Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-04-09
BRTBERY Am c0RRHPTI0Y.

The manifold means of bribery by
Nnlen such professors Of the seiene as
Oakes Ames, Durant, Alley, rPome-
roy, and others have achieved success
are now thoroughly palpable, and no
legislator can longer plead ignorance
OF what constitutes q bribe. The
knowledge thus acquired may be OF.
no present value, for bribery lust now
Is not good or favorite form ofinvest-
ment. 1t has been ovcrdone. The
market has been overstoeked. Oakes
Ames might go to-day through both
Houses Of Congress with his pockets
full of bribes, and he would not find
an open hand behind single Con-
gressional eoatstail. We presume
there Is not a Congressional family in
Washington that would receive q
sample Of tea or coffee from the grocer
even, lest It might be construed TO
mean bribe. Virtue is in the high
places to-day and dishonesty hassud-
denly become unfashionable. But
this cannot last forever, Such high
moral pressure must inevitably be fol-
lowed by a reaction, and temptation
Will again present itself, and human
nature may sueeumb purposely, or
sgEorantly, in the future as it has in
the past. The chief value, then, OF
the testimony IN these Investigations
IS to furnish Congressmen, and all
other kinds oflegislators, with come
infallible tests by which they may
discover the tempter, and not, when
1t Is too late, find themselves with his
money In their pockets, and eoL1peil-
ed to squirm like an eel, to preyari-
cate, and do all manner of foolish
things to convince the public thai
they didn't know It was q bribe, A .
brief study of the various disguises in
which the briber comes may be of
value, therefore, and serve TO put the
next Congress on its guard, and keep
clean hands in State legislatures.
Two thousand dollars are ready for
you, "says DR.. RorebaeKer, PomerOy's
agent to Frank Bacon, of the Kansas
Legislature. This is the direct form,
and should be severely scrutiniZed.
Two thousand dollars are never ready
for any person unless that person is
ready to do something for the $1,000.
f" You can have S, 900 just as well as
i've cents" says John T. Murphy.
Pomeroy's agent, to w. H. Bond, of
tn Kansas Legislature. This is also
direct, and with an upward tendency.
Where there is no difference between
., 900 and five cents, it shows that
the urgency is pressing, and indicates
necessity that the victim had better
not invest. Shame what you want,
and will go right down to POmeroy's
room and fix it up Immediately,
such an approach as this Is equivalent
to direct Insult, and viii warrant
the victim in kicking the tempter
down stairs, thereby aecelerating his
departure for Pomeroy's room. A
very neat way Is the following. in
which Mr.. Paine, Pomeroyis agent,
approached Mr.. DriseolI, of the Kan
3as Legislature: He told Mr.. D.
there was money in Topeka, and he
could have some. He need not make
any pledges, but, in q few days, a
friend would call and ask him to do
'avor, which he could refuse or not.
IS he chose. In this case, there is a
great deal OF sugar on the pill. The
0ribe is indirect, but it Is there all the
anne. Look out for It. 'rBusiness is
business; just say how much money
{ will take to secure your vote, y says
doke, one Of Pomeroy' agents. to the
anne victim. This is 50 clear that
here is no need Of warning. Ponae-
oy's agents have not exhausted the
Tarious disguises of the 6ribe. Cakes
Ame's patent is the most perfect of
u. When man offers to sell stock
{ par which Is worth 500 and is pay
ng ], 500 per cent, per annam, agrees
o hold 1t in trust and let the diYi-
ends pay the principal, then beware.
kvoid the bait. Don't even nibble st
!. One touch, and the hook viii be
q your gills, and then when you are
airiy landed, you will have to flop
nd twist about on the ground as
olfax, Brooks, Patterson, and others
re now doing, to show that yOune7er
'uehed the fascinating bait, while
ne IMPLYING spectators only say:
How came you in Oaks Ames's bas-
ct If you didn't play with his-bait %
Chicago Iri5l1le. -,