The San Francisco call., 1908-07-04

tour I think it was to Europe. And
in the meantime Mr.. Stone. who was
friendly 10 the railroad and Mr.. Beer
stecher, who, they claimed, was paid
$50, 900, who was elected by the work
ing men, who in this meeting it was
admitted received $4,000 for his vote
that Mr.. Stoneman, on the commission.
moved TO proceed in the matter of
regulating the fares and freights. At
this time the press was agitatilg the
matter. and Mr.. Cohen voted with Mr..
Beerstecher to postpone the matter for
a stated period, and the press took ad-
vantage OF this and branded him over
the state as a railroad tool; and it
almost made him insane-he died of a
broken heart. I went and talked to
him afterward myself and found out
what they said TO be true was correct.
He advised me not to get complicated
in any Of these controversies with the
papers.
Q.-who were the members of that
railroad commission?
A.-Stoneman, Beerstecher and Cohen.
Q.-You mentioned this Cohen in
stance to this representative, did you?
Was that brought up?
A-Yes, that was brought up. Mr..
Cohen was presented to me as an illus
tration of the power of the press. and
the way that they could ruin an honest
man in the public estimation and rem
der him absolutely worthless in the
community in which he lived, or in the
state where he was known. And it
was said to me- What shall I say to
the newspapers that your answer is?"
You can say to the newspapers"
said, that they cannot use me or my
official position to eXtort money from
this railroad company, and this rail-
road company cannot use me to black
mail this press"
And in answer TO that they said,
Mr.. Cohen, one Of your predecessors
was an honest man-eGually honest
with you-but the press absolutely
ruined him in this state. and there isn't
anybody in this state today who doesn't
believe he was bribed, and there isn't
any one in this state who doesn't be-
lieve he was bribed by the railroad
company for his vote upon that com
mission; when. on the contrary, he was
honest and never received a dollar
MUST STAND IN
OR BE IMPEACHED
And 1 turned to the railroad officials
present and asked if that was true
They repeated il was. They said: IF
you do not stand in upon this propo-
sition we will impeach you in this
next legislature, and this railroad COM
pany Will be forced to do so in order
to protect itself. and we will demand
it of the legislature"
said: IF you gentlemen try to
touch my private honor I will hang
every of YOU to the
rafters Of the building in which you
publish your paper. Whether I am in
oosI
peached and out Of it, 1 am equally
as dangerous. 1 will take the sand
lot with Mr.. Kearny." I said TO them,
also: This heart of mine fears no
one; IL fears not the press nor the
railroad, or any other influence upon
this earth. 1 have money enough to
live on without any of them, and I am
not ambitious. I was offered the gov
ernorship of this state by the railroad
people and $4,000 to make my tight
before l was nominated to the rail-
road commission for this term. The
nomination was in my hands, and my
friends viii tell you 1 refused it; and
you can't offer me anything as an in
ducement, because I don't want it"
But 1 do realize the position that
you people have got me in. and 1 tell
you that 1 will meet you later"
Mr.. Huntington returned and he sent
says: Mr.. Rea, i understand that YOU
are doing certain things on the com
mission and they are getting me and
my people into a great deal of trouble
and we want you to reverse your posi-
ton on this commission and drop this
Shiveley complaint"
Mr.. Huntington, 1 cannot do So" I
said. OF course, there was a whole lot
more OF one thing and another, but 1
- A-TH
responsibilities and so forth. Il can
not do So" said. II think I ann right
in the matter. So far as my position
is concerned, 1 don't care anything
about It. but I am going to carry this
thing to the end If my colleague, Beck
man, will stay with me, and give the
people of this state a true report"
MADE ARRANGEMENTS
TO QUIET PRESS
But" he says, the trouble is Mr..
Rea, that you have started in on the
most productive road we have, and the
people will be melted against the rail-
road company and give us unlimited
trouble in that quarter. When you
start on to those portions of the road
where we are not making interest on
our bonds and running expenses, why
you will ruin our bonds, and we will
have to issue new bonds now, and we
great press, and 1 have made arrange
ments for them where everything will
be smooth If you will go through"
Mr.. Huntington, / am sorry" l said
but / cannot do it,
We'll. they demand your impeach-
ment, and 1 will have to give the word
out to impeach you in the legislature
and 1 hate very much to do it, he re-
piled.
Mr. Huntington, I am very sorry
also" l said Il have always liked you
and admired you in your line; but as
between what I believe to be right on
the one side and serving my financial
interest on. the other. 1 shall take the
course which 1 believe to be right"
Then" he says, you will be i'm
peached"
Thank you. SIR I said, and 1 left
In due time. as the ight was con-
tinuing. the legislature proceeded to
impeach me, and it came UP in diff
ferent forms. There was fellow there
Aa