The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-24

the prophecies, would accept no fla
vors from corporations that come
before the General Assembly ask
ing the enactment, the defeat or the
repeal Of laws IN their interest.
| However, it would be gong too tar
TO say that every member OF the
legislature could be bought by a
pass, and if the passes they receiv-
ed were only used for their own
personal sportation from point
to point, there would not he snf-
ficIent cause to charge corruption.
But, when we see or hear of legislq-
tors distributing passes around to
their friends or trading them off,
We may be certain something is
wrong. During the late session Of
the General Assembly there seems
to have been regular bureau here
for issuing passes. They were all
signed by Stahlman and distribut-
ed by his henchmen among the
members. How many members
accepted them does not now appear
but certain 1T is that the number
was sufficient to materially decrease
the gross earnings of the Louisville
d Nashville railroad. Probably
never before had this pass iniquItY
reached so fragrant stage as 1t did
during the last session. The defeat
of all legislation, intended to check
the growing arrogance and inius-
tice of the railroads, is a certain
indication that the pass business
vas worked for all it was worth,
and that large sums Of money were
used to make members betray the
interests Of their constituents, and
vote in the interest Of the railroads.
The Herald has heard of these pass
es being in circulation, and the
people also have heard about it,
several members having been call,
ed on to explain their legislative
records, and how they came to be
in possession of so many passes.
In the last few days the Herald has
secured evidence that some mem
bers OF the legislature, before leav-
ing Nashville bought bills of goods
from iobbIng merchants and paid
for the same with passes. This ev-
idence. in part, comes from a mer-
chant who admits having received
passes in this way. 1t is certainly
a nice state of affairs when the rail-
roads buy the legislature by
the unlimited use of passes
which the members so base
as to accept them trade of for mer-
chandIse. The passes were signed
IN blank. and they are used for the
same purpose as money. The next
thing, perhaps, will be that Stahl-
man will order his slaves in the
legislature to enact law making
Louisville & Nashville passes legal
tender for the payment OF taxes.
How many uses passes have been
put ito can only be guessed, but
that their use was general is indica-
ted by the following incident for
the truth of which the Herald will
vouch: One of the members of the
house was inclined to be "sporty"
and he had conceived the idea that
he was an irresistible masher. He
visited the Masonic Theater, and
while there noticed one of the lady
members of the stock company, on
whom he thought he would try the
effect of his dazzling presence,
Before going further, it may be
mentioned that the individual re-
ferred to was the representative OF
an East Tennessee district, whose
name we are ready to furnish. 1t
is learned by the Herald, that
through a mem Der of the Heine
Concert Company he secured an
introduction TO the lady member of
the Masonic Company, who had
unfortunately attracted his atten-
ton. To this lady ne purported t.
be manager of the Operahouse at
Dayton. The lady was not at all
progressed III favor Of him at first
sight, and he, seeing that his pow
eTs of fascination were not as strong
as he had imagined, thought he
would play his trump card. He
had not been in her presence hall
an hour before he volunteered to
give her a railroad pass. She posi-
lively declined to receive 1t. In
spite of this he called the next
morning, but the lady was not al
home to him! His nerve was sti,
unshakeD and he returned that af-
ternoon, when he left the pass with
another member of the company
to give to the lady, The pass, which
is still unused, was issued by Stahl~
man and Is good for passage from
| Nashville to Cincinnati and return.
The Legislator made other ineffect-
ual attempts TO see the lady and
he frequented the theater, making
himself obnoxious TO all the mem
bers OF the company. The manage.
E ment were disguised with his be-
havior and rejoiced when he left
! the city. Ii is known that Stahl-
man controlled all the republicans
in the senate, besides enough demo.
Gratis to defeat any legislation to
which he was opposed. How many
members of the house he controlled
was never definitely settled, for the
only railroad bill on which a vote
was taken in the house was the sep
9 arate coach bill.