People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-03

accounGeo Ior' 1H presenU Con-
gress has taken the matter up, and
committee has taken testimony in re-
lation to the charges. u
The sagacity of the French led
them to headquarters with their
money. They had learned who are
the masters of this country, and went
at once to the bankers with the
Doodle. The following editorial
synopsis of the testimony Of Banker
Seligman is worthy of rigid analy,
sis. A daily paper says:
In his evidence before the House In
vestigating Committee, Mr.. Jessie Selig-
man, the New York banker, testified
that the sum of $7,500,000 was TO be
paid by the Panama Canal Company to
j. w. Seligman & Co., Drexel Morgan
& Co. and Winslow, Lanier & Co. as
salary for services.
The committee was too consideTate to
press SO distinguished gentleman with
many embarrassing questions, but there
is no doubt that the services required
of them were to control Congress, and
the fund intrusted to them as salary for
this service was what is commonly called
''slush fund
This arrangement was subsequently
modified and the american committee"
received for its share of the swag 6,000,-
900 frances in annual installments OF oned
million.
The testimony does not show who be-
sides the committee shared this money.
Mr.. Seligman said incidentally in his
testimony that he 'Salways looks out for
his friends" and it is supposable that a
man of his wide acquaintance has
friends on the committees or Foreign
Affairs in the House and Senate. On
that very delicate point few OF us are
likely to know more than we know al
ready, as it is part of the courtesy OF
Congress not to pry too closely into such.
matters when they affect the perquisites3
and emoluments of q brother member.
When asked in a very delicate way
how it was expected that he would se-
cure the interference of Congress
in return for the money paid him as
salary for his services, Mr.. SeiigmanI
answered with equal delicacy shat 10
was supposed that q clearinghouse with
influential connections throughout the
country would be able to influence pub
lie opinion--as indeed it might.
People who admire greatness as. It Is'
displayed at Washington may get from
this same idea Of how grea5 men who
are elected to Congress paupers can &C"
cumulate large fortunes here in conn
paratively short time. Such things may
happen as a result of the methods by
which banking houses with infiuentaial
connections throughout the country in
tluence public opinion when earning
their salaries as distributors Of educa-
tional information.
It seems that the total expendi-
lures in this country footed up over,
65,0O0,000. The banking houses
mentioned got $4,000 a year for
eight years, and ex-Secretary Thomp-
son got $4,000 a year as sort Of
general overseer. For materials and
supplies to be used in construction,
$40, 100000 was paid out. The con-
troll of the Panama Railroad Com
pany, through stock purchases, took
$40, 100000 mole-the Monroe doc
trine knocked silly again.
The wisdom Of the French in taxi
ing into It's pay the three greatsbank-
ing houses is apparent at once. AS
by-standers in the game OF Americana
politics, the foreigners saw where the
real power is lodged IN this country.
There is little doubt that the bank
ers in three-fourths of the Congress-
ional districts can defeat any aspirant
for Congressional honors who may
bob up, and there Is less doubt that
the banking houses employed can. in
fuence the political conduct Of cor.
responding banks in every part of
the country.
The Monroe doctrine is in tatters.
Thes Sc bankers tore It to shreds, I'm.
der pay of foreigners. That's big
item in the story of the great Panama
crimes.