The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-05-17
A MAN
WHO CAN
SAY NO
Occasion When a Free Pass
Was not Proper
Geo. E Chamberlain Turned
Down Senator ThurStOn.

There has been much said during
the present campaign relative to the
Democratic nominee for governor,
Geo. f. ChamberlainS as not being a
man who, under all circumstances, has
the moral courage to say mo" OF
course these charges are made by the
push" organs, and whoever is at the
crank feels privileged to grind out
this tune, the facts of the matter to
the contrary, Notwithstanding. One
noticeable incident happened several
years ago, when Mr.. Chamberlain was
attorney-general for oregon, which
illustrates what a keen sense of NOR
al courage he has, and how fearlessly
he acts upon II. II was along in 1883,
when the railroad commissioners for
Oregon brought united suits against
the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific
railroad companies, over alleged dis
elimination in tariff rates. Owing to
the enormous expense of moving
the books, employees and inconveni-
ence of so doing to the railroad COM
panies, It was stipulated that the com
panies were to pay all necessary fares
of the litigants in the cases, and that
the testimony be taken before a ref
cree in San Francisco, for the South
ern Pacific, and in Omaha for the I'm
ion Pacific. Circuit Judge r. p. Boise,
before whom the suit was brought, ap-
pointed Hon. w. II. Holmes, of this
city, referee. MIR. Chamberlain, Mr..
Holmes and the court stenographer,
w. p. Williams, went to San Francis
co, and there took the testimony be-
fore Referee Holmes, for the Southern
Pacific. From there they went to
Omaha and took the Union Pacific tes-
timony. It was while here that the
keen moral sensiblity of Mr.. Cham
berlain was seen. He was antlcipat-
ing visit to Nachez, Miss, TO see his
relatives, and remarked upon 1t to
his friends. Judge Thurston, the we'll
known United States senator, was the
leading attorney for the Union Pacific
Company I'm this suit, and hearing of
the proposed visit of Mr.. Chamberlain
to Mississippi, sought him out, and in
the most cordial manner offered him
passes for his trip. Mr.. Holmes, the
referee, who was present at this cir
cumstances, in conversation with a
Journal reporter In regard to the mat
ter, said he never saw anything more
cordially offered, and more graclously
declined. zone could readily see,"
said Mr.. Holmes, that nothing more
nor less than the conscientious
scruples OF Mr.. Chamberlain laid be-
hind that polite but positive declina-
tion. To a man of less moral percep- |
tlon, the taking of these passes might
not have been given a second thought,
but to Mr.. Chamberlain, his keen NOR
al sense prevented him accepting from
his legal opponents any personal IA
vors. The idea of accepting favors
from the railroad company he had
come there to fight for equity TO his
state, wounded his sense of justice and
his deep moral sense of right, That
little word No, cost him nearly 5000
in fares, but he retained a consistent
and conscientious position. II is very
likely Senator Thurston has forgotten
about this, but 1t is certain that those
who saw the instance felt a deeper re-
spect for MIR, Chamberlain after
wards
These cases We're appealed to the
supreme court, but the court sustained
the decision of the lower court. By
his energetic and untiring efforts on
behalf of the state, the people were
saved thousands of dollars annually.
! And, 10 show how just and right the
findings were, the rates on nearly all
OF the issues before the court have
never been changed since.