The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-24
Joe Devinc's Attack
on StaIWarts Shown Up
President Pennington Of The 500 Takes the Head Of the In
Srgent State Committee to Task Because Of His -.
False implications Regarding the
Position of the 500 Road

Holy Joe" Devine Of three salaries
fame, and at present chairman Of the
state insurgent committee at Grand
Forks, endeavored to throw the hooks
into the stalwarts and the railroad
companies-and his article turned out
to be boomerang. His article was so
raw-that President Pennington of the
500 goes after him roughshod in Sec
ond letter, as follows:
Minneapolis, st. Paul e. Sault Saint
Marie Railway Co., Office of the presi-
dent, BIT Second avenue south, Min
neapolis, Mimi, June 20.-J. M. De-
vine, Chairman Progressive Republican
Committee, Grand Forks, N. D., Dear
Sir: My attention has been called to
an article published in The Grand Forks
Herald of March IL, over your sigma
ture in which, commenting upon my
letter of May 10, replying to the letter
Of your executive committee Of May
10, you say:
1.-THE reply of the letter is frank and
fair. 1t admits issuing of free trans
portation to the stalwart wing of the
republican party, not because he wants
to do so, but because OF the wholesale
issuing Of free passes and mileage
books by the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific roads, thus forcing the
500 line into the hurtful practice
against the wish and judgment of it's
president"
There is nothing in my letter that
warrants your statement that admit
the issuance of. free transportation to
to the stalwart wing of the republican
party" The passes and free transpor-
tation referred to in my letter and
which / stated were issued on "politi-
cal account were issued to state and
county officials following the custom
that has been in vogue in your state
for years. Such passes and free trans
portation were issued to these state
and county officials Irrespective of their
party Affiliations. They were issued
to regular republicans, progressive re-
publicans and democrats without dis
elimination and without inquiry on the
part Of this company or anyone con-
nected with it as to their party mem
bership.
No passes or free transportation of
any kind has been issued by this COM
pany to any person, stalwart republi-
can, progressive republican or demo-
crat for the purpose of influencing or
aiding the success of any political par
ty or faction thereof, in the state of
North Dakota. Neither has this COM
pany been requested by any political
committee, member thereof, or by any
other person, to issue any such trans
portation.
Personally, have always been OPP
posed to issuing free transportation to
state and county officials but, in view
Of the custom that was in existence be-
fore and at the time of the advent of
the 500 line into your state relative to
the issuing of such transportation, it
was deemed that any effort by this
company to put stop to the practice
without the cooperation of the other
railway companies and in face of the
prevailing sentiment existing in your
state would be inexpedient and useless.
However, it has been the policy of this
company to restrict the issuing of such
transportation as much as possible.>
I repeat what / said in my former
letter, that 1 should be exceedingly
glad if your legislature would pass a
law similar to that of Wisconsin, or
Minnesota. forbidding the use of free
transportation.
The 500 railroad company, since my
connection with it, has never been &C :
tive in any effort on behalf of any POI
litical party or faction in your state
and undoubtedly has been, the sufferer
In times that are past because of such
inaction.
I have the utmost confidence in the
people of North Dakota and believe that
in due time, wrongs will be righted;
the agitator and the demagogue will be
retired; the public and the railway
companies win work hand in hand for
the progress and development of your
state; that there will be mutual recog-
milton of each others rights, and that
these desirable conditions will come
without political activity on the part
of the railway corporations is my firm
belief.
| In view of the fact that you have
caused my former letter with your
comments thereon to be published in
the newspapers of North Dakota and
in consequence thereof the attitude OF
the 500 Railway Co. and myself has
/ been placed in a position unwarranted
by the facts. ordinary justice and fair
dealing, which I am quite sure you are
desirious to accord, will prompt you In
as public manner as you made the
charge, to retract the same.
| Inasmuch as you stated in the arti-
4 Gle referred to that admitted the is
suing of free transportation to the
"stalwart wing of the republican party,
thereby involving and inferentially al
least, charging it with requesting and
accepting such transportation, I have
sent copy of this letter to e. c. Coop
er. in charge Of the republican head
| quarters at Fargo, N. D.
Yours truly,
| r1~a~s1an@