The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-03-05
Osborn's Record a kailroad Commits
sioner Not Open to Attack.


get something on Osborn" attempts to
make an issue out Of Chase Osborn's
record as railroad commissioner under
Governor Pingree. To man with q po-
litical memory, this effort upon the part
of q newspaper which during Pingree's
lifetime left no denunciation of Pingree
unuttered, no brick unhurled, no change Of
official misconduct unsaid is, to degree,
preposterous and absurd. When the
News was hurling its poisoned darts at
the ''old man. seeking in every way to
discredite him when he needed support
most of all. Chase Osborn was Pingree's
consistent friend and supporter. In q
section of the state where Pingreeism
was most actively sntsgonized where
his policies always found opposition,
where friends were few and detractors
many Chase Osborn led the fight.
His paper first Of any in the state de-
manded Pingree's nomin alton and in the
fight for his election it was ever in the
van. Pingree found some Of his most
aggressive enemies in the upper penin-
sula but the people of Chippewa county,
led by Chase Osborn, gave Pingree three
votes and sent to the Legislature man
pledged to support the Pingree program.
When Pingree came TO separation
of the political ways with Sybrant Wes-
selius, his railroad commissioner, for
this most important post within his gift,
he turned to Chase Osborn, and three
times proffered the appointment before
it was accepted. Does that look as if
Osborn was out of harmony with the
"old mani"
The News in its attack upon Osborn's
record as railroad commissioner is care
fui to refrain from any mention of the
fact that Chase Osborn, Pingree's rail-
road commissioner, was the first man in
the state to force the reduction of rail-
road fares to two cents mile. Itwas
equally careful to omit any reference to
the holicy of grade separation which Os-
born initiated and enforced to the letter,
thus saving scores of lives which might
have been otherwise sacrificed through
desire for larger financial returns upon
the part of railroad companies. 1t like
wise overlooked the fact that until Os-
born became railroad commissioner the
laws governing the maintenance Of safe
conditions on railroads were dead let
ter, and that his administration of that
office first made them effective and gave
them force.
1t is true that Chase Osborn honest
ly differed with his chief as to the best
method of securing the payment of ad-
equate taxes by the railroads. advocat-
ing an increase in the percentage of the
specific tax upon earnings rather than a
change to the ad valorem basis. He has
since been frank enough and fearless
enough to say that he has learned in the
ten years which have intervened that
Pingree was right. But if Osborn op-
posed the adoption of the ad valorem
system then for corporation of its eff.
cheney, wherein does he differ from the
News which lately demanded the aban-
donmcnt of the nd valorem system Of
taxation upon another class Of corporate
property and areturn to the specific svs-
tenn?
The ultimate effect Of this attempt tc
attack the record of Chase Osborn a
railroad commissioner will rebound Il
Osborn's benefit for it will serve to EN-.
phasise record which b without re.
prsaehin its loyalty to the people'sr srea
interests. and its thorough-gDing insis-
tenceupon carful Observance Of the laws
BY the railroads Of the states. - Sault
Ste Marie Evening News