The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-06
THE rHIRrY YEARS WAR

I =
pieces of pie that they have been en-
joying for years-of course, It might
be called by the longer and more
odious word "graft"-slip from their
greedy mouths without q struggle Is
made apparent by the suit brought
against the government recently by
the Chicago and Alton. This railroad
company seeks to recover $4,000.
which 1t claims is back pay for haul
ing the malls for three months and
which it would have secured had not
Secretary George B. Cortelyou. then
postmaster general bravely issued his
famous order changing the mail
Weighing divisor from nix to seven.
See the news story on the front page
in this issue Of the State Journal.
It will be remembered that Repre-
sentative Victor Murdock of Kansas
started the movement which resulted
in this emin emily fair ana Just order. A
custom had grown up in the post Of
flee department OF Weighing the total
then fixing the average daily weight by
dividing 1t by six. representing the
working days Of the weeks. Mr.. MUIR
dock was the first ono to publicly
point out the great injustice of this to
all concerned except the railroads as
they were paid an average daily rate
on an average weight that was flcti-
tious and one-sixth, enormous fie-
ures in the aggregate. heavier than it
should be. He tried to wipe out this
graft, by an amendment he proposed
to the postoffice appropriation bill of
two years ago In which It was provid-
ed that the divisor used in striking
the average should be seven, the prop
er divisor.
This amendment was beaten, but
Mr.. Cortelyou. then the postmaster
general. seeing the business Of the
proposition and realizing the moment
of the matter. involving millions of
dollars filched in the past and vet to
be taken from the United States in
the future. promptly issued an order
designating seven as the divisor and
making 1t effective on the first of the
year.
This was a bombshell sure. Cortel-
you's fine quick action took the rail-
ways Off their feet and they have been
unsteady and shaky ever since. Cor
telyou thus threw a bouquet at MUIR
dock which had not been equalled till
the president few weeks ago handed
Murdoch another one publicly in the
White House commencing our red
headed ditor-congressman for aiding
the appropriation needed to further
investigate just such railway transac-
tons as one to which the Alton has
Just now taken legal exceptions.
If the railroads are going to get
good" as they claim they are, they
should drop such suits like the Atoms
like the hot potato they will find it Is.
A protest from the railroads was ex-
pected as their annual pluckings un-
der the old rule amounted in the ag-
gregate to nearly 100000 a year.
They are not going to see the goose OF
the golden eggs killed. II they can pre-
vent; it was hardly thought they
would raise the puerile contention that
because the old system OF weighing
had been in vogue between the post
Office department and the railroads for
thirty years any rule changing It was
Illegal and that therefore the new
order was actually depriving them of
their lawful rights. They have plead
the statute of limitations before. but
it does not apply in this case. This ia
the apparent argument which is being
advanced by the Alton in its suit ana
which the other railroads are helping
along to prosecute as test case.
There evidently never was any law
on this subject. It was merely a Gus
tom that had grown up in the post
Office department probably on the order
OF some postmaster general at the
willy suggestion of some representative
of the railroads. Because it has been
the custom for thirty years, and a
tremendously bad custom, that's no
reason why it cannot be legally
changed by an order from the post
master general. AS a matter Of fact
there's no question Of law involved,
from our best information. Because
the railroads have been indulging in a
wrong practice in this respect for
thirty years that does not make the
wrong a right. Preposterous. They
have been doing some other things for
thirty years. If they will stop to think
about 1t. and decidedly questionable
and improper things at that, which
| they are not permitted to do now
even If they have been conducting an
| unjust Thirty Years War
| The historic Thirty Years War, OF
| three centuries ago resulted in new and
just liberties for the people Of the Ger
man empire.
| The railway levies on, though great
ly in behalf Of commerce it is true. for
the last thirty years, when fought out
and made equitable and honorable to