Omaha daily bee., 1894-08-28
.PEAcE CONTRIBUTIONS.


How corporations Buy Immunity from
Legislative Attack In New York
striking story Of the legislative black
mailing OF corporations in New York state is
given by Joseph b, Bishop. In "The Price
of Peace which appears in the Century for
September. Mr.. Bishop gives the following
incidents, which are. he says. OF unQues-
tionable authentIcity Toward the close Of
the campaign OF 1893 the president OF a
powerful and wealthy corporation called a
meeting OF its directors to consider a special
matter. There was some delay in getting
them all together and the meeting was
not held till the Friday preceding election
day. When the directors had assembled the
president stated to them that the corporation
had been asked to contribute $4,000 to the
democratic campaign fund. He advocated
the granting of the demand, saying that the
amount was the same that they had paid the
year before, that they had got all they had
bargained for. that he considered the pay
ment good business investment for the
company. and that as careful custodians of
the interests intrusted to them they could
not afford to refuse. The directors voted the
payment. 1t was stipulated by the peace"
negotiators that the money should be di-
vided into three equal parts, one check for
$1,000 to 40 to state machine leader, an
other for the same amount to a local boss
and the third to a campaign committee fund.
The checks were drawn, and were to be
called Tor Dy one oil the DenenciarteS ON Mon
day following. They were locked i'm the COM
pany's safe. On Saturday the cashier or
other employe In charge of the safe was
called away, expecting to return on Monday.
lie was delayed the safe could not be
opened and when the checks were called
for. the person calling was told that they
had been ordered and drawn, but could not
be reached for the reasons given, he was
told. however, that it was all right and IL
he would call on Wednesday. the day after
election, he could obtain them, On Tuesday
the election was held, and the result showed
that the democrats had lost control of the
legislature When the checks wern called
for on "Wednesday. they we're withheld on the
ground that the democratic bosses chad no
| goods To deliver" in return for the money
Another instance no less authentic as
| equally Illuminating meeting of the
| board of directors had been called a lew
| days before election to consider the question
| of a contribution of an amount similar to tn ,
! one in the foregoing case II was voted IN
| pay it, One Of the directors said that in his
| opinion there was considerable doubt ms tn
! the outcome of the election and he suggested
therefore, that it might be expedient TO have
the check which had been drawn "misla!d
| ouitn accidentaIlv,' FIN after aIectfon IL ,ba
| democrats carried tbn election he exnlaiped
| it could be sent 10 them with a note statinr
| that It had been mslald and no harm, wnuld
| be done II they failed 10 carry the cleo
tion the check could be DESTROYED IT was
|
Whatever else these instances show thev
reveal n perfect understanding ON the mart nf
the contributors as to the real rbject nf tbeir
contributions. They are not giving to the
| oamnaipn fund because they beliave in The
| nrinrIniss nf the nartv rscpiyinp tho money
hut bpcanse thew are buying''neace zone nrom
| inent head of a great cornoration the "as-
| spssment, nm which nv Tomp,onv in cne can1-
| pairn was S10O 600 and the regular contribr-
| tion rf which is fully half that amonnt saws
| in conversation mat he and his cnrnoratIon
| are we'll satisfied With tho nresent svsten,
1--WE get what we nav for and think il vol
| worth the popav -
| While n is proho bIv true that In so,ro in
| stancas tho eneaCen r,,nev 10 mid to nrotac,
| n cornoratior IN tho roo;ntopanca % ,i,,;
| Iages Thai are hostile n The nmbIlc interasts
IN tba oroot ~, tor;ty oS casos ~ is na;1 -, o
nuro io,or,,;t,, fon al Iinds as pIaa,,,,,o'I W.
| inc ottacLs of course a. is i,ssIs biaci,
vail hnt u 10 sxod orn, as onaina,
inntin,erah,a and incessont oftants All thns.
| ~ rt',s ~ ro,, a. ga ~ ,o. ~, ,i's %
,atar tbat :, ,s ,,ob p"S obnanor o 80 ,ioId Nv,
| nnI ts tho ,orT,siati,,a no,.an a., ~ ~, ha,,da y,
tha ,,o,, u,ho oSi tha t,.,nta but tho ioooi oS
rn;nt"trati,,a a'a not;oa oo,,ors .se na Vii
narnnratta oarr,,inC, go ~, its ~ ~ NJ
vi S,;tv ora smbioct ~ IocoI raor,otion'