The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-05
CORRUPTION IN CONGRESS-.

A Washington telegram the othel
morning, said there was disappoint
ment in the capital city over the
Colton-Huntington correspondence
exposing the manner in which the
Southern Pacific people bought and
bribed Congressman, Governors and
Legislators. These letters told
much, but they did not, IN the
opinion Of the news-gatherer, tell
enough to cause an official investi-
CATION. Just how much would have
to be charged and proven
before the Congressional Dig
nifty would be offended and
an enquiry deemed necessary
has never been very clearly defined.
1t is certain that the national laws
makers having become accustomed
to allegations of bribery and cor
ruption, they are not easily offended
by such charges. Nor are the party
newspapers strikingly anxious to
expose the wrongdoings OF their re-
spective parties. There is present
instance in point, and it is closely
allied to the California case. Early
in the session a call upon the Secre-
tary of the Interior was made for
the documents concerning the Texas
Pacific land grant, and that
Official promptly responded, by
dumpingIinto the Senate about two
hundred pounds of papers. Some of
the newspaper correspondents took
the trouble to 60 through the batch,
and publish interesting details, but
without exciting marked comment
either in or out of Congress, and yet
an ugly exposure was made. The
New York World is about the only
journal that has seemed earnest in
bringing the roguery before the pub
lie and letting the country know
who are guilty Of misdeeds. Il
seems, according to the diary of
one J. J. Newell, that when it be-
came necessary to ascertain what it
would cost to get the Southern
Pacific bill through Congress,
a General Rice called on
Senator Mcdonald, and Col. Cid
dings or Senator Kellogg, the Sens
ators agreeing to assist in passing
the measure for $4,000 in first
mortgage land grant bonds, and
$4,000 in cash, to be uaid e,half
on the bill going through the Sem
nate, and the other half when it
me law. General Fremont was
t-oA promoter of the measure,
md Ne. citations all had to be n de
through him. Newell, as agent Of
Fremont, approached Defrees, late |
public printer, and offered him
100000 to have the bill passed +; |
this arrangement Fremont refused |
to sanction, the price being too high, |
but he subsequently agreed TO it,
and the terms Of payment were ar
However, the General |
subsequently declined, because |
offered to do the |
work cheaper. The money was
deposited in the hands of
E. w. Rice and j. D. Defrees. The |
bill passed the Senate in July, and
Newell's diary shows that McDon-
aid and his associates were paid
S62. 1000 Of the money deposited as
above. J
The letters and diary continue the !,
showing how this ones
vote was bought and that man
bribed, and asserting that the books
Of the Texas Pacific Company will
give the names of over thirty mem
beTs of Congress who were paid for
the bill through, and the
amounts each received. Among
others who were bought is men
toned Senator Kellogg. whose price
for his vote was $4,000, and who
got the money.
It is doubtful if Congress will
deem the publication of the charges
Of sufficient Importance to demand
in investigation and the punishment
If the rogUes and bribe-takers.