The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-26
A Dangerous Kind of Bribery.
Chicago Tribune.]

chicago tribune.
The bill introduced in the House by
Representative Vance, of North Caro-
lima, to put a stop to the acceptance by
members of the Government of free
passes from any railroad or telegraph
company, or of stock from any banks,
strikes direct blow at form of bribery
which is very corrupting and appears TO
be on the increase. 1t is the invariable
practice of every General Manager of "A
railroad to issue passes to the members
of the Legislature of the States through
which his road runs, as well as to tho
State officers and to the Judges Of the
courts. One of the New York papers
recently published fac simile of a pass
issued to one of the Judges Of that State
ION account" the pass read, "of the
Supreme Court" and a similar expose
could be made ftE every State in the
country.
The proceedings of our courts, State
and National, and of the legislative
bodies all over the land show plainly
enough the undermining effects of ac
cepting this kind of gratuity from cor.
poratiOns that are continually before the
the Legislatures for new franchises and
before the courts for settlements of dis.
putes between them and the people.
Judges who travel across the continent
to their seats in Washington in special
cars furnished by railroads who have
millions OF dollars at stake in tho de-
clsions OF the supreme Court cannot
wonder II they ind 1t very difficult 10
see that the settler has any rights the
land-grant roads are bound to respect.
Ii they paid for their special cars thew
mi oh in "a .f
road which does not own itS lanJs
enough to pay taxes on them does no,
own them enough to issue bonds on the
security Of them.
The concessions which are mado o.,
every session Of our I.eQislafures ~.
decisions which are pronounced ~ 49,
courts against the public and In 'f.yar
OF the corporations, show how nowerr,l
is the bias which our law-mafers al
law-parsers have in their favor Tbe
Supreme Court Of Western Stato -,
recently denied its relief TO an ovvnc. ~
property upon whose land n raiir.ei
company had without previous eoDde,,-
nation, without asking permission fnr
private purpose, and without the C,or.
rant OF its charter, laid its track TLo
court took the ground that the oyvne- &c
the land must prove beyond a sbadov
OF doubt that the railroad was In az
wrong. 1t did not call the corporat;o,
to account to prove that it had anv
right upon private land II was fbo 80
izen who had been assaulted in his nron.
erty that was put on the Defensive ~
the corporation which had attacked hin,
The whole drift of legislation and De.
cision has been in favor OF corporations
aud against the people, except in the
special instances where an aroused pnb-
lie sentiment has made itself felt with
irresistible force, as in the Granger cases. ~
That the railroad corporations are able
to influence the courts and the IeOisla-
lures by passes is conclusively proved
by their giving the passes. Railroad
men are, as Vanderbilt said runnip,
their roads for money. They do rn7
give transportation away to Legislators
and judges for nothing. They exnect
to get qNd pro quo for every pass fov
If they did not the Judges and Senatogs
and Representatives would have ~ vsoil-
or pay their fares. Men will take ,bosc
gifts and be influenced by them. perbsns
unconsciously, who would refuse nors,,
with real indignation. Mr. Vs,.,
should press his bill and Get tl,e S 80
and nays recorded on every vote ~
he should 50 amend il as to punisb tb@
man who offers to pass an officer VIC a..
cePts it.