Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-02-11
BABCOCk'S TONS or BOOKS.
Railway Profits SWeHed by liberal
Use OfFr8nking Privilege At
an Improper Time.

acts as congressman, is being liber-
ally distributed through the Third
District and attracting much atten-
ton. His active opposition to the
principles and policies to which the
republican party Of the district and
state Is pleged, is strongly shown
and quotations from official records
are given to prove Mr.. Babcock q
special champion Of schemes to
benefit corporations regardless OF
public rights or convenience. In
these charges, all well sustained. is
ample reason why Mr.. Babcock
should not be renominated.
Most prominent and damaging OF
the many charges, however. is the
showing that during the months in
1903, when mails were being weigh.
ed to determine the compensation OF
railroads for four years succeeding
immense and unusual quantities OF
public documents were sent into the
Third District under Mr.. Babcock's
frank. Two reputable citizens OF
Baraboo, who haul the mail from the
depot under contract with the post
Office department, make affidavit
that during the months of April and
May, 1903, when mails were being
weighed, they hauled eight or ten
tons of mail matter, bearing Bah
cocks frank further these men
swear that in ten years that they
have hauled the mail there has not
before or since been such an inn
mense quantity of private matter
received at Baraboo within SO short
a time. Two citizens of Platteville
make affidavit relative to tons OF
printed matter received at that city.
during the same time, all ranked by
j. w. Babcock. This is not reckless
rumor, but statement of facts
supported by sworn testimony.
many other cities and towns of the
district unusual quantities Of public
documents, franked by Babcock,
were received during the same per
iod Of weighing mails. The charac-
ter OF the matter with which the
mail cars were loaded at that time is
significant. Much of it was stuff
that had lain in the warehouses at
Washington "A quarter Of century
or more. Reports and statistics re.
ferring to the Centennial Exposition
of 1876, the Paris Exposition, about
that long ago, and similar worthless
trash, filed the bags.
Think what this may mean. If ttse
railroads were before receiving SbfU
n year for carrying the mails into
each of the seven counties of this
district, (Which is thought to be a
low estimate) and the rate is doubled
during abe weighing period, it means
doubling the compensation of rail
roads, or $4,000 for the four years
service instead of $4,000.
1t probably cannot be proved that
these heavy shipments of public
documents were made in the brief
weighing time for the special pur-
pose of increasing compensation of
railroad carriers by Mr. Babcock's
order or with his consent. If it
could be so proved the congressman
would have TO answer for the act in
a criminal court. It is likely that
his apologists will say that the time
of these heavy shipments was an
accident; that the stuff was sacked
and sent out by subordinates with
out special instructions or personal
supervision on his part, etc. etc,
still he should be held responsible
at the bar Of public opinion. With
his long service in Congress he must
have known all about the time when
mails are weighed, in fact did he not
decide who should be appointed
weighers for his district, and when
their service began? These facts
warranted conclusion that Mr..
Babcock is at least careless of public
interests, Otherwise he would have
seen to it that the already liberal
compensation of railroads for carry
ing mails was not increased by the
fact that tons of old books, under
his frank, were sent over the roads
Just at that time. For the informa
ton of the people, or for the strength
ening OF himself for denomination,
the reports of the Continental Eek.
position and other ancient vol
umes might as we'll have been
franked and mailed u little before or
after the weighing period.
Der. Howayer the. stqtIing of mails dur
ing the time Of Weighing came about,
the railroads are apparently proiitod
by it many thousands of dollars at
the expense of the national treasury !;
if through Mr.. Babcock's inattention,
il was iueNcusable neglect, akin to
crime. For this alone he should be
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