Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-18
Editorial from The SUNDAY GLOBE.
THE BRIBERY EXPOSURE.


Since York invaded the Kansas Legis-
lature with the bundles of old Pom's money,
no such Legislative scene has been enacted
as that which occurred in the Minnesota
House Of Representatives yesterday.
rising in his place and announcing
that he had been bribed; sending the money
to the Speakers desk, and excitedly declar-
ing that he had taken it under a
promise to vote in certain man
ner which pledge he must ful6ll-cer-
tainly presented 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 still more unenviable position. While
there was but one sentiment relative to an
attempt to buy legislation, the spectacle
which Mr.. Brandt made of himself was SO
depl orable as to fairly excite pity. 1t was a
question with many whether it was desire
for sensational notoriety, or lack of informa-
ton, which led him to acknowledge and
publicly proclaim that he had rendered him
self liable to section 8 of chapter 96 of the
general statutes, which reads as follows
'sSEc 8. Every, executive, legislative or judi
cial officer who accepts any gift or gratuity,
any promise to make any gift, or do any act
beneficial to such officer, under an agreement
or with an understanding that his vote,
opinion judgment shall be given
in any particular manner, or .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 i'm
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 ssText Book
Bill,'' are numerous. It is freely asserted
that neither side can stand the test of inves-
tigation, and Mr.. Brandt's statement goes
! far to confirm this, as he, 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 imaginations, 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 *
force the measure through during the excite
ment incident to Brandt's exposure, an6
their manifest inclination to staye off inves
tigation, certainly gave color to the repor
that their skirts were not entirely clear, AM
, that the dramatic scene was devised for tn
purpose of crowding the bill to it's passap
yesterday.
The public interests demand, imperatively
) the defeat of the textbook bill. It is no
: assumed that private interests will not ais
be advanced by it's defeat, but by it
passage private interests will b
advanced at the public expense. Either wa
certain book publishers will be benefited
but only in one way, (by the retention of th
law will the public suffer. The principl
: involved in the bill is grievously wrong, bu
+ corrupt means to secure legislation, whethe
advantageous or detrimental to the publ
= welfare, must be stamped down and GU
Better that the statute book be filed with IL
: most unwise laws rather than one purchase
act be spread upon it's pages.