The sun., 1873-04-25
Legislative Corruption-PIainr Facts.


when the burly Kcntuckian drove his
bowie knife through the gamblers hand
pinning II to the table. rs Ave persons were
seated in the Social Hall on "A Mississippi
steamboat playing the old fashioned game
ofbrag, he coolly observed that II the fellow
had not two aces concealed there he wns
bound to apologize. So we have 10 say
that II any OF the ex-legislators, Senators,
Assemblymcn, or lobbyists, whom we are
under the necessity Of impaling, shall deny
the allegations which We prefer agaiust
them, they will put us TO the proof; and IL
In any instance we shall fail to establish
the truth of what we assert we will apollo
gizc in the first place and then cheerfully
submit to the penal consequences of charg-
ing that which we cannot prove.
The only means of putting an end 10 the
vicious and corruptlng practices that have
prevailed in Albany for twenty years
or more, and notably since the railroads
have been in the habit of controlling the
legislation Of the State by the use of money,
!s TO make bribing infamous-to brand
with ignominy bribed and bribers alike.
We shall never see more wholesome stat c
OF things in and around the Capitol until
Senators aud members of the Assembly
are convicted of felony, and the punish
Hent prescribed by the statute Is inflicted
upon them, without mitigation or mercy
As affairs are now conducted, legislators
whose corruption is Just as notorious as the
robbercs OF TWEED and his associate
knavcs are tolerated in both branches
OF the Legislature, while they them
selves carry their heads IA high and
rs jauniily as IL they were AT to minglc
with honest men, instead of being liable TO
confinement in the prisons of the state.
And the rascAls OF the lobby, on being sub
tectcd TO examination before investigating
committees, porjurc themselves with de-
gree of impudence and audacity never ex-
rccdcd in the i.'sfarY Of legislative rregu-
mritics. There IL sonnet ing that might be
both ludicrou1 ald amusing were II not
such painful exhibition OF the utter ab-
tencc Of moral seI.re, III IN; evidence Of
those who have testified before the Erie
committee. These lobbyists knew they
were stating that which was false. known
20 be so by every member OF the commit
tee who listened to their prcvarications
and pelJurie,; and yet they never bhIshed,
and hardly stammercd or hes tated In
nvowiug that they had received larze sums
from their employers, which they had
either obtained by false pretenoes, or else
they sworo falsely in respect TO the dis
position of the money.
1t hus been our purpose. as one step
toward making legislative bribery both
odious and difficult, TO give a his tory OF the
operations of the lobby for long series of
years, aud in this 10 include the perform
ances of the parties in interest who have
paid money directly to procure legislation.
Whether we shall be able to procure sufIi-
rient data to make this history complete
remains TO be seen. In undertaking such a
labor II Will be necessary TO handle certain
men well known in the state without
gloves. Aud undoubtedly many members
of both branches of the Legislature who
have been equally oulpable with those
whose guilty facility We shall expose, will
escape without suspicion. But this IL in
evitable. We shall hold up TO popular
condemnation such men as are known 10
have sold their votes and official influence
Tor money. The statute Of limitations pro-
tects them from legal punishment for
their violations of law; but We are mis-
taken In respect 10 the popular Judgment
II we do not place them in moral pillory
the disgrace of which will exclude them
from public employment hereafter. Thosr
whose violations of public trust have been
successfully concealed may hug the guilty
secret 10 their hearts; still they are likely
"a take special care TO cover their knaVcry
in the future, # our disclosures do not
constrain them 10 deslst from it, practice.
For the present we shall content our
selves with de- riding the corruptions of "a
single session, and the appliances en-
ployod 70 carry through a single bin at
that session. We shah be neither delicate
nor mcaly-mouthed, nor shall we heritate
IN naming the mon-or at least some Of
them-who were paid large sums Il money
H. nm inLuccmcnt 10 favor that bin.
Tho Now York Central Railroad has al
ways been subject to a limitation in the
price of its fare % two Veuts mile.
This restriction was contained IN the nct Of
consolidation. Twenty years ago, when
fuel and every other species of railroad
supply were n cheap rates, tLis was "a re-
munciTtinP price; bat when the war had
nearly doubled the cot of all these article
the dividends Of the Central were reduced
TO low figure, and the direction de-
termincd 10 petition the legislature for "A
modification OF that resvictIon. Tins wa
In 1875. The Application was generally r.
gnrded NJ not an unreasonable one, and if
the question had turned on its real merits
there would have been no serious opposi-
ton. But the people living along ,he lin,
OF the road were camorous against any IN
crease Of fare. Besides, IL was known
that money had boen paid 10 secure benc-
hcial lcsi-lation by corporations and in
diviomhls and certain class of Senator
and hs mhlymen are always ~ yigihnt
and alert rs cat to steal cream when "A
measure with money in II" Is brought
before the Legislature. II was bruitcd
about even before the commencement OF
the session, that the Central managers
were going 10 the Legislature for relief,
nnd the general expectation was that a
large sum Of money would be expended Il
carry the bin through. The interest rx.
cited In the matter was universal at Al
bany ana the organization of the Commit
nittaes on Railroads was an object OF H.,