The Topeka state journal., 1905-07-03
THAT nfrsPLAcED sWrrCH.


The appearance of Milton D. Purdy
in Kansas City to prosecute the Santa
Fe for contempt of court in violating
the federal court injunction against
rebates in its arrangement with the
Colorado Fuel and Iron company, and
against other roads in other arrange
ments. shows that President Roosevelt
meant just what he said when he di-
rected Attorney General Moody to
push both the Santa Fe case and
those against other western roads in
the International Harvester company
rebate cases.
This is the step that ought to bring
out the truth as to what officials are
guilty of granting rebates, and that is
the important matter. AS Messrs.
Judson and Harmon pointed out, guilt
is always personal. 1t will do COM
paratively little good to punish corr
porations with a fine and not reach
those behind the corporation who are
personally guilty of violating the law.
Messrs. Judson and Harmon desired to
bring contempt proceedings against
the officials of the offending corpora
tions and thus find out the guilty in
vfdiuals. The president and Attorney
General Moody declared in favor of
bringing the contempt proceedings on
the positive evidence already secured
against the corporations themselves,
which ought to develop the evidence as
to the guilty individuals. This would
reach the same end as that aimed at
by E1essrs. Judson and Harmon.
Paul Morton, in his letter to the
president, lfkens the Colorado Fuel
and Iron case to misplaced SWITCH"
saying that he and other high officials
of the Santa Fe were no more to
blame for it than is the general man
ager to blame when wreck is caused
by a misplaced switch.
The question is, who misplaced the
switch?
The secret circular granting the
Colorado Fuel and Iron special rate. is
signed by w. B. Biddle, freight traffic
manager; J. E. German, general
freight agent; and ISSUED by F. c.
Maegly, assistant general freight
agent" In one corner is Authority
No. 54O1.''
Is not Authority No. 54O1" the
misplaced switch?''
Who issued Authority No. 5401 ?''
When that is disclosed will it not
show who misplaced the switch?
Notwithstanding President Roose-
velt's letter exonerating Mr.. Morton, 1t
looks very much to most people as
though Mr.. Morton is the man who
misplaced the switch. He was second
vice president of the Santa Fe at the
time, in charge of the traffic depart
ment. The president evidently under
stood Mr.. Morton's letter to deny that
| he had knowledge of the special ar
| rangement with the Colorado Fuel &
Iron company. On the contrary Mr..
Morton carefully avoids such a denial
He only denies knowing that the spe-
cial rate was not filed properly with
the interstate commerce commission,
as required by law.
In an interview in the Chicago Inter-
Ocean on December 80, 1904, President
| Ripley, in speaking of the Colorado
Fuel & Iron arrangement, said:
'It was not rebating. It was simply
a figure agreed upon by private con-
tract. Mr.. Paul Morton was cognizant
of it, and, although his name may not
be affixed to the order for its being
| carried into effect he was the man from
| whom Mr.. Biddle, the freight traffic
manager, got authority to haul coal
for the Colorado Fuel & Iron company
on the terms which you mentioned"
Does not this go a long ways to-
wards showing who issued Authority
No. 5401?''
Does not this come close to showing
who misplaced the switch?