Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-02-27
CHAPTER II.
acIIyuIs IN riIE LrGIsI.,ruRE.

"AnOthsr stroke and the heritage ~
Isabel L. Clair is mine. and not a single
soul In the world shall ever know u.
The governor u the state of New York
signs the bills. and become q million
air.! A millionaire, What am ] say.
ingi A multimillionaire ! will bel
And sho will never dream that my mil
lions arc hers by right"
~ spoke Francis Raymond, lawyer
and politician. leader ~ his party In
the county Il King., which embraces
Brooklyn.
We lind him visitor at Albany, the
capital 20 the state. lie ~ not there
many hours bsfof. be- j. surrounded In
his suit of roOms in the D"iayan by
senators, aS-emblymen aud Others whose
influence u Potent for good or had In
state and municipal government He
seldom visits Albany. except when
morc than usually interested in sone
legislation. aud his word go.s great
way. for he IL man ~ power. Hence
the number and th. character VI his
guests.
A man about 90 years of age, his
commanding POSITION has been won by
shrewdnes- that has allowed him To
pose as public spirited citizen. while
selfishness has really dominated all his
actions. lie Is the controlling power
behind one u the leading daily news
papers In his city-Tbe Trumpet-and
be- secured for IL. through special legis-
lation, u large income for publication of
corporation and other legal notic's that
guaranteed u support from the start.
Tho rival papers-therc were thre-
OF them-could lind no fault with this,
for be very generously included them
In his scheme at the expense of the tar.
payers. This was q trick learned from
the Tweed ring In New York. which
paid over ~. 900. 900 foI work that t'O..
900 covers now In the publication of
the The City Record. In this way pub
lie opinion. ~ represented IN the pres,
was at low ebb and. as q result. Oh.
people were not disillusioned OF the
idea that the new order Of things was
anything hut an honest, aye-magnam-
inous-dleed Of public officers who
wanted 10 keep their constituents post
al ON their actions!
"Our city has grown rapidly" said
Raymond to the legislators around
him. "Our buildings are scattered
over an area Of 81 square miles and our
population Is close 10 100000. We
have neglected the creation OF parks.
the lungs Of the city some one has
styled them. and the people demand
these improvements. ! am mp here "a
have a bill presented appointinga com.
mission of three to outline q system Of
parks connected by boulevard, "a ap-
praise and condemn property. with
another measure giving the city officials
authority 10 issue bonds 90 meet the
expenditures. have here the reports OF
public meetings suggesting and approx
Ing this, and ~ our county alone has TO
stand the cost there should be no objcc-
tions."
He knew there would be none. A
state convention of unusual importance
would meet shortly after the close Of
the legislative session. His own dele
CATION. by virue Of Its numerical
strength. would be much sought after
and courted. Francis Raymond was
known To be very modest at couven.
tions. He never sought state nomina-
ton for himself or his county. except
when II was expedient to have . can
didate for other purposesthan nominal.
Ing. I'm other words. he would invari-
ably withdraw his man On assurances
Ut Legislative favor that would increase
his patronage In his own district and
strengthen his hold upon the local gov
eminent and the party machine.
Thus are dictators made. clothing
themselves with powers that only q
revolution can set aside.
Next morning the bills were intro
duced In the senate and assembly. They
were reported from the cities commit
tss at the evening session. again read
and passsd. and were we'll On thsif way
- ths ssssstiss shsnbse 70 rscslvs Ne