Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-08

A MAJORITY OF both senate and
| ~ assembly of the California legis-
"A lature of 1909 stood for the pas
sage of necessary and desired meas
ures, and against the passage of the
vicious and Objectionable. Democrats
and Republicans being found in each
of the antagonistic groups The mem
bers who advocated the passage of
good measures and the defeat of bad
we're dubbed machine" members;
their opponents were called anti
machine"
This labelling of the two groups was
due to the fact that the so-called ma
chine" minority were as a body ad-
vised by and in sympathy with the
recognized leaders of the political or
ganization which dominates the state
and which is known as the machine"
! Many of these organization leaders
| Walter Parker Johnny Lynch, Jere
! Burke. for example appeared at Sac
lramento from time to time as lobbyists
| in the interest of the so-called ma
chine" policies.
The so-ealled anti-machlne majority
was out of touch with and usually In
direct opposition to the organization,
or machine" leaders.
The machine" minority in each
house. hawever. because of its superior
organization and leadership, and above
| all, because of its control of strategic
committees, was able to overcome
the purpose of the "anti-machine" ma
jority, and block the passage of many
desirable, and, IL the we'll being of the
state is to be considered, necessary
measures.
! If the anti-machine element control
| the legislature which will meet at Sac
ramento next January, its most import
! ant work will be to carry to conclusion
the work which the legislature OF 1909
attempted. but, because of machine
opposition, was unable to finish.
One of the most important and far
reaching of the issues left over from
the session of 1909 which has not yet
been settled because 1t has not been
settled right, is that of railroad regu-
| lation.
A good majority OF the last assembly
and at least bare majority of the
senate desired the passage of an ef-
fective railroad regulation measure
which would deal Justly with the three
pa les commemorative railroads. the
| shippers. and most important of all,
! the people, who as consumers pay, In
the final analysis, the entire railroad
tax. But the passage OF such meas
ure was blocked by the more cleverly
generated machine" minority.
The anti-machine element labored
for the passage of a railroad regulation
bill that should provide for
First-The physical valuation of rail-
road properties within the state as a
basis for fixing equitable railroad
rates. 1t can readily be seen that un-
less the value of the railroad properties
is known. it is practically impossible
to determine the return that can be
eouitablv allowed on the investment.
Second--The employment of experts
by the state board Of railroad commits
sioners to assist that body In their work
of solving the difficult problem which,
| in effective discharge of their duty,
thev would be called upon to deal.
| without such experts the railroad com
mission is practically helpless.
Third--Fixing adequate penalties of
fine and Imprisonment for the viola
ton of the rules and regulations gov
erning common carriers.
Fourth-For making the prosecution
of such offenders comparatively easy
by authorizing the district attorneys
of the several counties to instigate
suits.
Fifth-For the neutrality-suspicious. for
eliciting information under oath, etc
| to enable the state board of railroad
commissioners to secure the necessary
data regarding common carriers within
the state without which data they are
unable to act intelligenuy or effec-
lively.
sixth-For reasonable freight classi-
! fication.
Seventh-For abatement of the pass
giving abuse.
Fighth-For authority for the state
board of railroad commissioners TO
make rules governing demurrage,
charges etc.
Ninth-For rules making It impos-
sible for a common carrier to advance
rates without first applying to the
state board of railroad commissioners.
Tenth-That a common carrier WISH
ing to dispute an order or rule OF the
| ST tn hoard of railroad commissioners