Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-06-26
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METHODS OF INSURGENT
REFORMERS

REFORMERS
President Pennington of the 500
line writes Chairman Devine of the
insurgent campaign bureau a sting
ing letter which effectually shows up
the nature OF the insurgent campaign.
Desperate at the prospect of defeat,
the insurgents are bending every ef-
fort to bring life to their lost cause,
and from Mr.. Pennington's letter it
IS apparent that the misrepresenta-
ton OF correspondence is one of the
tricks of the insurgent bureau.
Some time ago the chairman of the
insurgcnt bureau addressed a letter
to the presidents of the three rail
roads operating in the state, with re-
spect TO the matter of free transpOr-
tation. The letter was a catch-penny
device to convey the impression that
the corporations were out fighting
for the stalwart cause. In reply to
Devines letter President Pennington
of the 500 wrote an entirely frank
and commendable letter to Devine,
stating that the 500 line was not is
suing transportation for political pur-
poses, and had merely issued trans
portation ION political account"-that
is to say, to state and county officials
and irrespective of political belief or
faction of the officials.
Chairman Devine then rushed into
print with the statement that the
president OF the 500 line admitted
having issued transportation to "stal-
wart political workers'-a1d this
brings the following reply from Presi-
dent Pennington:
My attention has been called to an
article published in the Grand Forks
Herald over your signature, in which,
commenting upon my letter of May
10, replying to the letter of your .ex-
ecutive committee of May 19, you
say:
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 Northern Pacific roads, thus fore
ing the 500 line into the hurtful prac-
tice against the wish and judgment
of it's president"
There is nothing in my letter that
warrants your statement that l lad.
nit the issuance of frees transporta.
ton to the stalwart wing of the re-
publican party" The passes and free
transportation referred to in my let
ter and which l stated were issued
on political account were issued
to state and county officials, follow
ing the custom that has been in vogue
in your state for years. Such passes
and free transportation were issued
to these state and county officials ir-
respective Of their party affiliation.
They were issued to regular repubii-
cans, progressive republicans and
democrats, without discrimination
and without inquiry on the part OF
this company or anyone connected
with it as to their party membership.
No passes or free transportation Of
any kind has been issued by this COM
pany to any person, stalwart republl'
can, progressive republican or demo-
crat for the purpose of influencing or
aiding the success of any political
party or faction thereof, in the state
of North Dakota. Neither has this
company been requested by any po-
litical committee, member thereof, or
by any other person, to issue any
such transportation.
Personally, have always been op-
Oosed to issuing free transportation
70 state and county officials, but, in
view OF the custom that was IN eX-
istence before and at the time of the
advent of the 500 line into your state
relative to the issuing of such trans
portation, it was deemed that any
effort by this company to put stop
to the practice without the coopera-
ton of the other railway companies
and in face of the prevailing senti-
ment existing in your state would be
iaexpedient and useless. However, 1t
has been the policy of this company
to restrict the issuing of such trans
portation as much as possible.
repeat what l said in my former
letter that l should be exceedingly
glad If your legislature would pass q
law similar to that of Wisconsin,, OF