The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-13
AN HONEST CONGRESSMAN
Congressman Baker Scores q Railroad
Company for Sending Him q
Free Pass.

Robert Baker, Democrat, is q
member of Congress from the
Brooklyn, n. Y, district. 1n
1902 he was nominated for Cong
ress, and as his biography printed
i'll the Congressional Directory
says, was elected in q district
wherein Mckinley had had 4,577
plurality in 1900 by 466 plurality,
and this despite the rancorous OPP
position of the Brooklyn Eagle,
which honored no other Democrat.
ic Congressional candidate with its
opposition"
The opposition Of such publica-
tions as the Eagle will be better
understood, says The Commouer,
in the light of correspondence that
has recently been made public, re-
vealing, as this correspondence
does, to those who are not ac-
quainted with Mr.. Bakers peculiar.
tiles, that he is not the man to be
controlled by the special interests
which such newspapers as the
Brooklyn Eagle serve SO faithfully.
Recently Congressman Baker re-
ceived the following letter with in.
closure as stated:
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com
pany, Century Building, Washington,
ID. c., July q, 1908. George +
Hamilton, Division Counsel
Hon. Robert II. Baker, Brooklyn,
n. Y Dear Sir: Heretofore, under
the regulations Of the company, annual
passes have not been issued 10 mem
bcrs elect until the congress TO which
they were elected had convened. !
am glad to inform you that this reg.
ulalion has been modified, aud from
now on ANNALS will be sent to mem
bers residing in company's territory
the first day Of July following their
election.
am accordingly pleased to for
ward to you under this cover, a card
of travel good for 1908,
Yours very truly,
&. + HAMILTON,
Division Counsel.
Congressman Bakers reply to
this railroad official deserves wide
publication and the example set by
this Congressman should be fol.
lowed by every other public official
who hopes to faithfully represent
the people. Mr.. Bakers reply is
rs follows:
j44 Carleton Ave-, Brooklyn, N. Y,
July %, l903.-George +. Hamil.
ton, Esq, Division Counsel, Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad Company,
Century Building, Washington, d.
G..
Dear Sir On my return to the
city find yours Of the 2lst enclosing
an annual pass and announcing Of
licially the policy OF the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad company in supplying
passes TO members of Congress.
In returning the pass | desire to
say that am unable to understand on
what grounds pass is rendered, if il
be not with the expectation that II will
influence me to act in my official ca
pacity TO conserve what your company
regards as its rights" regardless of
the rights of tho people, or may be to
aid in securing for the company addi.
tional privileges.
There is, am aware, another pos
sible construction to be put upon this
tender of pass, aud that Is, that II
the pass be not given, then, in my
official acts in matters affecting the
b. a. o. X. X. Co.. the company AS
sumes that will be guided, not by a
determination TO deal Justly with both
the American people and your CON-
pany, but to harass and annoy II not
to cause ii pecuniary loss.
am no more disposed TO accept
this as an excuse for the company's
action, than TO believe that it assumes
that the pass would induce me to look
with lenient eye on Legislation de-
signed TO confer extentions Of It's ex-
isting privileges; either view would
constitute reflection on the integrity
Of my actions, which ] reject.
As the language of your letter un-
mistakably implies, not only that the
Baltimore IL Ohio Railroad company
has presented passes to members of
previous Congresses "residing in CON-
pany's territory" but that the pass
sent me is simply one Of many ten.
dered to members OF the 58th Con-
gress and as the language used pre-
cludes the possibility Of your action
being regarded as personal favor to
me alone, consider It a duty to give
the widest publicity to the matter,
and shall therefore send . copy of
this and your letter 10 the press, for
my constituents are entitled to know
that great railroad corporation has
in effect--openly, certainly without
concealment or evasion, done that,
which, II not resented, would lay my
actions In all matters affectinp railroad