Year: 1872

A correspondent of the Alta California
has taken the trouble to examine the files
of the San Francisco Bulletin and the
Sacramento Union, together with the
legislative proceedings Of this State, with
reference to railroad matters and particu-
larly relating to the occupation of Goat
Island for railway purposes. This exam
ination discloses that such occupation of
Goat Island was advocated by the Bulletin
for years and was fully endorsed by the
Union as essential to the railroad system
of the State.


The record referred to is volumnous
but its substance is contained in the fol-
lowing extract from the Bulletin of April
4th, 1868, bearing in mind that the Goat
Island question was before San Francisco
and the State:


"Goat Island is close to the landing in
San Francisco. 1t is in the middle Of the
harbor and will accommodate any amount
of business. 1t is the natural terminus
Of the Overland Railroad which passes
by Sacramento. That road must eUent-
Udtiy fOttOlO the direct and nedrcSt route
and come TO coat LSl0nd, simply because
GOAT ISLAND Is VIRTUALLY SAN FRAN
CISCO -"


The Union and Bulletin are opposing
with all their might the election Of Cogh-
Ian. The only objection they urge against
him is his vote on the Goat Island Bill Of
the last session of Congress. Now these
delectable sheets, having advocated the
occupancy of Goat Island for railroad
purposes because circumstances not only
required but imperatively demanded it,
it is extremely difficult to perceive the
criminality of Coghlan's vote if the ar
gument of the Union and Bulletin was
sound. At least it did not lay in their
mouths to charge it as a fault. The cx-
PLANTATION is at hand and it is this At
the time the record referred to was made
the BuLIetin had not become a stockholder
in a rival road to the Central Pacific,
which it is seeking to build by money
drawn from the people of San Francisco,
and the Onion enjoyed the advertising
patronage of the Central Pacific. Wheth-
er the Goat Island Bill was right or wrong
its unchalenged advocacy for years by
the two papers referred to should have at
least guaranteed our Representatives from
attack by those papers on that score.
With no pretense to consistency, and re-
gardless of principle, these journals i'm
periously thrust their enmites and pet
schemes upon the Republican Party
Neither Of them belong in this District,
but the Republican organization must
first ask their permission before they pre-
sumo to name a Congressman. Now,
we have an opinion on this very subject,
and it is this: The Union and Bulletin
have fixed things up very nicely between
themselves. 1t is understood between
these would-be autocrats of public opinion
that no one shall go to Congress from this
State who is not pledged to servilely do
their bidding. They have made the issue
and we call upon Republicans to meet it
squarey. The Republicans of this county
know how much the railroad has inter
fercd in our Conventions and Committees.
They also know that the "Unior " and
" Bulletin presume to dictate to them
who they shall support. Everybody will
concede that Coghlan is a man of first
class talent and reputable in every way.
No sensible person will pretend to argue
among Luttrell's acquaintances that he is
other than demagogue Of the lowest
type. Those who support him have in
view some other object than the public
good. We utterly refuse to recognize
the Union and " Bulletin Z" as Repub-
lican organs, and announce as our honest
conviction that their course is controlled
solely by the selfish, interested motives
of their owners.