Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1906-10-18

men be put on guard In State posit-
ions, will concede that the official re.
cords in Mr.. Flentge's home county,
show that he is a very careless man
in the matter of keeping accounts
and handling public money.
The people OF Missouri are sitting
as jurors on his case. l would not
add a darker page II could. The
evidence under the seal OF the Court
is before you, and the verdict is with
you.
Mr.. F1entge asks you on this record
to call him to higher honors. He also
tells you that there is now one hon
est man on the Commission and that
he (Flentgel II elected, will vote
with the present Republican member
and give the people all sorts of relief
Inasmuch as Mr. Flentge pledges
himself to vote with the present Re
publican member of the board, It is
proper, is It not, for you to know
how the present Republican member
has voted on questions affecting the
interests Of the people?
Republican Members Record.
| am going to be absolutely fair in
giving this record. Personally l am
very fond of Frank Wightman. l will
give him credit for voting his honest
convictions on every proposition the
commission has passed on since he
has been a member of II.
/ will say here, however, that IL his
judgment has been right, then / have
been all wrong. for we have disagree
ed on almost every important ques-
ton that has had the boards atten-
ton.
l must ask you to be a little patent
with me In presenting this record. l
want to be fair, and you will agree
with me that no official can object to
being confronted with the written rec
ord he has made. / am, therefore, go
ing to read from the record.
Express Rates.
First. I will call you attention to
the present Republican members at
titude on express rates.
January IS, 1905, the written rec
ord at Jefferson City says:
ION motion of Commissioner Knott,
seconded by Commissioner Wightman,
the following order was made:
owing to the wide and almost uni
versal complaint from the people of
excessive express rates in Missouri, 1t
is ordered that the express compan-
les doing business in this State, be
cited to appear before this board on
Tuesday, January 81, 1905, to show
cause why their rates should not be
materially reduced"
January 24-Applicatlon for a post
pOnment of the express hearing by the
Haa IN AnAn 30 1n
hereafter fixed.
Commissioner Wightman voted for
the postponement, l voted against it.
January 81, the following record
will be found:
"On motion of Commissioner Knott,
1t was ordered that owing to wide
and almost universal complaint from
the people of excessive express rates,
that the express companies doing
business in Missouri be cited to APP
pear before this board, on Tuesday,
Feb IA, 1905, to show cause why their
rates should not be materially re-
duced."
The minutes of Feb. IA show that
/ contended for a Is cent minimum
the other commissioners Directing.
Chairman Rice suggested a 20 cent
minimum as compromise, l ac-
cepted It, By unanimous vote of the
board the rate clerk was instructed
to prepare the schedule accordingly.
February % the records read:
Considering the matter of reduct-
ion in express rates-the schedule of
rates as agreed upon by the board at
its meeting on the 18th inst. was IN
anfvnnVYg1vv or Nd off
tive March IA, 1905, and the sec
rotary was instructed to have the
schedule printed and mailed to all ex-
press companies. This was the re-
duction on the compromise agreement
of a 20 cent minimum.
February rs copies of the Maximum
Express Rates, adopted Feb. %, were
mailed to all express companies opera
ting in Missouri.
March 10, the records read: &C. r.
Teas, superintendent of the Wells
Fargo Express Company, c. e. Finch
superintendent American Express
Company and John T. Daniel, assis-
tant general superintendent of the Pa
cifc Express Company, appeared be-
fore the board, asking that the Com
missiOners' Maximum Express sched-
ule, promulgated Feb. %, 1905, effect
i've March IA, 1905, be not put into
effect until April /, 1905, or later, that
they might show that the rates prom
ulgated are too low and in many In
stances confiscatory.
Commissioner Knott claimed that
the board had already ordered the
rates in effect. He did not believe the
board should indulge in child's play
that the express companies had al
ready been given an exhaustive hear
ing
Commissioner Wightman moved
that the express companies be given
rehearing March 20, and that the
rate go into effect April l.
March -2S-ExpTess companies mott
fed that schedule was taken up and
postponed until April 4.
ADrll A-COmmiggiOueF WiRhtmau