The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-17
Allered Attemnts at Rriherv.

Alleged Attempts at Bribery.
Ever since the tariff fight began in the
Senate there have been rumors of cor
ruption, and deals, and bribery floating
about the capital and finding their way
into the newspapers. Only day or two
ago a highly sensational yarn of the
purchase Of senators by the sugar trust
was published in New York and Phila-
delphia papers, as referred TO IN our dis
patches. That story, and majority Of
the others of its kind, probably have no
foundation outside of the fertile and
vivid imaginauions Of certain correspond
ents and the desperation of the protec-
tionists, who are leaving nothing undone
to injure the cause of tariff reform.
| In the midst OF these idle rumors, how
ever, it appears there are some true
stories of attempted corruption. And it
appears, also, that the rascality is being.
attempted in behalf of the protectionists,
who are holding up their hands in holy
| horror at the alleged concessions to the
sugar people.
| Our dispatches this morning contain
some details of an attempt to bride two
senators, the facts coming from one of
| the senators in person, and from the sec
! rotary of the other. Senators Hunton, of
Virginia, and Kyle, of South Dakota,
we're the gentlemen sought to be cor
| rupted and the tempter was an old
time radical politician named c. W.
BUTTE, Buttz is from South Dakota, and
| lived in South Carolina in the days of
good stealing. when the carpetbaggers
and scalawags had control of the state
government. While there he was the
friend and confrere of Patterson, jerks
and Whittemore, and left behind him a
malodorous record.
1t is said he approached Senator Hun
ton through his son at Warrenton. Va,
and told the young man it would be worth
| S25, 600 to himif his father did not vote for
the new tariff bill. Young Hunton was
| indignant and at once reported the affair
| to his father. All the correspondence
! relative to the matter has been saved for
the prospective senatorial investigation.
Senator Kyle, it seems, was first APP
| preached in person. Being DESTROYS of
getting the fellow secretly entrapped,
the senator referred him to his private
| secretary. To the secretary BUTTE said it
would be worth $3.50, 600 to the senator or
his friend if he should vote against the
new tariff bill. Why the vote of the
| South Dakotan should have been valued
at six times as much as the failure to vote
on the part of the Virginian is not appar-
ent, though Buttz and his employers prob
ably know the reasons.
If these allegations are true they would
seem to work in pretty well with the
| story that the protectionists have 81 ,0O0,-
600 or more to spend for the purchase of
votes against the Wilson bill Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, is quoted as
saying he has heard of offers as high as
100000 for democratic votes against the
bill
The protectionists say they are oppos-
ing tariff reform for the benefit of Amer
lean workingmen. Does this attempt at
bribery look like it, Would the protec-
tionists put their hands in their pockets
for 81 100000 for love of the workingmen?
Not at all; and the working people
know it,
Senator Hunton's statement will make
an investigation imperative 1t should be
| thorough, and the tool of the bribers
should be severely punished. The bribers
themselves will be punished in the pas
sage of the bill to cut off a part of the
! bounty they have so long fed and fattened
| upon.