The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-09
EX-President Harrison Incurs
Criticism of NeighbOrs
For Trying to Defeat the Three
Cent Fare Law
FOR A $4,000 FEE.
A Preacher Says Imagine a
Street Car Company
Offering George Washington a
$4,000 Fee.

Indianapolis, Ind, July 9.-Gen. Ben
jamin Harrison has raised a question of
ethics by championing, for money, the
cause of the street railroad company in
IT'S contest with the people of this city.
His conduct is the subject of criticism,
favorable and unfavorable, in society,
in the clubs, in labor organizations and
among the ministers.
When the general came back from
Washington as an ex-preSident, he did
not put out the sign of an attorney nor
did he insert an advertisement in any
of the newspapers announcing that he
would resume the practice of law, but
at the same time it was pretty we'll I'M
derstood that anybody who had money
enough could buy his services. 1t was
the understanding among the members
of the bar and of representatives of cor
poratiOnS in need of the best legal adj
vice that he would not undertake any
sort of case for less than Sc, O00
It was only natural, attorneys say,
when the street railroad company found
its life in danger that it should seek
the services OF the ex-president of the
United States.
At any rate the company did employ
him. Various stories of the fee agreed
upon have been in circulation. The best
information Obtainable indicates that
the company agreed to pay the general
500, 900 if he would see it safely through
its trouble, or half that sum if he lost.
The people did not object to the po-
SitiOn taken by the ex-preSident until
the contest before the last legislature
became warm.
The original question involved before
the law makers was as to whether the
charter of the company should be an
nulled at the end of the council grant in
January, 1901. 1t aroused the indigna-
ton of a great many persons when the
ex-preSident appeared before the legiSla-
tive committee fighting the demands of
the citizens.
Not content with endeavoring to inf1u-
articles in pamphlet form which were
circulated among the members of the
legislature. At that time the Indian
apolis News, the leading independent
paper of the state, and one that had
always borne the friendliest feeling for
the general, criticised his course and
thereby aroused the IRE OF rev OF me
generals personal friends who sleep
with the old theory that the king can
do no wrong"
But the generals influence was not
powerful enough to- prevent legislation,
for two laws were passed, one terminal
ing the charter at the expiration of the
council grant, and the other fixing the
fare in this city at cents.
Under his contract with the company
it became the duty of the ex-president
to go into court and seek to have the
cent fare law set aside. While the
people-his own neighbOrs-were re-
sisting the payment of the old fare af-
ter the new law had gone into effect,
he was delving into his law books
looking 1OF lOOphOlGS as TO now the new
law could be broken down 1t is pretty
well understood that it was Gen. Har-
r1SonS argument in the original case
that Influenced Judge Showalter to hold
the law invalid and issue an injunction
against the officers and employees of the
company collecting other than cent
fare.
The general did not appear in person
before the supreme court of the state
when the same question was argued
there, but his speech before Judge Sho-
walter and the brief he had prepared in
the original case were put in the hands
of the supreme judges. His last ap-
pearance was in the argument ten days
ago when Judge Showalter was asked
to modify his opinion and to dissolve
the injunction.
Now, the point which the people are
discussing is whether it is morally right
for man who has spent all his active
life in a city which has honored him
as president of the United States to sell
his ability and influence to a corpora
ton with which the people have quar-
rel to settle.
One of the local newspapers said it
was like a father being dealt blow
in the face by his child" and from all
accounts that is the sentence to which
the ex-president took exception. The
subject promises to be up for considera-
ton for good while to come. The min
listers have been slow to take it up in
their pulpits, but one of them, the Rev.
G. c. Lasby, of the Central Avenue
Methodist Episcopal church, the largest
church of the denomination in the city,
and one that wOrships ''just around the
corner from the ex-presidents home,
said in his sermon last Sunday:
''Mononolies Cypress and rob the peo-
pie, wealth is too unequally distributed.
Great corporations debauch the public
conscience. There are 13, 5S5 miles of
street railway in our country and these
ATE bonded and stocked for about $685.
OO0 a mile. Would not $4,000 a mile be
a reasonab BILE expenditure? Why, then,
this additional theft and burden of $780,,
900 a mile? Why So, 600 900 of stock on
81 600 600 of property (referring to the
local company? And when an outrag-
ed people are held by the throat and
robbed of an amount sufficient to pay
the dividends upon this outrageous sum
how the soul of the patient longs for
the men of '76. Shades of Jefferson, of
Patrick Henry and of Washington, once
more appear and write a new declara-
ton of independence against such I'M
1ust tyranny Can any one imagine the
president of a street railway approach
ing George Washington and offering him
a $780, 900 fee to justify such an iniQuity
ard defend such an outrage upon the
rights of the people2"
Lawyers, as a rule, declare that the
general was justified in taking the legal
employment and there are a good
many people who are not lawyers who
refuse to criticise adversely. but the
common people are not so certain that
the ex-president'S course can be juSti-
fed.