The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-31
REVEALS MORTON
IN TRUE LIGHT
Confidential Associate Credits Him
With Insugurating Crusade
on Rebates.

Eh9ehb VIM Nds iOI iOhB eaiAAo 80
ISOLATED with the late Paul Morton In
a confidential capacity. writes the iol-
lowing article for the World:
The real tragedy connected with
Paul Morton's untimely end was not
his death but the fact that he had
been for so long subjected TO bitter
and malicious Misrepresentation and
.hat he died before the people gener-
ally understood the exact nature and
the full extent OF his service to the
public. The manner in which he re-
habilitated and restored confidence In
the Equitable Life In very short
time, In the face OF difficulties which
few men would have faced with pleas
ire, stamped him as man OF unusual
executive ability and high ideals: but
even In the face of this accomplish
ment he was vindictively pursued with
false stories concerning the crime"
which he was alleged to have COM
mitted In the matter OF railroad re-
bates.
II Is the history OF this country that
the men who have done the most for
the public good have been the most
misunderstood while they were alive.
This was striklngly true OF Paul Nor
ton. With his death II becomes pos
slble to tell the real story OF his re-
puted crime" which as q matter Of
fact was a great and brave public ser.
vice.
So long as he lived It could not be
told, for, content with what he had
done and caring not whit for unfair
criticism, he would not speak for him.
self nor allow any of his few friends
vino knew the full story TO speak for
him. His own conscience was the on.
ly thing he ever reckoned with, and
he was satisfied to let time bring out
the truth.
Always Opposed Rebates.
The fact Is that almost from the
beginning of his railroad career, and
long before they were prohibited by
law. Mr.. Morton was a persistent and
consistent opponent of relates He
early recognized that they were un-
fair alike to the stockholders, to the
general shipper and to the public. The
only persons who profited by them
were the large shippers, who literally
dubbed the railroads into paying
them. For years Mr.. Morton fought
these determinations, whether In fav-
or OF individuals or localities, in rail
way meetings all over the country.
The only man who stood with him
from the start was E. p. Ripley, then
general freight agent OF the c., B. &
Q. Railway, of which Mr.. Morton was
assistant general freight agent. To-
gether and alone, Mr.. Ripley and Mr.
Morton, carried on for long while
what seemed to be a hopeless cam
paign for reform OF bad railroad prac-
tees, and 1t was their mutual under
standing of the fiduciary position of
railway officials and the rights of the
public which eventually brought them
together later on as president and
vice president of the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe.
Though their fight was conducted
behind closed doors until 1t became
plain that nothing could be accom-.
plished In that way, Mr.. Morton was
o,itspoken In his opposition to rebates
as well as in his advocacy of effective
governmental regulation of the rail-
ways.
Rehsbilitated the Santa Re.
The Santa Fe railroad Is one of the
monuments TO his energy. When he
went with the road, on Jan. L. 1896,
Il was understood that he was to Sc
cure the traffic while Mr.. Ripley de-
voted himself to the operating end.
The road had just been through a sue
cession of receivership6 and was de.
moraiized and discredited In the pre-
vious year 1t showed deficit of near
ly $4,500,000. with gross earnings OF
not quite $22,000,000; its common
stock had sold down to l.2 and the
preferred as low as 16. In the last
year that Mr. Morton was with the
system II showed gross earnings VI
more than ISL .000, 900 and surplus of
$5,572,S62 after the payment OF fixed
charges and dividends; it's common
stock was close to 80 and the prefer
red stock was above par. On June
80, 1904, the date of Mr.. Morton's
resignation. the road had total sur.
plus OF more than 5000. 900, and In
the intervening years ii had been re-
built, newly equipped and greatly i'm.
proved In every way out OF the earn
ings.
He was promptly hailed as "Ryan's
man." but no one knew that this was
not true better than Mr.. Ryan him.
self Mr.. Ryan never tried to use the
Equitable in any way, nor to profit,
directly or indirectly, from his owner
ship OF the Hyde stock. A few men
who prided themselves on being
close" to Mr.. Ryan, and profited by
Il, were not so careful to observe the
proprieties. They seemed TO feel that
because of their positions they were
entitled TO voice in Equitable af-
fairs. They exerted the voice for a
while. but IL never produced any re.
suits. Mr. Morton was too kindheart-
ed to tell them that he did not want
their advice, but he let them see that
lie never followed IL.
Mr.. Ryan is going to get a square
deal here" said Mr.. Morton one day
when We were discussing reports that
he would do this and that with the
society for his own advantage. But"
he edded. as his face hardened, "the
rollcy-holders are going to get o
square deal too. II the time ever
comes when can't give 1t TO them
I'll get out"