Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-12

| governorship. California contains hun
| dreds of upright and capable men, any
one of whom would do honor and credit
to the state as its chief executive.
I'VE are growing state, just enter
ing upon a period of unparalleled de-
velopment. The governor of such a
state must be big enough and broad
enough to grasp all the elements and
factors that are making for its great
ness. 1t seems to me that he should be
able to discern the principle of natural
evolution that controls the growth of
communities materially, mentally,
morally and politically
II am thoroughly convinced that a
sound physical growth must precede
and form the basis for a sound mental
or moral structure, and that the ma
terial development of this, or any other
state, along sound lines must be the
first consideration. To this end capital
and labor in their joint endeavor to
create new wealth and develop new
forms and sources of production must
be equally protected by our laws. The
right to possess, enjoy and preserve
that which is the fruit of invested CAPT
tai or the immediate product of human
labor must be deemed a sacred and in
valuable right in the eyes of the law.
Whenever you render the rights of
property uncertain or precarious by a
lax or unequal enforcement of the law
you strike at the very foundation of
society itself.
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL
"The best reputation that this state
can enjoy abroad is that property with
in its borders receives prompt, effective
and positively equal protection. Gov
ernment exists solely for the protection
of property and persons. Beyond this
it has legitimate functions. 1t cannon
preserve to the individual the wealth
that he possesses or creates-the honest
fruit of his labor, the just returns of his
invested capital, his property and the
enjoyment OF his personal rights. 1t
can encourage thrift, industry, honesty,
patience and other solid attributes of
character, but the limit of it's activi-
ties in this behalf must be the impair
tial administration of the constitution
and laws which a majority have de-
clared to be the best calculated to ad-
vance the common good.
Equal opportunity under the protec-
ton of law is the best friend of man
kind special privilege its arch-enemy.
Every system of special privilege is like
brigand's sack; it is filled with stolen
property. If the people permit special
privilege to flourish. they are party
to the crime. Give every man a chance.
This simple rule is better than any
platform of platitudes that was ever
written. The ideal of good government
must be to secure equal opportunities
to all. The argument that this goal
cannot be perfectly attained is no ar
gument against an honest attempt to
approximate it, When it is apparent
that advantages and favors are sought
or enjoyed by one class or interest
which cannot be accorded to all upon
equal terms, the common sense thing
to do is to deny or destroy the special
privilege that is so sought or enjoyed.
I'm California, the Southern Pacific
company has usurped the functions of
government and intrenched itself in
privileges and immunities that are spe-
cial in their nature. To support its
usurpation, it has done what every
other usurper has done to maintain its
Illegal power-it has allied itself with
other selfish interests that are likewise
seeking to exploit the laws for their
own peculiar benefit.
ut is this condition that breeds the
spoils system. Destroy the misrule of
the railroad, and brood of other evils
will disappear with it. This can be
done without injury to any legitimate
interests in the state, whether repre-
sented by capital of labor The trans
portation companies and other public
service corporations. In common with
the banking, the manufacturing, the
farming, the fruit growing, the mining
and the commercial interests and indus
tries are entitled to nought but just
and fair treatment. Their property and
their business must be accorded the
solid protection of the law. In relation
to corporate wealth, would be unWor-