The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-02
TIMETRUTHWASTOLDI
Revelations Of New York Street
Railway Investigation.


Cooperation Contributions 10 Campaign
Funds an Abuse to % cerrsetsd--A
Plan 70 End The Evil--Mr. Bryan on
the influence Of the Country Prsss.
~ WILLIS J. ABBOT.
The public service corporations OF
the city OF New York are having trou.
bles Of their own. Use the word
troubles In the plural purposcly. Tho
unfortunate stockholders In the Met
ropoitan Traction company and In the
Metropolitan Securities company are
troubled because they found the man
ayers OF their properties becoming In
credibly rich while the dividends van,
ished. The other trouble seems to be
coming to eminent defenders OF the
national honor and bitter opponents OF
Democratic success in either state or
nation. The investigation shows Mr..
he'd like TO be Democratic candidate
for the presidency or for the senator
ship from Virginia, hnnd In glove with
Mr.. Quigg, former Republican con-
gressman, later the chairman Of the
Republican county committee and now
a lobbyist. Mr.. Qulgg, who used to
be n newspaper reporter, received IN
four years S2ii,O 900 from the traction
company.
Now, let us be fair. One Of the most
successful jugglers of metropolitan
Traction was William e. Whitney,
Grover Clevelands sponsor and man
ager In politics and President Clcve-
lands secretary Of the navy. Mr..
whitney engineered the nomination
Of Cleveland in 1892. lie did 1t with
Il strong hand and heavy purse, ana
the demands he or the people back OF
him made upon the Cleveland ndminis.
tration wrecked the Democratic party
for many years. Bryan made II
lighting organization, but even his
wide popularity and vigorous leader
ship were not able to overcome the
burden OF Clevelandism.
Mr.. whitney was strong FOR national
honor in 1896. ana yet at that very
time he vas doing things In connection
with corporation that he controlled
amounting to personal dishonor. 1t
may be urged that one should say
nothing but good of the dead. Person
ally think the maxim should lie
changed. When the dead has done
much to debnuch the government Of
tt,, .,,,,o<v,, A., ..,,on,sa,v. xl,s, tsloa ttat
the mere lavish use OF money can
make president and that then the
power thus obtained can be used TO
enrich those engaged IN the job II Is
time that truth was told. Today the
name Of william G. whitney, whom
knew and who was personally low
able man. figures In every dubious OPP
Grafton Of the Metropolitan company
up to the time Of his death. He was
the shrewd schemer, and perhaps to
him the distinguished secretary Of
state. Elihu Root, was next.
Secretary Root has the excuse that
all lawyers use--namely, that he acted
only as attorney. Some day the peo-
pie in this country, who In the end are
Its lnwmaking authority. will enact
some sort of legislation 10 prevent this
subterfuge.
Why This 10 National Issue.
The mere fact of the overcaptallza-
tion and the impending bankruptcy Of
the New York traction companies
would not be matter OF national con-
cern except for the truth that good
deal Of the money which has reduced
these corporations to the point at
which they are unable to pay even the
interest OF their bonds has gone to
hungry pollticlans--in practically ev.
cry case very prominent politlclans--al.
lied with the Republican organization.
There IL n mysterious check for $3.50.
1900. which nobody connected with
Metropolitan Traction either can or
will explain Mr.. william NJ. WINS,
who Is investigating the matter, makes
no bones about asserting that It went
to the Republican national committee.
Then there was the $500 900 fund raised
by Mr.. Hartman. largely from men
who were Interested In the local street
railways. and turned over to Mr.. Cor
nelius n Bliss, treasurer of the Repub.
lican national committee, and by him
TO the present secretary OF the treas
ury. George B. Cortelyou. Much Of
the money raised by Mr.. Hartman
came from life insurance companies.
some from the street railways.
II national political committees are
going to he permitted TO raise cam.
palgn funds In enormous figures from
the street railways Of any city. 1t be-
comes Immediately apparent that these
corporations are interfering in national
affairs and therefore subject to nation
al attention. Nobody believes TINT the
United States government should in.
terfere with the collapse OF the various
traction companies In New York. Blu:
II a Whitney on tho bysone Democrat.
lc side. or n Quigg on the present Re,
publican side, or Hartman. or u Cor.
telyou. or Ryan. or a Bliss can use the
treasures Ut these companies TO pro.
cure funds to debauch the electoral
machinery OF state or nation II is about
time that either state or nation took
cognizance Of what is doiug. When
A. Al - a.