The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-13
Investigating Committees Re
az port.
port.

Tho report of the Investigating Commit
u see Of the Council has been made pubic.
and Richmond has small grounds LOT
self-com placency over the result. DESIRE
u 10 I'D no one an injustice. and to state
nothing that was not borne out by care
fully weighed and sfted evidence is
ntrikinc characteristic of the report -Ias
very caution and temperatures IS "hat
lends the greatest weight and adds tho
greatest severity to the calm summing.
in bv the Investigating Committee of the
present state of the public conscience,
"A IN only partial statement Of the case
TO point out that the Southern Bel leie
Y phone and Telegraph Company found
ready recipients In the Council for the
hospitality that 1t provided In its mid
day lunches. it's cheering suppers. It's
enlightenlng trips to Now York and tho
pleasant companionship of paid workers.
ell Of which amounted to the trivial
sum OF $1,000. to say nothing OF the
slight and almost negligible perauisites
of free local and long distance telephone
services.
Nor will 1t cover the entire field to add
to this exhibit the record OF the street
car companies It Is at least instructive
to have the testimony Of the Invests
eating Committee that tho Passenger
and Power Company through George q.
q Fisher spent some $1,000 among poll
tical workers. to create public sent,-
ment." Of Which 5000 went to one man;
II that Captain Andrew Pzzin gave con
FAN tracts to members of the Council without
competitive bidding. and that the Trac-
H ton Company, though carefully safe
guarding its conscience by stipulauns
that no improper use should be made of
the funds, yet managed to spend 5000
5 among these political workers for "leglti-
mate ~ expenses as the report says.
To get the full significance of the re-
port we must not overlook what 1t says
of those private citizens WAC flor con-
sideration OF the face value Of $40. 900 IN
stocks and bonds sold the use OF their
names and influence to secure for George
E. Fisher, "a man." who, the report
says, "the public believe, had always
evaded his Just obligations to the city
which franchise it was we'll known the
citizens of Richmond would not have
permitted him knowingly obtain-whilc
/ violating no statute. were. TO certain
extent. betfaying 1he confidence reposee
in them by their fellow citizens. and
have by their example weakened the
z, moral strength Of tho community nnc
q afforded a ready excuse for those who
Es for a consideration, arc willing 10 subor-
dinate tho public veal 70 private in
terest One OF the political workers enl
ployed to create public sentiment ~
favor OF one OF the corporations statet
on the witness stand that he had de
clined such employment frequently, bu
is that when he saw representative cltl
gems accepting compensation for the us'
4 Il of their names and influence in securing
s franchises, he did not see why he shoul1
any longer refuse money for his politIca
Influence.
"rhe private citizen. no less than tn
public Official. owes to the communit
in which he lives the best exercise q
his political Influence and, when he &C
cepts compensation for the use Of thu
Influence in any particular direction II
does an injury both to himself and tn
public"
That tells the whole story. The pun
Tic conscience has been dulled and W
can never get pure and hghmlnded scr
vice from our representatives when gu
citizens In their private lives are show
ing like disregard Of patriotism an
an equal venalty.
1t is we'll enough to have our nous
cleanlng--anG 10 ssYerly reprlmand an
punish, where the evidence Is sutlicisn
e all dereliction and corruption in publ
oificials-but what Richmond needs me-
10 lay 70 heart 10 the dispassionate repo
and earnest appeal OF the investigator
rs Committee and SO set herself to brir
about such an awakening of public Co
science and civic righteousness ms "
ES forever free US from the occasion OF SUI
B another rebnke,
B r.-=-=-=--==E