The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-07-07


political prospects in Vermont. Sneers at
the proposition that senators should not
legislate for railroad companies while act
ing as their attorneys were still fully inter-
larded with taffy" for the farmers of Yer
mont, and the whole covered over with the
assertion that until the senate could be
made up of angels from heaven senators
would be biased by something.
Mr.. Teller announced that he was
not railroad lawyer, but he declared
his entire belief that any man who
could attain membership in either
house of congress could take fees from
any railroad and still do exact justice
in matters of legislation. Mr.. Vance
said: For our own protection, and for
the protection of those who are to come
after us, believe that this law ought
to be upon the statute-book of the coun-
try, so that when lawyers come to the
United States senate or TO the house of
representatives it should be understood
that they have, and can have, but one
client, and that one our common coun-
try.n Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. Sherman
both stated that the bill met with their
hearty approval. Just before the vote
was taken Mr.. Vance, with mock SOL
emnity, arose and said he would like to
hear the good old bill read once more
before it was buried, as he never ex-
pected to hear of it again. Mr.. Ed
munds replied that the committee would
consider and report the bill within
eight days. Adversely, of course"
observed Mr.. Beck, and the vote was
taken.
The intention of the railroad attor-
neys to kill the bill, or to so change its
provisions as practically to destroy its
effect, is too plain to be doubted. An
amendment has been proposed to pro-
hibit members of congress from acting
as attorneys for any bank or corpora
ton of any kind, or persons engaged in
the manufacture or production of whis-
key, oleomargarine, tobacco or any tax
able product or article. The bill was
referred to the judiciary committee, a
majority of whose members are I'M
friendly to the proposed legislation. A
good many leading journals in the
country treat the matter with much less
of complacency than the Free Press.
The Tribune says:
We are sorry that republican senators
were unwilling to stand by the bill to pre-
vent members of congress from serving at
the same time as counsel for land-grant
railroads. 1t is better to avoid even the APP
pearance of evil; and when the thing was
DONE it would have been far better to let it
stay done.
The New York Times says, edito-
rally:
Mr.. Evarts opposed the measure on the
ground that it casts stigma upon an hon.
orable profession, but he did not deny the
fact that senators and representatives who
have to vote on measures involving the in
terests Of land-grant and subsidy railroads
accept fees for serving those same roads.
Whether the practice or proposal to put a
stop to it is the worse "stigma" upon an
honorable profession is a question for lawyers
to consider. In the opinion of everybody
else, the practice is scandalous and its exist
ence is the excuse for this bill, which has
been turned over to those whose fees it was
intended to cut off.
The Hartford Post, stanch repub-
lican paper, says that Senator Edmunds'
scheme to change the rules to defeat
the railroad attorney bill " is petty and
pernicious business" The Springfield
Union (republican) says:
Senator Edmunds' course toward the Beck
BILL forbidding members of congress to act
as attorneys of land-grant railroads. must be
trying to the nerves of that little group OF
the truly good who have so long worshiped
him as the only spotlessly pure statesman
He opposed the bill sharply to begin with,
then tried to bury it in committee, and after
the senate had passed it got it reconsdered
The New York Sun Independent
democraD says:
The pleasant memory of the big fees he
has received from the Cen trial Pacific Rail
way Company, and the alluring prospect o.
more to come, have stimulated Senator Ed
munds to remarkable activity to defeat Mr.
Beck's bill prohibiting members of congress
from acting as counsel for land-grant rail
roads.
We might quote even stronger crit.
cisms of the opponents of the Beck bill
from other journals-among them the
Philadelphia Press, Cincinnati CONNER
cial, Chicago Tribune and Pittsburgh
Commercial-but the foregoing will
suffice to show that the representation
of the thick-and-thin organs of Mr.. Ed
munds that he is "the incorruptibl,
and implacable foe of grasping railroad
corporations and monopolies may neeC
some qualification.
A--n-