The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-22

Not shred Of testimony, so far as know.
has been presented from any source, whether
by the Interstate Commerce Commission or
by the special counsel employed by the
Department of Justice, which personally
duplicates you in granting these rebates.
Sin your letter you show not only that
you were ignorant Of the existence OF such
rebates, but that you had ia ken every
possible step 10 see that neither in this case
nor in any other were any rebates granted
and you quote documents which show that
your subordinates were repeatedly and
explicitly warned to obey the law as re-
respects. With this showing on your part,
and in view Of the fact that. as have said
not shred Of testimony has been produced
against you from any source whatever
do not think that you need pay any further
heed to the accusations that have been
made against you.
Il do not myself need any confederation OF
any statement you make; but If did need
il, it would be furnished by the holiness
and frankness with which over three years
ago, and before any of the proceedings
with which we are now dealing took place,
you testified to the entire truth in connec-
ton with the taking OF rebates from the
railroads: and it is deeply discreditable
quoted against you. but with shameless
perverson Of the truth should be quoted
as having been given by you in this case.
AT the time when you gave this testi-
mony the Interstate Commerce law III the
matter of rebates was practically dea d
letter. Every railroad man admitted pm
vately that he paid no heed whatever to It.
and the Interstate Commerce Commission
had shown itself absolutely powerless to
secure this heed When took up the mat
ter and endeavored to enforce obedience
to the law on the part of the railroads in
the question Of rebates | encountered
violent opposition from the great bulk
of the railroad men and refusal by, all
to the very state Of affairs which they freely
admitted to me in private. :,
you alone stated that you would do all
in your power to break up this system of
giving rebates; that you strongly objected
to it; but that as long as the law was dead
letter the railroads. which preferred to obey
it. were forced to disobey it if they we're to
continue in business at all under the COM
petition Of their less scrupulous fellows.
I agreed with you cordially that the only
way in which il would be possible to secure
the enforcement Of the law would be by
making it effective against all railroads
alike. as. If some vera allowed to violate "
il necessarily meant that the others IN self
protection would be driven to violate 1t
also; and cannot too heartily commend
the fearless and frank way in which you
land you alone, came forward and IN the
interest of the Government and the public
gave legal evidence Of the facts which every
one in interest privately admitted to exist.
,n;ssion had nre,iouslv heen unable legally
to ESTABLISH
MORTON DID A PUBLIC SERVICE.
1T was primarily due to this testimony
OF yours una. we "ef "a aoe s 10 puV 81 rebates
as it then existed You rendered a great
public service by your testimony. You
enabled the Government To accomplish
in the interest of the public what 1t could
not otherwise have accomplished, and you
showed yourself to be, more than any other
railroad man with whom | came in con-
tact. Jealous in your endeavor to see that
thu law should no longer remain dead
letter hut that all the railroads alike should
be required TO obey it. Your manliness and
frankness in this matter attracted my
particular attention. 1t showed you to he,
in my Judgment. man whose word CO.. Id be
trusted absolutely and whose decision
10 do full Justice and to have It done could
likewise be tr, sted
when a vacancy occurred in the Navy
Department | made UP my mind that
wished YOU in my Cahinet-where, permit
me to reterate. you have shown. yourself
to be one e the most faithful and devoted
public servants with whom it has ever been
INV good fortune to be connected. You
came in at my urgent request and in spite
Of your natural reluctance to accept the
very heavy flnanclal loss IN which akltS
the position Of Secretary OF the Navy
necessarily involved YOU. I certainly
would not shield you because you are in
nv Cabinet; but equally certainly | shall
not sanction an attack upon you which |
would not dream Of sanctioning If you
had not become member Of my Cabinet.
-
EQUITABLE hh"EHshAiioN'
.S;nce 7 acconted YOUR RESIGNATION az
q nemher of NV abinet YOU have under
taken nerhaps The greatest and most i'm
nortant work now open to any business
man in assuming control Of the Equitable
liza Assurance Society. You do not need
| - ha told again the confidence I have in
,.o,, ard nv fnlief in yo,lr absolute sincerity
~ rurnose and vo,lr unfinchinp courage.
/ 7 kpnow mat the mere fact that YOU have
consen.ed thus 70 Ike control of the society
ronans hat there viii be a genuine ATTEMPT
70 make new clean management. a
1 central raally and honestly in the interests
~ tbe ,,oliryholdars and onS which will
,n,to in,nosaioln The crooked and obiec-
tinrahin ,,,actises mat have hitherto p,e-
vniIad IN tfa society
President Cleveland. in consentine
- 40, a. one ~ the three, trustees TO hold
~ s,o",s Of the society and I use the voting
pn,yer If such stock in the selection of d.