Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-09
STATE LEADERS
OF DEMOCRACY
DENOUNCE S. P.
Will Fight Rule of
Corporations in Poll
tics of California
GALL FLAYS TRUSTS
Attorney of Los Angeles
Points Out National
Evils to Be Fought
GALL FLAYS TRUSTS

q AN FRANCISCO, Jan. S.--A direct
~ attack upon alleged rule of the
~ Southern Pacific over California,
and a declaration that the state board
of railroad commissioners had "di-
rectly and negligently violated its
duty" of reporting what were claimed
to be illegal eXcesses in freight rates,
and illegal combinations of railroads
and steamship lines, to the interstate
commerce commission, were the fea-
lures of the report of the committee on
resolutions of the Democratic state
conference, presented by Theodore A.
Bell, chairman, this afternoon, and
adopted by the conference.
In a summary of the resolutions
recommended for adoption, the COM
mittee declared among other things:
1--WE hold that all reforms must await
the restoration of good government
in California. When the people once
more are in possession of their po-
litical rights, they will be in a position
to take up the more pressing demands
along the following lines:
rst-Retrenchment in public eX-
penditures.
"Second-Equal and uniform tax
alton.
Notwithstanding to municipalities,
counties and the state the initiative,
referendum and recall, whose practical
operation has been so clearly demon
strated in Los Angeles.
"Fourth-The popular election OF
United States senators.
"Fifth-A more effective control OF
transportation companies, looking to
the prevention, ,of excessive rates ana
Determinations.
The committee recommended the
adoption of the resolutions offered by
A. M. Merton regarding transporta-
tion rates, ana alleged neglect or the
state board of railroad commissioners
the resolutions stating that the trans,
continental lines had effected a general
increase in freight rates amounting to
$40 O0O. 600 per year; stating further that
illegal combinations of carriers existed,
and that the state board, through VIII
FIJI negligence" filed no complaint WIN
the interstate commerce commission
THE resolutions recommended that
committee be appointed to take neces-
sary action for the remoVal OF llie
rooInbers of the state board, and to en-
ter complaint with tne lilerSIe't9 S""'
merce commission.
other details of the resolutions pro-
vide for the holding of a noiIllHatiiS
convention in Los Angeles on the sec
ond Tuesday in April.
Among the most interesting features
of the closing days session was an
address on lltillIOcb LNoSSo
customs Tariff" by Joseph III. Can OF
Los Angeles, which was read by Henry
M McDonald, also of Los Angeles:
The discussion which ensued was led
,bv Seth Mann, attorney Tor the san
Erancisco traffic bureau. Many OF the
delegates participated.
The early afternoon session was ue-
voted to the reading of papers on time
Iv nolitical questions and the discus
11iz tJnn. The nrSI
oaner on '"rhe Income Tax and Cen
fraI Rank" was read by James D.
Phelan of this city.
Thomas e. Gibbon of Los Angeles
discussed "The Income TAX ana Call-
fornia" A paper on "How to Organ
ize a County was read by Ben Mau-
dox of Visalia and the ensuing dls
cussion was led by John Barheoerg Vi
San Luis Obispo ooo
with q jackson day banquet of zoo,
tho DemocrLtic conference closed TINS
evening. In the leading address Theo-
dore Bell said:
"California is not free. For years
ou, state has surrendered to one power
full corporation a substantial portion OF
her liberty. 1t is an insult to the man
hood of California that we permit the
making of our laws to De exercised ny
O single interest.
d. w. Carmichael of Sacramento was
toastmaster, and Timothy Spellacy and
Isadore Dockweiler of Los Angeles were
among the speakers.
s. Call s Paper Strong
Mr.. Calrs address was sweeping
and vehement arraignment of make
shift methods ia trust legislation, and
asked the Democratic party for re-
forms which really reform. 1t touched
upon railway and telegraph rates, the
proposed establishment of commerce
court, customs tariff and duties, har-
bors, waterways and rivers, criminal
prosecution of violators of the anti
trust laws and the initiative and ref
erendun. His address was in part as
follows
"Systems which have become firmly
established affecting our national wei
fare, whether wisely or otherwise, can
not be uprooted with impunity.
"Concerning these, 1t Is not now
question of what should nave peen
done, but rather What shoulu we no
with them now.
"We should not have acquired the
philippines, but we have them. The
question now is: How can we get ria
Of them, as we'll as other territory
which we hold, and which cannot either
by reason of climatic or other condl-
tions be permanently settled by our
people and Americanized?
1--WE should not have built up
standard of prices far above the worlds
level, but we have done so.
"Thirty years ago railway rates were
largely regulated by competition be-
tween railroads and by water competi-
tion. Today there is vast combina-
tion of roads which makes the rates.
combined with the industrial trusts.
they operate to increase the tariff on
imports and to suppress competition by
water.
Railroad Regulation
GAS to railroad regulation, the Repub-
lican leaders admit that the laws upon
these subjects, placed there by the Re-
publican party, are imperative and a
mere sham These laws have operated
only to increase the gross revenue of
the railroads from one billion dollars
a year in 1895 to three Billion dollars a
year in 1909, and to increase the net
income a mile of road from $1,000 in 1895
to $4,000 IN 1909.
1.-THE average annual increase of
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