The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-11
~PLAIN. VULGAR THEFT"
Sensational Editorial of a Chicago Paper
the Santa Fe Matter.

on the Santa Fs Matter.
CHICAGO. Aug. 1.-THE Chicago Times
publishes a sensational editorial on the
Santa Fe situation. 1t says:
Every day or so those inquisitive
stockholders keep discovering million
or two lost. stolen or strayed in the ac
counts of the Atchison, Topeka s. Santa
Fe railroad Now it is 81 900 0OO a mere
bagatelle Of seven millions, which has
been paid out in rebates contrary to law;
now 1t is trihing sum Of $2,OOO,OO0, OF
which no account can be found upon the
books. So instructive just now. when
the railroad managers are standing very
still and straight. with their eyes trained
on the little Oiney in the cabinet, TO
have their pictures taken as the up
holders of law and order, as the trl-
umphant beneiciaries Of government
protection. Really President Reinhart
of the Santa Fe is careless sort OF fell
low to jeOpardize SO valuable negative
1t is most EN- barrassing 10 the railroad
managers, with 4 new stock OF RureOteS
on hand, 10 have the public's attention
diverted from their stained glass atti-
tudes to what looks like a plain. vulgar
case Of theft on the part Of some Of their
number. They ought to shOO the Santa
Ee out of their sacred society at once,
before the rude investigators Of that
roads books make any more Distressing
discoveries.
1t is hard for-the public to believe that
the great men at the head OF railway
system should have really broken laws
with far longer prenedltatlOn than any
rioter in the recent labor troubles For It
Is an axiom OF high repute that railroad
presidents cannot sin. Consequently the
report that the reorganization cJInmittee
intends to ask Alr. Reinhart what has be
come of $2,OvO,000, a part of these illegal
rebates is enough to give any properly
constituted a1mirer of our railroad arIs-
tOcracy Il chill
Let US see what the charges against
tAe Santa Fe's C.-icIdls exactly amount
tc4 In the first place the railroad is in
tka hands OF "A receiver, having become
bar krupt IL the recent financial crisis
TA0 receives, under that delightful sys-
ten which is so prevalent nowadays, is
the president Of the railroad under whose
management It had been brought to
bankruptcy. But the stock and
boad holders did not for some
uu6ccOuntable reason rest con
tented with this eXquisitely sim
pln naneuyer. They formed a reOrgani-
"a ion committee, and set an expert at
We * upon the books. The first thing Of
gr Aat interest that he found was that
s 100000 had been paid out as rebates
by ihe Santa Fe to shippers, in plain vIo-
la.iOn Of the interstate commerce law. 1t
was also breach Of faith with the other
railroads which had pooling relations
f with the Santa Fe The. stockholders
az the general public-namely, nothing.
President Reinhart Acknowledged that
such rebates had been made, but said
they had been entered in the books.
That they had not appeared in the finan-
/ cial statements Of the company due
/ 10 the Santa Fe's system of bookkeeping.
+ When Mr.. Reinhart was made president
there was IA great TO do about what he
would do to improve the book okkeeping of
/ the road 1t Is already clear that Mr.
Reinhart knows how to keep books.
Then the expert went at it again and
found five millions Of dollars had been
given away contrary to law to the roads
customers, but of two millions of dollars
alleged to have been paid out as
j rebates they could fad no trace SO
that the still more interesting question
now stares Mr. Reinhart and the Santa
( Fe stockholders in the face. Where
are those Two millions Of dollars? Are
they concealed under that marvellous sys-
tenn Of book-keep ping9 Or has there been
added TO the breach of the interstate
commerce lawzfor infraction of which
men were to be shot down by federal
+ troops ut the railroad managers behest
the other day-the violation of that
simpler commandment, Thou shall not
steal?