The San Francisco call., 1908-07-04

Q.-Well, do you think that Mr..
Bryan belongs to the railroad?
Ayes, and if he don't he might
as well belong to it, as his policy
leads nowhere, He has been with. the
railroad for years, but he has been
fooling the people. and when it dawns
on the people why. they will see an
other traitor in camp. But the reason
is, you have never had newspapers
that were honest enough themselves
to be fair and tell the exact truth
not only about their own candidates,
but as to the candidates whom they
opposed.
Q.-Why do you think he belongs
to the railroad company?
A.-Why, because he rode on passes
and he wouldn't have accepted these
courtesies were he not friendly.
HERRIN's LETTER ADMITS
BRYAN HAD PASSES
Q.-How do you know he rode on
passes?
A-Well, it was commonly under
stood among the inside politicians that
he was friendly, and I have a letter,
1 think, from Mr.. Herrin, admitting
that he rode on passes. 1 have a let
ter, I think, or two. I have got one
of them in my pocket, and L will read
it to you. You want that signature,
don't you? Why, here is a letter that
was written-I forget whether he was
running for president-No-he wasn't
running for president. Here is a letter
written in September 2, 1S97-11 years
ago-he has been with the railroad for
IL years. The letter is as follows:
"san Francisco, Cal, Sept. 2, 1897.
"James w. Rea, Esq, Al North First
street, San Jose. Dear Sir
"I am in receipt of yours of the LIST,
asking transportation for to
Reno from San Jose. As / have told
yOu frequently, L will not issue free
Interstate transportation except to en-
pIOyes of the company. i know you
reminded the other day that Mr..
Mills had done this in the case of Will
liam j. Bryan, but 1 cannot help that.
So far as L am concerned, L will not
issue any such transportation. If /
can help you In any other way, let
me know. Truly yours,
.'WM f. HERRIN.,
o-Is that Herrin's own signature?
A.-That is Herrin's own signature.
Q.-And addressed to whom?
A.-Addressed to "Mr. Rea."
Q.-Do you include the judiciary. Mr..
Rea, in your indictment Of corpora
tions?
Al do include every branch of
government. 1 claim-and we will take
California as an eXample-that there
is not any official today who can be
nominated or heard of in state politics,
especially in the republican party, that
don't come from Herrins bureau.
Q.-Dominated by?
A.-Dominated by Mr.. Herrin's bu-
reau.
Q.-How about the supreme court of
the state?
A.-Every man on the supreme court
of this state, with the possible ex-
ception of Judge Beatty, was nom
mated by a convention that was DOM
mated by Mr.. Herrin.
Odd those candidates, when they
were candidates, did those candidates
know that they were being nominated
for election by the railroad influence?
IF THEY ANTAGONIZE
THEY CAN'T GET BACK
A.-Why, they certainly did, of
course; but I want to say here that
there are honest men on the supreme
bench, and that the friends of the SUI
preme court were behind them. I have
got friends on the supreme court, and
/ have been behind them myself; and
it don't mean that they are necessarily
corrupt; but it does mean that if they
antagonize the railroad company they
can't get back there. Now, that is all
it means, and just what it means; and
you can't blame them. 1t is the peo-
pies fault; it is not the judiciary's
fault.
Q-Very well; the peoples fault?
A-Yes, it is the people; it is not
the judiciary. 1 don't know that it is
the peoples fault exactly; it is the
fault of the conditions which have
grown up owing to our prosperity and
the rapid development of the financial
interests of this country; and all men
who have made vast fortunes out of
the governments influence, and are
still making them, and are going to
continue to make them until they ruin
this government. unless they are pre-
vented from doing SO by the people.