The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-25
For the Wichita Daily Eagle.
AN OPEN LETTER FROM COMMITS
SIONER MITCHELL.
To Hon. John Martin.

| To Hon. John Martin.
SIR:-In consequence of your havir
selected the rostrum from which te
answer my letter published sometime
ago, instead of through the public press,
and the further fact that, unlike your
self I have neither the means nor the
audiences furnished by the Peoples party
that would enable me to reach the
masses of that organization, am again
compelled to resort to the columns of the
newspapers in order to refrte your state
ment ana to hold up to public gaze what
manner of man you are.
In response to your charge that am
in the service of the railroad companies
while holding the office Of railroad com.
missioner, let me remind you, sir, of the
absurdity of that charge when you also
say in the same speech that am usin g
the prestige of my Office as railroad
commissioner, to coerce the roads
to do my bidding in matters of
transportation. Any ordinary mind
would readily see that the functions of
servant and master could not be exer-
cises at one and the same time.
Inasmuch as you have undertaken to
stand between the people and the awful
influence of free transportation, let US
determine first whether you have the
qualifications to perform the duties of
the momentous Office of purifying the
avenues of public affairs. Is it not a
fact that you carry annual passes as fol-
lows: No. L 624 on the Santa Fe, and
No. 1888 on Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific, and No. on the Missouri
Pacific and Union Pacific? And is
it not fact that you have carried annual
passes on these roads as long as they
have been in operation during your resi-
dence in the state? Now if this be true,
please tell the public to what extent you
have been corrupted thereby or what
service you have rendered in return?
Is it not also fact that while
you are a lawyer of fair standing,
yet the dockets of our state courts fail to
show single case, worthy of note, in
your name against the railroads. If
this be true, then is it because you have
positive aversion ID prosecuting claims
against railroads, or is it because you
have been secretly employed to advise,
when applied to by employees who have
been injured on the railroad, that they
have no grounds for damages, when in
fact other attorneys have taken the same
case and recovered ample compensation
for their injuries? The public is be-
coming interested in this pass question
and it would appreciate your services in
the matter if you would be little more
explicit in your exposures.
And while we are on this subject will
you assign some reason, if you can, why
you do not criticise the chairman of the
fusion and Peoples party committees,
and the entire list of the dis
tingushed reformers for carrying
railroad passes? When as you say
it is such disreputabie thing for
Democrats to have these favors, why |
haven't you told the public that Hon |
James B. Weaver has disgraced himself |
BY riding on annual pass No. 545, good |
1a all lines of the Santa Fe as well as |
.he following list of your distinguished /
partisans: Jerry Simpson, annual Santa |
Fe pass No. L III; Congressional Candi- !
late E. V. Wharton. No. L 3,037; George /
W. Click, L 1, 1874; Fred ". Bailey. chair /
nan of the Seventh congressional com
Mite, No. L 2,397; John A. Eaton X 14s:
". F. Wrightmire, L 5S7, fusion chair /
nan; Jones No. -; L. d. Leweliing, |
40. I'LL, and so on without number.
While you have taken delight in hold /
ng up to public audiences my private
etters furnished you by Fusion Chair
nan Jones, why did you not hold up the
Glowing letter and soundly berate him
or admitting over his own signature
hat he had already overworked the
lass privilege.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE DENocRATIcl
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF
KANSAS
lola. Kan, Jan. Is, 1891
Ion. william VI. MitcheiE Il
Dear SIR: wish You would call on some /
{ officer OF ,,,e S,ass Fe railroad, and
.et pass-s for d, ever their lines in this
tate. On the ,-t Of ihe month sent nv !
Ii annual q -. with reoucs. for its re
ewsi fer TIN yssr. hut have received 20
epiy. Ii &c saiiaiy is nos expected that
he cbairmaa q! The committee al the
lsrty you represent on tac board % rail-
Dad commissioners will waIk Please
tfend 10 this little matter FOR me and let
he know il / can expect pass. IL not.
III cease TO bother them. / feel that Is IS
.i cheeky Tor me to ask III tlssrn any 4
iere but as / arr aware that others have