one
Of the old-fashioned "tempests in a teapot" 1t did
little comparatively decent lying about Judge Bur
nets decision that the Vrooman act is unconstitu-
tional and only perverted that ruling into an
imaginary objection to the charter But, on the
'corkscrew' franchise, it outdid itself This COM
munity had supposed that the attempted resuscta-
ton OF abandoned franchises Geary street, between
Taylor and Grant avenue through an application for
electrical privileges was designed to forestall the ter
mination OF the cable franchise under which the
Geary stree railway is operated and to deprive
the public OF possible boulevard 1t had also been
proclaimed that this part of the associated viaines
had been abandoned. But the evening mouthpiece
OF the railway emitted blast upon this subject that
enough to deafen all the jackasses in town. 1t
not only declared that the ''corkscrew" should pull
the municipal cork out OF Geary street amidst the
loud acclamaons OF property owners merchants and
citizens thus reduced to unassmilatng groups but
assigned a reason that from Taylor street to
Grant avenue is four blocks and that, under the law
competing railway could occupy the tracks for five
The particular competing railway referred to is the
Gearystreet cable line, OF which the Market Street
Railway Company 90 per cent OF the capital
stock, as it also owns the tracks on Market street
for seven blocks from the intersection of Kearny
street to the city front
It is apparent that the crushed spirit of the mon
opoy is reviving ard that it actually deudes itself
with the belief that the public suppose the Market
Street Railway Company and the Geary Street Rail
way Company to be competitors, that auction sale
CT the franchises within the twists OF the cork
screw" would attract than one bidder and that
the protest OF the Merchants Association is forgery
In official circles in Hawaii President Mckinley is
undoubtedly regarded the best that ever held
the position. He has given orders there shall be
no elections in the islands this fall and all office
holders shall continue hold and to draw salaries
until further notice
ambassador Choates latest public appearance was
at Charity dinner" in London and in his speech he
said that on his return home he would introduce
charity dinners here, have one strong rea-
son for hoping he will hold his job until he dies,
With Dreyfus going home from Devil Island and
Patty du Clam in prison. it is clear those who predicted
the affair would result in revolution have some rea-
son to boast their prophecies have been fulfilled
The Dewey monument fund subscriptions now ex-
coed S3oooo and the question OF the hour is, Have
YOU made your contribution yet?
Tohn D. Rockefeller could not have been much
pleased with San Francisco as he pretended for we
notice he didn't buy it