Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-06-15
THE CITIZEN
M'Pherson's Wicked Servant.

Senator MePherson's method of escap-
ing from the sugar speculation by the back
stairway, through the servants quarters,
is commended to the serious consideration
of other statesmen who have not yet in
vented a way to get out. The use of the
back way is not new. but the way in which
Senator Mcpherson has used it in this case
has the merit of freshness.
The solemn and sensitive Senator from
New Jersy was in the sugar speculation.
He bought 1000 shares of Trust certificates,
but soon after, when the newspapers began
to hint scandal, his conscience began to
get in operation; he felt that a United
States Senator who would be soon be call
ed upon to act officially upon a question of
vital interest TO the Sugar Trust really
ought not to speculate in trust stocks. He
found a way to unload his tortured consci-
ence by transferring his stock to his son,
and when their price had gone up sufi-
ciently to suit he still further relieved his
conscience by having the stock sold at a
gratifying profit. Senator Mcpherson
does not wish to have at understood that
he is a mere vulgar speculator.
After this first terrible strain upon his
conscience, from which he so happily es-
capped by the aid of member of his family,
the New jersey statesman was again drag
ged into sugar speculation in way that
no human foresight could have guarded
against. Having concluded that it would
be good thing to own some more sugar
certificates he wrote out telegram to his
broker, directing the purchase OF 500 shares.
But about this time Mcpherson conscience
such as it is-turned up again He and
his son reached the conclusion at last that
it would be improper for him to invest in
sugar certificates. They did not send the
telegram that evening; they left it for the
servant to send the first thing in the NOR
ming. Senator McKherson's conscience
was in such highly excited state when he
heard that these additional s. ares had
been purchased that he held on to them
| until he had a chance to sell for consid-
erable profit.
| He blames the servant for dragging him
| into this improper act, and the Senate Com
| m ittee will fail in It's duty if it does moi
| severly condemn a wicked servant who
could thus bring rrproach npon a distin-
1 guished United states Senator. Any ser
/ want should have known that no United
| States Senator with the least regard for
| decencv could have written telegram di-
recting his broker to purchase sugar GER
| tifcates with any intention to have such a
\ message sent. 1t was left lying where the
| servant coald find il handy because it was
not intended the servant should find it and
have it transmitted. Fit had been intend
ed 10 send II, * would never have been
written. Senator Mcpherson had all these
things in his mind straight enough, and
was naturally horrifed when he learned
that through shs wicked acts of a servant t
he had purchased 500 shares of sugar GER
tficates that in a few days netted him a
profit of about $500. IL was not large
sum, but it no doubt helped TO ease the
Senator'S conscience.
1t has been told somewhere that when
General Butler was in command OF New
Orleans party went tc his headquarters
one day with reference to cotton specu-
lation, and finding Butler rather obdurate
intimated that there was something 10 be
made out of IT, This was q corrupt pre-
prosition watch seemed Ia arouse Butl-r's
Indignation and he said to the visitor,
fiercely: Il have mind to kick you dow n
stairs sir, and across the street, and ,heI
kick you upstairs into my brothers otic;. .
In the sugar speculation Senator McPher-
son seems to be kicking people upstairs to
his son or down stairs to his servant, and
all the time he has made a pretty fair
profit out OF his sugar stock.-Philadel-
phia Press.