Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-17
THE BRIBERY. EXPOSURE.

Since York invaded the Kansas Legis-
la ture with the bundles of old Poms money,
no such Legislative scene has been enacted
as that which occurred in the Minnesota
House of Representatives yesterday. A
N ember rising in his place and announcing
that he had been bribed; sending the money
to the Speakers desk, and excitedly declar-
ing that be had taken it under a
promise to vote in certain man
ner which pledge he must fulfll-cer-
tainly presented a most extraordinary
spectacle. His additional statement that he
had sought to secure the bride in order to
have proof that corrupt means were being
used to defeat the textbook bill, placed him
in a still more unenyiable position. While
there was but one sentiment relative to an
attempt to buy legislation, the spectacle
which Nh. Brandt made of himself was SO
depl orable as to fairly excite pity. It was a
question with many whether it was a desire
for sensational notoriety, OF lack of informa-
ton, which led him to acknowledge and
publicly proclaim that he had rendered him
general statutes, which reads as follows:
Sec. 8. Every, executive, legislative or judi
cial officer who accepts any gift gratuity,
any promise to make any gift, do any act
beneficial to such officer, under agreement
or with an understanding that his vote,
opinion judgment shall be given
in any particular manner, upon
particular side of any question: cause or pro-
ceeding which is, or may be by law brought be-
fore him in his official capacity, or that in such
capacity he shall make any particular nomina-
ton or appointment, shall be punished by inn
prisonment in the State prison not more than
four years nor less than two years, or by fine
not exceeding six hundred dollars nor less than
two hundred dollars
Whatever his motive there is but one
course for the Legislature to pursue in the
matter. The committee appointed by the
House should make thorough work; and if
the offence be proven make such examples
of the guilty parties that no member of a
future Minnesota Legislature will be able to
rise in his seat and make the disgraceful
recital which Mr.. Brandt furnished.
Busy-tongued rumor is active, since this
development, and reports duplicating friends
and foes of the now famous '.Text Book
Bill, are numerous. 1t is freely asserted
that neither side can stand the test Of inves-
tigation, and MIR. Brandt's statement goes
far to confirm this as he, a known friend of
the bill, confesses that he sought the bride
in order to ascertain if corrupt means were
actually being used.
We know nothing authentic relative to
such reports, and hope they will prove the
outgrowth of excited imagnations. quick
ened into life by the sensation Of the day,
but it is the duty of the committee to ascer-
tain the truth of all Of these reports. The
friends of the Merrill bill, in their efforts to
force the measure through during the excite
ment incident to Brandt's exposure, and
their manifest inclination to stave off inves-
tigation, certainly gave color to the report
that their skirts were not entirely clear, and
that the dramatic scene was devised for the
purpose of crowding the bill to its passage
yesterday.
The public interests demand. imperatively.
the defeat of the textbook bill. It is not
assumed that private interests will not also
be advanced by its defeat, but by its
passage private interests will be
advanced at the public expense Either way
certain book publishers will be benefited,
but only in one way, Qby the retention of the
law will the public suffer. The principle
involved in the bill is grievously wrong, but
corrupt means to secure legislation, whether
advantageous OF detrimental to the public
welfare, must be stamped down and out.
Better that the statute book be filled with the
most unwise laws rather than one purchased
act be spread upon its pages.