The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-06-26
WASHING
...I'()IyII.EI7I'ER

lrEQul Jboulf; .LleEstiiaF E5SoElcspVuueut,l
Washington, d. O., June %, 1905. X
It Is IN occasion o.; the gravest re:
gret and disappointment TO all Of the
Presidents friends and admirers that
he should have adopted q position
generally regarded us entirely untcn.
able and inconsistent witlt regard TO
tho proposed prosecution OF Paul Nor
ION, now Secretary of the Navy, for
his connection with the Santa Fe re,
bate case. It Is only Just to the Pres.
ident to say that he has such implicit
faith$in Mr.. Morton as 10 lead him to
believe, beyond any question Il Of a
doubt, that the Secretary was not IL
any way responsible for tile granting
OF the rebates. chiefly because the
Secretary says that he was not, but
persons who are. inclined to regard
affairs Of this kind from apurely i'll.
diclal standpoint cannot escape the
belief that the President has gravely
erred and that he has established
precedent which must prove embar.
RAISING to the administration in Its
prosecution OF rebate and trust cases;
that he has adopted 4 course which
will impair his influence for good, be.
cause 1t Will shake the confidence Of
thousands who have hitherto enter.
tanned the highest confidence in him;
and that he has given his enemies
q weapon which they will use with des.
perate effect to, prevent his attainment
OF some Of tile most worthy ends for
/, which he now aims.
\. It must be understood, OF course,
that the President, speaking through
4 the Attorney General refused to per.
+ nit Messrs.a Judson and Harmon to
!. prosecute Paul Morton for completely
4 In the violation OF the law and Of an
/. express injunction OF the Court by the
Z Santa Fe railroad when It granted a
rebate to the Colorado Fuel and Iron
/. Company and that Messrs. Harmon
and Judson, who have been retained
' as special counsel to prosecute this
!. case for the government. resigned
i. when denied the liberty OF conducting
j. the case in accordance with their best
d judgment. Il y +;
i. In 1902, Mr.. Morton appeared be
n. fore the Interstate Commerce Com
{ mission and testified regarding th'
IT granting Of these rebates. w. P. Bid
4 die, the freight traffic manager unde
Mr.. Morton. has confessed to fliaylnl
". granted the illegal rebates. Asked hi
IS opinion regarding Mr.. Blddle's action
Mr.. Morton said, what Mr.. Biddl
4 did was exactly right In my judy
#, ment. Everybody did Just ms We did
eS and they had to or 60 out OF business.
J. Mr.. Morton further said In reply to {,
question concerning another illega
/; contract. ""Yes.& sir;6it was an tllega
II contract. u was illegal When q, W
Of made il and we knew it," Desplt
" this, however the President declare
I that there Is no evidence Of Mr.. Mo
It's toms having been Responsible for! I'll
ly, practice and says, In q public lette
M to Mr.. Morton. Il do not think tht
you need nay any further heed to til
81. acusations that have been mao
s against you People who cannot a
IA cept the view Of tho President al
81. asking, III Mr.. Morton was lnnocel
~. why was he not permitted to esta
ed llsh that fact IN the coufts? Some OF
las must have been blameworthy and
OF would seem that the officials in chars
rm Of the freight transactions Of the IA
38 road we're the ones who should I
= held responsible until they had {
Isl tablisfed their innocence"