The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-02-11
Railway Rebates.
tcont,nusd from Monday MorningJ


Although under the decision OF the
courts the National Government had
power over the railways, I found
when ] became President that this
power was either not exercised at all
or exercised with utter inefficiency.
The law against rebates was a dead
letter. All the INSCRIPTIONS railway
men had been allowed to violate IL
with impunity; and because of this
as was inevitable, the scrupulous and
decent railway men had been forced
TO. violate IL themselves, under the
( penalty OF being beaten by their less
scrupulous rivals. IL was not tho
tfa1lt OF these decent railway men. IL
was the fault OF the Government.
Thanks TO firstclass railway man
Paul Morton of the Sante Re. son 81
Mr. Cleveland's Secretary OF Acricul
lure, was able completely 10 stop
the practice. Mr.. Morton y olunteered
to aid the Government i'm abolishing
rebates. lie frankly stated that he.
IKE every one else. had been guilty
IN the matter; but he-fnsisted that he
uttered the sentiments OF the decent
railway men OF the country when he
said that he hoped the practice would
be stopped. and that II i would really
stop II, and not merely make believe
10 stop II, he would give the testimony
which would put Into the hands of the
Government the power TO put a com
pete check 20 the practice Accord.
lngly he testified. and on the informa.
ton which he gave as We were able
20 take such action through the Inter.
state Commerce Commission and the
Department Of Justice. supplemented
by the necessary additional Iegisla.
ZION. mat the evil wac absolutely Grad.
lcated. He thus rendered, Of HIS own
accord. AZ his own personal risk. and
from purely disinterTs ted motives. an
invaluable service 10 the peoplo a scr.
vice which no other man who was
"DIe 20 render was willing 10 render
The Attack Upon Paul Morton.
rs an immediate sequel. the world
old alliance between rlinI and Ulack
George was Immediately revived
against Paul Morton In giving re
bates he had done only what every
honest railway man In the country had
becn Obliged 20 DO because Of The fail.
ufe of tho government 20 enforce the
prohibition az regards honest railway
men. But unlike his fellows no had
SHOWN the courage and sense 81 oblL
cation 10 the public which made him
come forward and without evasion or
cOncoalment state what he had done.
IN order that we might successfully
put an end 90 the practice. and put nm
end 20 the practice We did and We dld
u because ~ the courage and patriot.
Ism no had shown. The interruptions
i'iINHf ufNs NNNNf Nlr NnUFHI UrnCa
ticns were thereby put a stop 10. and
The interruptions demagoRues who
were either under the influence OF
these men or DESTROYS % gaining
credit with thoughtlegs and ignorant
people no matter who was hurt.
Joined In vindicfive clamor against Mr.
Morton They actually wished mo 10
prosecute him. although such prosccu
Hon would have been q piece of unpar.
donable inrr0fitude and trcacherv on
the part 81 the public toward him
for I was merely acting ~ the steward
~ The public In this matter. need
hardly say that ] stood bv him. and
later he served under me as secretary
of the navy. and a capital secretary
he made. too
An Absurd Situation
There was another amusing Incl
dent In connection with tho passage
of the bill. All the wise friends OF