The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-06-06
BRrDKRY INVESTIGATION.


The Wssoa csnsetssS Senate Investigating
Charges Of Corruption-rhe Boston GaA
: Monopoly. = < - SskA "a
Boston, Mass, May So.-fhe largest
corruption fund that has been distributed
among Massachusetts, Legislators ~ many
years has been used during the present ses-
sion to influence the passage of bills regu-
iating the manufacture of gas, The bribery
was % Wholesale and so PAYABLE that the
Legislature was finally shamed into ordering
an investigation. Thegas monopelyof Boston
is protected by law in this way: "A statute.
requires that no Illuminating gas for public
consumption shall contain more thrnten,
per cent. of carbonIc oxide, and no gas con-
pany is allowed to organize with capital
Of more than s500,OO0. A humber of
capitalists desired to :, form eop-
pany In Boston Tor the nanufactfP 0
water gas, which contains from twentSfffe
to thirty per cent of carbonic oxide. A
capital of at least $4,000, 900 was necessary.
of course the proposed changes in the law
were desperately opposed by the Boston.
Gas-Light Company The mon0pOlists be-
came alarmed, and to gain popular favor re-
dueed the rates from S1.s0 per thousand
feet to S1.5O. But in spite of all influence,
the bills in favor of the water-gas people
passed the House and received two readings
In the Senate. When the measure came up
for its third reading, the following day,
there was an astonishing change Of base on
the part of several Senators. One or two
who had voted in favor of the bill stayed
away. Two others, who had voted the same
way, were sent for before that day'e
session by a well-known railrOad
president, and on returning to the chamber
reversed their votes. Even then the meas
ure had majority of one, when, to every
bOdy's establishment President Bruce, di
rected the clerk to call his name, and The
voted against thebill, thus defeating it by q
tie vote There is no question about Bruce'.-
legal right to vote as be did, but his action.
is probably without precedent in the Massa.
chusetts Senate. There were plenty of
stories afloat, giving names and the amounts
of brides, and the matter became 50 scandal
Gus that the Senate ordered an investiga
ton, but the next day the Senator offering
the order moved reconsideration for the
purpose of making the order include an in
yestigation of bribery in both BRANCHES
TherelIpon the Senate sdefeatH It'll
OIuctSs duQ Vic lOVDytoe piEoSFo~
more freely. @lBut this snaDthsnt
of a rank public scandal raised
such a widespread storm of indignation
that every Republican Senator began to sec
that his political life was at stake, anG
finally the investigation was ordered~ EyeL
then it was intended that the inquiry shoulc
be as brief and farcicai aspossibie,for theLeg
islature had voted to finish its session right
off. Senator Whittier, of Boston, testified tina.
he was offered bride of 81, 900 to remain
away when the vote on the bill was taken.
Senator Norris, who changed his vote from
yes to no, said he was influenced by rper
.sonaI considerations" which he declined te
explain There is much constellation
among the lobbyists, for the names OF thOst,
implicated have not yet been given. The
investigation will go on and the Legislature.
will probably be kept in session weei
longer. There are also charges against the
water-gas people, but they have not ye''
been brought out in evidence.