Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-01-23
THOSE REBATES
A MOVE TO INVESTIGATE SECRE.
TARY NORTON.
Alleged to Have Given Unlawful Rebates While
Vice President Of the Atchison. Topeka &
Santa Fe Railroad. Republican Paess Sneers
atConsressman Baker for Doing His Duty.

It has been charged that the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, during the
time that Paul Morton, now secretary of
the navy. was one OF its vice presidents,
violated the law by giving rebates and
that the action of the railroads traffic
manager in this respect has been public.
ly approved by Mr.. Morton.
Representative Baker, of New York,
introduced in the house resolution
quoting that portion of the presidents
message which declared that it is neces-
sary to put stop to rebates, and provid-
ing for an investigation as to Mr.. Nor
toms responsibility.
The WASHINGTON correspondent of the
Chicago Tribude, republican paper,
refers to the Baker resolution as "this
piece of mpeItinence," and says that
Mr.. Baker has SO exceeded the bounds
OF common decency that some OF the re-
publican leaders favor his expulsion. or
at least public reprimand."
Walter Wellman, Washington cores
pondent Of the Chicago Record. Herald,
also republican paper, says:
1.-THE author CT these resolutions is
known far and wide as Baker, the anti
pass crank He attracted much satten-
ton year ago by refusing to accept
passes from railroad companies. In the
house he has been well-meaning, but
vi har E.
objecting to everything in sight and
habit OF making the most passionate
speeches denouncing somebody or some.
thing, whilst his fellow members stand
around and roar with laughter. No one
except Baker takes him seriously, and of
course his resolutions will be laughed
out of court"
Is it or is it not significant that man,
who, being elected to represent the peo-
pie in congress, was So conscientious that
he refused to accept railroad paSsea,
brings upon himself the sneers adn tl&
jeers OF republican newspapers?
When these newspapers have no word
of criticism for the public official who
accepts favors a, the hands of these
great corporations, should not con.
sclentiOus official who refuses to accept
such favors, be at least exempt from the
attacks of newspapers whose editors
claim to be striving for the elevation of
the cOuntry's moral tone?
1t would seem that Mr. Morton and
his friends should be anxious for the
widest publicity concerning Mr.. Morton's
connection with the rebates given by the
railroad company with which he was
formerly associated. Mr.. Roosevelt has
formally declared that rebates must
cease and we are told that he is about to
enter upon "a great campaign on these
lines with Mr.. Morton, because Of his
great railroad experience. as his Chief
advisor. To say the least, the confidence
men may have in Mr.. Roosevelt's sin.
cerity on this point is not increased by
the knowledge that his chief advisor is
railroad man himself, and one who is
charged with having publicly sanctioned,
if not privately engineered, the bad prac-
tice against which Mr.. Roosevelt has
inveighed.
1t will occur to a great many people
that Mr.. Baker is not the man under
trial and that he owes no apology to the
people because he refused to accept cor.
poration favors or because he took steps
toward an inquiry into the conduct of a
hiVh nj, h1iC offioiol Nbotovar olo,,o
ton may be due, is due from Mr.. Morton.
These sneering references to Repre-.
sentative Baker do no credit to their
authors. No word has ever been uttered
affecting Mr.. Bakers integrity. The
only thing ever charged against him has
been that when he entered his official
duties he refused to accept favors at the
hands Of men who were seeking special
privileges from congress and that he had
been active in his efforts to bring about
4 reforms in public affairs.
In the senate and the house are many
men whose pockets are filled with rail-
road passes and other forms Of corpora
ton favors. Whatever these men do in
an official way it seems to please the cor
poration managers. These men are con-
servative =" "eminently conservative"
They have spent sleepless nights in the
effort, generally successful, to strangle
measures that have been framed in the
public interest. Day after day and year
after year these men have voted in favor
of corporation measures; they have, with
cheerful abandon, voted public money
nto private pockets; they have publicly
lupported measures some Of which even
fhe most truculent Of republican news
papers have not dared openly to defend.
Yet We do not find in the columns OF re-.