The San Francisco call., 1909-10-24

MAAAAAAAAAA%A

e-+.-.-.+--.-
me feels a somewhat imperfect
sympathy for the outcry of the
lemon growers over the seizure
tuunaoaaann. by the railroads of one-third OF
$%S . the congressional bounty dis
$3 pensed by the machinery of the
Z : tariff II we adopt of settled
purpose the policy of taxing
s~~~~~<~<~<~~@ set of people to make another
set rich why should not the railroads deem them
selves as worthy of the national charity the
lemon growers? The traffic managers had shaded
the freight rate on lemons by Is cents a hundred
pounds TO promote a languishing industry. So
when congress presented the lemon growers with
so cents per hundred pounds to be paid out of
other peoples pockets, it entirely natural that
the railroads should take their share. If it is
possible to make everybody rich by processes of
taxation the railroads should not be called pack
Of thieves when they declare themselves i'll on
the deal
ANYBoDY'S MONEY
They had been doing mertorious act OF self
denial at the rate of Is cents hundred and it
quite natural that they should claim their
modest share of the artificial prosperity If you
can legisate money into peoples pockets by means
OF the tariff the railroads may be forgiven if they
regard their pockets as worthy of the national
bounty in due proportion Uncle Sam holds out
the national grab bag in reach of all who may be
endowed with active set OF prehensile fingers.
The tariff makes the opportunity of the natural
born reacher. 1t is logical result of the process
OF giving away other peoples money that there
should be confusion concerning rights to
the plunder
A PIoUS CUSTOM
Congress is Tom TiddIers ground, where you pick
up gold and silver, and it is counted meritorous
to get a share OF the Doodle. The railroads
abused because they imagined that they had
right TO follow this pious custom.
OF course. the railroads have friends and it
IS the accepted creed that they run by pack
of rascals. Look at Senator Flint One might
have supposed that he of all men could be credited
with sympathetic view OF this modest appro-
priation OF one-third Of the congressional bounty
but what do we see? The senator gets up his
hind legs, shaking his fist and making faces at the
wicked traffic managers Breathing fire and brinl-
stone he threatens them with all the terrors OF
senatorial wrath. Ingratitude, thou marble hearted
hend; how sharper than serpent child it is to
have thanldess tooth. That may sound a little
mixed, but not more mixed than the senator's
emotions.
IS HE A CANDIDATE?
But the senator declares that he is not a candl-
date for Office after his term expires, and if he
really means 1t his threats against the railroads
are brutum fulmen. He is a spent bullet Perhaps
his irritation is natural, because this 50 cents
advance for lemons constitutes his chief claim to
the reputation of a statesman. 1t not much,
but IT was his own. In all other matters he
content to play ME too for Aldrich In that
dubious and sinister alliance faith
ful than Flint, and his price so cents hundred
on lemons He hopes to get All assay office for
Los Angeles and some Notifications for the Will
mington mudhats thrown in. With these accom-
plishments and so cents for lemons the reward
of his subserviency to Adrich he would be
But now come the railroads and clip monstrous
cantle off his price. It's like taking candy from
a baby.
A WIDOWED COMMONWEALTH
Does anybody really believe that Mr.. Flint
means to leave the commonwealth OF California
widowed for lack of a senator? Few senator's die
and none resign alas! The law of the persistence
OF political aspiration is well settled and for
all practical purposes without exception. Blessed
is the bee that sings in the bonnet 1t is the one
immortal and ndestructible insect.
DIVERTING TANTRUMS
Why. if Flint wanted to quit they would not LET
him. They need him In their business. Those
viainous railroads whose wicked rape of the
lemon duty he has been denouncing SO little
alarmed by his diverting tantrums that they want
to send him back to Washington To be sure, they
could find plenty of other servtors, but none so
useful and none SO close up Frank Flint is
r. 4 Ill.