The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-25

AS in most matters that affect its
purse. the Southern Pacific of Kentucky
has won in the grain rate case. BY a res
olution adopted by the Railroad Commits
sioners yesterday the Blackstock resolu-
ton, as amended by its author, was
adopted by the votes Of Commissioners
Blackstock and Laumeister, Commission
or Edison voting against it.
When the resolution passed it was
SO amended that ii directed the Attorney
General to apply at once to the Federal
court for q dismissal Of the injunction
suit now pending against the railroad,
and, upon an opinion by Attorney General
Ford himself, such an order is all that is
necessary TO compel him to call the suit
off and subject the California farmers
again to the arbitrary and ruinous rates
on grain transportation that the Southern
Pacific has in the past been pleased to
impose.
This action by the railroad element of
the Board Of Railroad Commissioners was
not effected, however, without fight
Commissioner Edison stood TO his guns
and had them well trained on the trenches
the railroad company has thrown up
around its usurped prerOgatiyes. He
opened the days meeting by introducing
q resolution 10 reconsider, repeal and re-
scind' the Blackstock resolution, and
made a long and strong speech in favor
Of his measure, Notwithstanding it was
q fOregone conclusion before he began
that the Southern Pacifics will would be
done despite him.
Commissioner Laumeister, who is ar
ranging an entirely new schedule on new
and unique lines, voted to pass the Black
stock resolution, and intimated that he
was q friend of the people and an enemy
of C.. Z. Huntington's cinch upon them.
a few minutes later. in conversation with
edged that J. G. Stubbs third vice presi-
dent Of the Southern Pacific, was author
ity for ard author Of most of the figures
that are going into the new schedule that
the Southern Pacihc's end Of the Board Of
Commissioners is promulgating.
Tn speaking to his resolution to recon-
slider and repeal, Commissioner Edison
said.
In voting for the Blackstock resolution
ia the first place I did so that / might
be in a position to move for it's reconsd-
GRAFTON when the next meeting Of the
board should occur.
"I wish to say in the beginning that
] am no enemy Of the railroad and I do
not think there was 4 single individual
that voted for me that looked upon me as
their enemy. The people are not enemies
OF the railroad. There are many grave
questions in dispute, as the complainant
IN this case denies the right of the Board
Of Railroad Commissioners to fix any
rate.
No one wants to get ru of them and no
just person wishes 10 pursue a course
that VIII cripple them or drive them into
bankruptcy or to reduce their income so
that they may not be able to well paw
their employees; but Try to avoid it as we
may, the time IS coming when these Ques-
tons will have to be settled in the courts
and IL is as well to let it go on now to
its final determination If the complainant
so choose rather than to have the same
questions brought up again at some time
in the future
1.-THE Attorney General estimates the
cost, and in my opinion he is quite lib
eral In his allowance, at $67 900.
THE assessed valuation Of the property
Of the State by the last assessment was
81 .134 600 600. A tax OF cents on a thou
sand dollars would raise over SOS. 900
There are over 800 900 voters in the State
and a tax Of about % cents on each voter
would raise the amount. Who that votes
or pays taxes Is not willing to bear that
much Of a burden 10 have these questions
decided as soon as the courts can do so
as long as the issue has been forced upon
us2 Aside from that, think Of the posi-
ton this board will place itself in to re-
scind an s per cent schedule in order to
throw this suit out Of court and then