The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-04-19
'EaIInIge Om Bribery.

|
philosophy, author of "Novum Organ
um' and whole library of books, the
leading thinker of his century, so
precocious that when little child he
was asked by Queen Elizabeth, How
old are your" he responded, 81 am two
years younger than your Majesty's
happy reign" Of whose oratory Ben.
Johnson wrote, "The fear OF every man
that heard him was lest he should
make an end, having an income which
you would suppose would have put
him beyoud the temptation of bribery
$4,000 year and Twickenham
| Court a gift, and princely estate in
Hertfordshire and Gorhambury, yet,
under this temptation to bribery,
falling fat into ruin on his confession
of taking bribes, giving as an excuse
that all his predecessors took them !;
he was fined 100000, or what cores
ponds with our 100000, and imprison-
ed in London Tower. So also Lord
Chancellor Macciesiield fell, so also
Lord Chancellor Waterbury persisted.
The black chapter in English, Irish,
French and American politics is the
chapter of bribery. Some of you re-
member the Pacific Mail subsidies.
All of you remember the awful tragedy
of the Credit Mobilier. Under the
temptation to bribery Benedict Arnold
sold the fort in the Highlands for $751;
So For this sin Gorgey betrayed
Hungary, Ahithophel forsook David
and Judas kissed Christ.
You know as well us | that in the
past few years it has been impossible
to get law passed by State or Nation
al Legislature unless there was some
financial consideration. When bill
has appeared at the door the question
among your representatives has been,
"How much money is in this?' Re-
formers and philanthropists, with some
scheme for the elevation OF the nation,
approach the door of the Legislature
or the door of Congress, and are laugh,
cd at because their hands are empty
Political bribes offered in shape oI
preferment for office; "If you vote sc
and 50, you shall take so and so.
II you will vote for my BILL giving /
monopoly to my moneyed institution
then will vote for your bill, giving
monopoly to your moneyed institu
ton" "Here is bill with which W.
shall have great deal of trouble, bu
it must go through.
Crowd the lobbies with railroad
: men and manufacturers and contract
y ors. Make an entertainment for tn,
members. and when they are gooC
and drunk have them promis
to vote that way. Put $100
or $1,000 in the hands of this man
who will be prudent in the distribu
ton of it. Put two thousand dollar
in the hands of this man who will Sc
that it does good. Be very caution
g how you approach men. Now we wan
s only four more votes and this matte
n will be all right. Give thousand do
v lars to that very intelligent membe
Y from Westchester. Give five hundre
J. dollars to that stupid member fror
p Ulster Now we have but two NOR
e votes to regulate. Give three hur
q dred dollars to this man and he wi
If be sick and stay home, and then Civ
a three hundred dollars to this man an
If he will go to the bedside of his grea
aunt languishing in her last sickness
n The day for the passage OF the bill hs
% come. The Speaker thumps his CAV
upon the desk and says: "Senator
are you ready for the question? A
in favor of this bill will vote one
two hundred thousand dollars or
million dollars into the hands of III
: principled spectators will say, ayt
"a aye! aye! ayeH All opposed, 'Nc
= The ayes have it." The money
wasted, the public treasure is gon
business is embarrassed, and our n
tional and State Legislature becon
the sewers into which the filth al
" the vomit OF this nation empty ther
selves. II you think that | exagge
n ate the matter, go to any of the
" places just before bill is to be passe
and learn that | have not more til;
half represented the truth in the cas-
and that this crime OF bribery is EN-
ing the whole country, depicting yo
wealth. Oh, you men OF affluenC
m, grinding harder your faces. Oh, Y,
m children of the poor! Some OF the fl
eh est houses ever built on Maids,
IN Square, and Beacon street and r
'c- tenhouse Square pave been built o
IT. OF money paid for votes by railro
companies in New York, New JersC
ISL Pennsylvania and Massachusetts,,
Id The machinery of bad Americ,
to politics is made up ofabout 500whet
and the cogs OF these wheels play IN
III Il greater wheel, and this great cent
ng wheel has tire of railroad iron n
also crank ON which is the hand
Satan. and he turns the great VIII,