The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-07-03
a Few Examples Of the ''Ravayes Of the
Money Power, Supplied TO Certain Anx-
ioRs Inquirers- Corruptionists.
Hew Monopoly Corrupts Legislation.

SxskA eo1sS1 tAscak u tA1u0 uO11O10U (UUt
dAaD issues and theories to the reasfl
And then, Oh, what . plea they send up
for menito 'sstand together and meet
the onset Of the coming foe"
. .
Another day these papers will fawn
upon the great organization known as the
Farmers Alliance and say its members
are the sturdy nobility of the land; that
they are tried and true men, and that
they will not be led away from their old
affiliations by new issues and new meas
ures. The very next day these same pa
psrs will squirt steams of abuse and
slander and villifcation on the Alliance
and denounce the organization as vii
famous compound of cranks, socialists,
prohibitionists and anarchists, and its
officers as q set of demagogues and un-
scrupulous schemers who have no object
in view save that of the disruption of
their party" and, of course, the con-
sequent ruin of the country.
y 4
Still another day these papers will se-
riously estimate the strength of the ALI
ance, will wisely q forecast its political
ection, and will assert that the Alliance
movement must be taken into all calcu-
lations of q political nature, for its force
and strength cannot be ignored. The
very next day these same papers will
print an interview with some Alliance
traitor and renegade, or will print a
flaming head over an announcement that
some sub-Alliance has repudiated ALI
ance principles. The sturdy working
man and the patient and loyal farmer
look on at these antics for while in un-
disguised amazement, then they surren-
der Internationally to the ridiculous and
incongruous hurly-burly thus presented
and laugh long and loud.
It will be recognized without ques-
ton that all legislation for the past
thirty years has come through either the
Democratic or Republican party. Some
Alliance and reform speakers have boldly
charged that both parties have been af-
fected, influenced and diseased by the
'.ravages of the money power" This
phrase was used by President Polk in a
speech recently delivered in Washing
ton. The speech did not please the In
dianapolis Journal, which is the acknowl-
edged organ of the present administra-
tion, and as mark of its displeasure it
called President Polk a 'showling dema-
gogue," and quoting the phrase, "rav-
ages of the money power" treated it con.
temptuously by exclaiming "whatever
that is." Well, it is too big thing to
tell all about at one time, but few
illustrations may serve to show some
thing of Its size and shape.
In 1873 there was railroad quarrel in
New York state, and some of the ravages
were exposed. Mr.. ]. Gould was on the
stand as witness, and when being asked
questions with reference to the appoint
ment Of a committee to investigate the
management of the Erie railroad, said:
"I do not know how much paid toward
helping friendly men. We had four
states to look after, and we had to suit
our politics to circumstances. In a
Democratic district was Democrat;
in Republican district was Repubi-
can, and in doubtful district was
doubtful; but in every district and at all
times have always been an Erie man. !"
Mr.. Gould added the significant remark
when asked question, 'that it would
be as impossible to specify the numer-
ous instances as it would to recall to
mind the numerous freight cars sent
over the Erie road from day to day."
In New Jersey railroad bill, known
as senate bill 1877, was passed in the in
terests Of railroads that wanted to secure
the entire water front of Jersey City.
The measure was q fragrant outrage, and
the governor vetoed it. The senate
passed it over the veto. but the house
hesitated, and then the ''ravages of the
money power" began. The story was
told by Hon. j. 81. Shinn, who could not
be bribed. Aman named Cromer called
ON Mr.. Shinn and offered him $500 to
vote for the bill. Shinn refused, and,
knowing that mischief was going on;
went to ono OF his colleagues and told
him Of the affair. They agreed that if
any more offers We're made they would
accept them and have the whole affair
exposed in the house. Shinn was subse-
quently offered $1,000 for his vote, and
said 'sall right" Five hundred dollars
OF the money was to be paid at dinner
time and five hundred after the bill
passed At dinner man came to Shinn
and handed him package in which
there were fye 800 bills. Shinn ex-
posed the bribery. An investigation was
had, the whole affair proven, and it is
now matter Of record.
It has not been long since s'ravage"
was exposed in the New York legislature.
a Iaember rose in his seat and stated
that he had been given 81 900 to vote for
railroad candidate for the United
States senate, and that he had given the
money to the speaker. The speaker cor
1 roborated the statement. An investiga-
tion was ordered, and q senator and two
lobbyists were indicted for bribery, bu.
\ the influence Of the money power was SC
strong that the matter was hushed, and
the man who exposed the bribery has
been more abused than the men who did
the bribing.
sss Q
One OF the most outrageous s'rayages"
ofthe money power was exposed in 1874 {
I in the Pacific railroad row in congress
when Tom Scott was trying to secure 8
large subsidy Tor the Texas Pacific road,
4 and 9. p. Huntington was working
counter to him for enormous grants and
subsidies to the Central Pacific. The
csse is too long to be elab aborated, but .ex
4 tracts from some letters written to Gen
eral Cotton by q F.. Huntington will be
a,Iffieianf e, fiif, 10 the audariolis md i, N