The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-08-20
EDITORS PASS
GIVEN HINCHEY
BY THE FRISCO
Commercial Club Secretary
Says Railroad "Gets Value
Received" From Him.
IGNORES FLENTGE TO
PUT LID ON RUMPUS
Mcpherson Says He Can't Find
Members Who Are Riding
On Trains.

Mr.. A. II. Hlnchey, secretary of the
Commercial Club, uses railroad "edi-
torial mileage" for which he gives
full value received" and he declares
that Postmaster Flentge's charge that
Commercial Club men have been
"gum-shOeing" for the Frisco, does
not apply to him and he has a free
conscience.
Hinchey denied he received "trip
passes" and said he knew no one else
in the Commercial Club who had re-
ceived them who was not legally en-
titled to such things.
Hinciey's statement was in response
to query from The Tribune, asking
him if he wished to reply to the as
sertions made by Postmaster Flentge,
both at the conference of shippers
last Friday night at the Commercial
Club and in The Tribune following
the meeting.
Flentge had asserted that the COM
mittees of the Commercial Club work
ing on the railroad situation had dis
gusted him along with others because,
he said, they obtained nothing for
Cape Girardeau in a railroad way in
the last months.
Hinchey sprang up in the conference
to rebuke Flentge and advised him to
quit the club and leave the town.
81 do not wish to make any state
ment at all in this matter" Hinchey
began.
"You see, it is like Mr.. Flentge said,
I am not the Commercial Club and
ne has not made a direct attack upon
me. He has not named any names and
there is no reason why should make
statement.
81 was mad at the time of the con-
ference"
"Do you think there will be any dis
position by members to cause an in
vestigation of this pass matter in the:
Commercial Club, 20 learn what are
the facts and either exonerate who
ever might be involved or do some
thing else?" he was asked.
"No. l think the matter will be ig-
nored, so far as l know. | haven't
heard of any desire to investigate the
charges. | do not think they are true.
| think the club will let the matter
drop where it is" ne replied.
"You see the charge is not true that
our men are riding on passes, and per-
sonally, l don't intend to go into the
matter.
Each county is entitled to two rail
road bondsmen, who are allowed pass
es. Those with the attorneys | guess
are the only men who have passes"
He then was asked if "trip passes"
free transportation for a single
iourney-were taken into considera-
ton in his statement.
81 don't know of anyone getting
"trip passes,'" he said. 81 never have.
| ride on editorial mileage for which
they get full value received.
ats done through advertising, you
know" he explained.
81 never got anything for nothing"
Editorial mileage, as it is common
ly known, is transportation that is is
sued to editors of newspapers within
the State of Missouri, and is good
only for intra-state trips. 1t is charg-
ed against the editors advertising ac-
count with the railroad and in that
manner balance is kept.
81 do not wish to become involved in
a controversy in this matter. | have
free conscience"
President J. H. Mcpherson almost
echoed Hinchey's words concerning
the character of Flentge's charges and
the probability of an investigation.
He apparently didn't know OF Hin
chey's editorial mileage"
81 think Mr.. Flentge got little mad
when he spoke like that" Mcpherson
said, "and l don't think he can back
up what he said.
al have gone over the rolls care
fully and have seen the railroad peo-
pie and there are only two, the coun-
ty bondsmen of the railroad, who have
passes"
care you going to give Mr.. Flentge
a chance to prove his charges?" he
was asked.
"No. l don't think it will be neces-
sary," he replied.
He was asked the same question as
was put to Hinchey as to whether
there will be an investigation by the
club to learn the facts about passes
and either pYonpratn whoever NAV he