Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-12
WHERE WILL HE sTANDl
HlHE Sacramento Bee states that 4

IN HE Sacramento Bee states that it
possesses positive information that
Governor Gillett has decided to
summon the legislature in special ses-
sion. Up to late hour the governor
had not issued the call which has been
expected for few days.
If the legislature be cenvoked at this
juncture 1t will be primarily because Of
what appears to be the urgent demand
that the lawmakers adopt measures for
the relief of the state on account of the
existing difficulty of obtaining ready
money. But this is but one of the relief
measures earnestly sought by the in
habitants of California, as Governor
Gillett must be fully aware. Through
The Herald the governor and the press
of California have become cognizant of
the existence in the constitution of the
state of provision which makes it obli-
gatory upon the railroad commission to
proceed through the courts for the
punishment of the officials, agents and
employees of the Southern Pacific COM
pany who, according to admissions
made by officials of that company dur
ing the course of an investigation by
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Franklin K. Lane, are guilty of having
given rebates to favored shippers of
freight over it's line.
Governor Gillett must be aware of the
fact that nearly month has elapsed
since The Herald called attention to
this provision of the constitution and,
to make sure that the railroad commits
sion should not remain in ignorance of
its intent, presented the matter person
ally to Commissioners Summerland and
Wilson. The governor must also be
aware of the fact that, in spite of the
fact that abundant time has been al
lowed the commission in which to pro-
ceed as the unequivocally worded con-
provision directs. that body
has neglected or refused to act, thus
it's three members fit subjects
for impeachment proceedings.
Going little further, Governor Gill
lett must be aware of the fact that
other state officials, higher up than the
three subservient tools of the outrage
Gus political bureau of the Southern
Pacific by refusing to undertake to see
that this provision of the organic and
therefore supreme law of the state is
enforced, likewise are placing them
selves in positions which render them
liable to Impeachment proceedings.
Governor Gillett knows the situation.
He has sworn to see that the laws of
ability. He cannot serve two masters.
He now has to choose whether he viii
serve the tottering Southern Pacific
oligarchy, and ultimately go down with
the inevitable ruin thereof, or the peo
pie whose governor he has sworn to be.
If he choose to be governor of and for
the Southern Pacific he will abstain
from so phrasing his call for a special
session of the legislature, if one is to
be held, as to give the lawmaking body
an opportunity to declare whether pub
lie officials who place the constitution
at naught are fit to retain their posts
If he choose to be governor of and for
the people, he will direct the legislature
to consider the cases of the members
of the state railroad commission, to the
end that they may be removed from
office.
Governor Gillett stands face to face
with a splendid opportunity to perform
for the people of California a service
whose equal seldom falls within the
grasp of states executive. He must
either rise to the occasion, affirming
in unfaltering words that the constitu-
tion is greater than the Southern Pa
cific bureaucrats, or descend to the
level of the three plant tools of de-
caying regime whose very name has be-
come a fetid term Of reproach to a
great American commonwealth.
Where will Governor Gillett stand in
this crisis: With the people or with
at1ouo