The San Francisco call., 1899-01-01
THE RAILROAD AND ITS CANDIDATE

upon the State OF California the successor OF Sen
ator White and the colleague of Senator Perkins So
grotesque a caricature OF representative OF the
sovereign dignity OF the State would be as anomalous
as the horse that Nero elevated to the dignity of a
consul The excuse for that seemingly mad act
might have been that, in the filthy politics and de-
based society OF those days, the horse was nobler
animal than man In the case before us, however,
no such paliation would exist The election OF Dan
Burns woula be nothing less than the wanton and
arbitrary exercise OF power by corporation, drunk
with success and determined to slap and kick the
public with reckless disregard OF consequences
In the late canvass the press and the people were
made to believe that the Southern Pacific Company
was out OF politics. That did not imply that its
officers and its employees should abstain from exer-
cising their legitimate influence citizens upon the
election But it did mean that, in corporate sense
and especially in the methods OF canvassing the hand
of the railroad had been withdrawn 1t is probably
true that owing to the intelligence and the lndepend-
ence OF the people and til cesslty OF abstinence
from gily ostcnsble and improper interference with
the exercise OF the elective franchise the result OF
tie election was expression in this, as in other
States OF the popular will, based upon principle ana
upon practical issues But the undsclosed and secret
intention to rule the State after the election has now
been manifested unless all signs have failed 1t is at
Company has determined, in the face OF every OBJ
stacle to elect Dan Burns and whether this be the
actual fact or that Dan Burns is dummy and used
as an adroit diversion to the choice OF some
other candidate equally Objectionable is imaterla
There was never better chance than the defeat OF
the fusion candidates offered to eXtrpate from our
local politics every disturbing and corrupt element to
close the long and dreary conflict between the doml-
nd he OeODle
years. has paralyzed enterprise and arrested natural
progress and development, and to unite all good cltl-
zens in supreme effort to utilize the advantages and
the opportunities that lie thickly around us and to
bring about an era of machless prosperity and good
feeling
The good faith OF the Republican press is proved by
the unaninty with which it denounces the mpudent
preensions put forward by the advocates OF the gentle
man from Mexico And somewhat important ele
ment to be considered is the Legislature itself The
presumption is that IS representative body fresh
from its constituents and not owned to be handled
by mereenaries or corruptionsts 1t is difficult in
deed impossible, to conjecture that there could
be boldness venality and stolidy enough in the
members OF an Assembly and Senate who less than
two months ago were proclaimng their man
hood and freedom from railroad influence all over
the State and who have been selected in the neigh
borhoods where they reside eXemplarS OF inteli-
gence, education and character to enable them dellb
eratey to elect man like Dan Burns the bidding OF
corporation and i'll the face OF the press and the
people There have been and there many
audacious scoundrels in this world and in this part
OF the world but they not usually sent to those
legislative councils which supposed to form the
most complete ard the most sensitive connection be-
tween citizens and the government Some men have
strong nerves and rotten hearts, but there few
not only themselves, but their families ard their
neighbors, and then return to localities where they
must obviously be held in contempt for the remainder
OF their lives Instances of secret corruption are not
unfamiliar under popular institutions, but the
unbushing parade OF treachery, dishonesty and
Witty is a exception among free American ct-
zens. The Republican party is political organza
ton which went before the country in the late cleo
tions upon its record its principles and its sturdy
professions OF patriotism and purity. 1t was helped
by many OF the ablest and best Democrats, who
jected the free silver heresy and the proposed dsrup
ton OF the constitution through bare majorities.
What despicable attitude it would occupy in this
State if, within a few weeks of its entrenchment in
popular confidence, it became, through its Legisla
ture the purchased vassal of railroad and sent an
exposed and arrant knave, with triple crown of
iniamy on his head, as a chosen agent of the State
in the Federal Senate.
We do not believe that this unprecedented outrage
upon the nation, upon the State, upon the men who
fill the seats OF Webster, Clay, Calhoun, Benton,
Douglas, Collamer, Cass and the other usrious
statesmen who wrought upon the structure of this
mighty nation, will be perpetrated. We have no
to disparage the gentlemen who are about to
assemble at Sacramento, as recent kilograms pub
lisbed in The Call amply attest. We feel confident
that they will not disparage themselves by sinking
into the quag1nire which is now shaking beneath
their feet. The perception of attempt even to
treat them lewd apd purchasable ustifes indgna-
ton and is sufficient excuse for alarm.
California has not usually been represented in the
United States Senate by by bad men,
William M. Gwin of commanding pres
ence of great ability and energy, familiar with the
leading statesmen of the country, who, though not
possessed OF the charm OF oratory OF facility in
debate, nevertheless accomplished much for this COM
monwealth John B. Weller first Senator and then
Governor. had national reputation David c. Brod-