The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-25

not have to accept the once if he wal
 not willing to do the work for the none, | server.
 It is not surprising that Secretary Roun- ttree of the Alabama Press Association
 in Birmingham on large scale. After
 serving as secretary for awhile he had pulled the Association for enough to go 1t on big scale in Birmingham. Great Is Rountree, nitl-Marshau Banner.
 Mir. Rountree at the meeting admitted l making money out of the Association. on
 account of the recent trip, but would n.y.
 mate of his profits on this trip alone was | about 5000. Mir. Rountree's profits out
 of the Press Association within the p st
 ten years must reach about $-O,ooO. Tne Progress believes that other members of l tho Association have imposed on the rail-
 roads by selling their transportation, yet this in no way relieves MT. Rountree or | fore the Association on the 30th. 1ni, !s | a reflection or tthe good name of tho . | sociation and should be remedied. If
 Mir. Rountree. In whose hands the Cana, | faith with the Association, The Progress
 believes that this trip to Canada would , have cost each member about $12 instead
 
 l least eighty editors on the trip instead | of fifteen as stated in the report of Mir. | Rountree before the investigation com mittee.-Prattville Progress.
 Mir. Rountree's acknowledgment that he made money out of the recent press trip to Canada; his itemized list of the differ- ent trades and professions which were represented on that trip are sufficient to bring the blush of shame to every mem- Der of the Press Association who didn't sell his passes to some of these aforesaid outsiders. A more nauseating state of affairs than that exposed at Birmingham last week can hardly be imagined.
 In MT. Rountree's defense he makes the statement that he was entitled to make something off of the outsiders. What about the twelve bona flde newspaper men and fifteen ladies entitled to take advantage. of the trip? Has he returned of these outsiders were going when he nxed the sleeping car rate at three times the amount charged by the Pullman Company? That plea was the weakest
 The truth of the business Is MT. Roun- tree Is victim of his own cupidty and the best thing he can do is to throw him. to be allowed to resign. That is about the best that he can hope for.-Athens Dem ocrat.
 The recent investigation of Mir. Roun- tree. in regard to the abuse of the cour- tesy extended by the railroads in the way or passes. has aroused the curiosity of the people on this subject, and little in- roads are being imposed upon by quite a lot of people The Rustler asked for a pass Tor one of its reporters and was re. rused because the reporter in question was not employed exclusively on the pa- per. The refusal to grant the pass was accompanled with the explanation that the courtesy of the railroads was bei h0 NS1< ,.uf, l.
 Bessemer. -"
 It is reported that prominent young physician rode on another mans pass rom Tuscaloosa few Sundays ago. That name of a newspaper that has not been published In six months or more: that he secured passes for three other persons S on the % same paper. yet the paper has not neen issued in the time before mentioned. that another newspaper man tried to get ms pass issued to a merchant as he did not need 1t himself N'N
 IT these reports are all true, 1t is small wonder that the railroads are becon,inr tlreo or being imposed upon in such a shameless manner, and have become more particular in issuing their passes.
 The exposure of Rountree will result in gooS as 1t will cause the railroads to ssop issuing passes to men who abuse the prlvllege and to extend more courtesy where IL IS deserved.-Bessemer Rustler. The committee appointed to investigate the methods of Secretary Rountree in conducting so-called Alabama Press ex- cnrsion to Canada this summer met in Birmingham last Friday, and the evi- dence shows conclusively that Rountree made nice sum out of the trip He admitted he made money and tried to SustiIy his course in. so doing, but whether that course will be approved by the Association remains to be seen.
 MT. Rountree refused to make a state ment Of the receipts and disbursements or the trip to the Investigating commit- tee, and likewise turned down the execu- tive committee, whose agent he is, when statement.
 The sentnel believes Mr. Rountree has made a mistake in the attitude he has assumed. for, while the finding of the investigating committee will not be made public until the annual meeting next year. yet the evidence shows that he used his ofncial position for personal gain,
 The annual outings are intended for the pleasure and benefit of members of the Association, yet of recent years MT, Rountres has put the price SO high that to take the trip. By this procedure he 'froze out" those who by every right were entitled to go upon the outings, and loaded loaded up the party, with outsiders any old person who would put up the dough for the trip. This is where we believe he has prostituted his office to the oetrlment or members of the Association ana TOT personal gain. And he can never convince the Association nor the public mat tnls Is other than an unwarranted tinel o'-
 The recent trial of J. Asa Rountree secretary Of the Alabama Press Associa- ton, before the Investigating committee State. 40
 The writer has heard 1t said on several occasions of the press trips that some one was making money out of it and 1t mas mas been sad that the secretary was the one' but these charges never took shape or an actual accusation until brought by The Advertiser after the last trip of the Association. Even after the charge was boldly made many of Rountree's friends or the Association withheld their judg- ment until after the meeting of the com mittee which he demanded.
 Now the meeting has been held and Mir. Rountree has admitted he made money out of the trip, but refuses to disclose the amount, which after all, is a seconda- ry consideration The question involved was one of honesty and integrity, and Wnether he made cent or five thousand dollars does not change the matter.
 MT. Rountree claims that as only fifteen real newspaper people were on the trip ne ne did no harm in charging more than the trip really cost. We do not admit this. He did just as great a wrong to these fifteen as if the entire number were bona iide newspaper men, as they should have been. The real question is, had he right to take more money than the trip really cost We think not, decidedly not. It looks to us to be a breach of trust, for he never claimed any remunera-