The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-08-05
THE M. E. PUBLISHING HOUSE CLAIM.

not now, and has not paid debt he
owes and suppose Mr.. Haynes was the
cause of this transaction being venti
lated, what has that to do with the truth
or falsity of the representations made
by the parties and the duty Of the
church in the premises?
This matter is of too vital a nature to
the church to be brushed aside in the
manner indicated by the various de-
Tenders of this transaction. The issue
must be met, not sidetracked.
This unfortunate state of affairs had
its origin in the contract made by tho
Book Committee through the book
agents with Mr., Stahlman. That con
tract employed Mr.. Stahlman to PROSE
cute the claim of the Publishing House
before Congress- and, if anything was
paid on the claim, he was to get - per
cent, and, if nothing was recovered, he
was to receive nothing. 1t was further
agreed, as appears from DR.. Rarbees
evidence before the Investigating COM
mittee, that that part of the contract
providing for the payment of cOmpen-
sation to Mr.. Stahlman was to be Kept
secret. Was it right for the church,
through its agents, To enter INTO such a
contract? presents the first question to
be discussed
! 1t will be noticed that the employ
ment was to do the work "bcfore Con
gress." 1t was not the ordinary en-
! plOyment of an attorney to argue a case
in court but the employment of gen
tleman to use his influence in the prose-
cution of a claim before the Congress
of the United STATES, and to secure the
passage Of law making an appropria-
ton to pay claim for a consideration
of 35 per cent, of whatever amount the
! bill appropriated.
| npa # tho fuD6a man fol nripo;,,1o,
taught by Christ was that his followers
should he obedent to the laws of the
! land. If a church openly and Migrant
| ly violates the law of the land i'm one
particular, what right has it to criticise
others who may have violated the law
in other respects? The church must
teach by eXample-it cannot preach one
! thing and practice another and main
tain the respect of any one. In the fiji st
instance, the Book Committee, in au-
thorzing the making Of such CON
tract, made a serious mistake. Such
contracts as this have received the
severest condemnation of every court
of our land, and are held to he void and
against public policy. ! could re Ter to
manv cases in our published reports
bearing upon this question, but it is not
necessary TO cite mere than two, and
both Of these from our highest tribunal
the Supreme Court of the United
States. They bear directly upon both
phases of the above contract, namely,
the purposes for which the employ
ment was made and the secrecy as to
the compensation TO be paid.
In the case of Burke VS.. Child, SO T..
S., All, the following was the contract
as given in the language of the court (:
"Nicholas P.Trst had claim against
the United States for his services touch
ing the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalo.
After delay Of nearly twenty years he
concluded to submit it to Congress and
ask it's payment. He made an agree
ment with Linus Child that Child
should take charge of the claim and
prosecute as his agent and attorney.
AS a compensation for the services Of
Child, it was agreed that he should re-
ceive % per cent Of whatever sum Con-
gress might allow in payment of the
claim. IL nothing was allowed he was to
receive nothing. His compensation de
pended wholly upon the contingency of
success"
The court in passing upon this con
tract. says:
"The agreement in the present case
was for the sale of the influence and eX-
ertons of the lobby agent to bring
about the passage of a law for the pay
ment of a private claim, without refer
ence to its merits, by means of which, If
not corrupt, were illegitimate and, con
sidered in connection with the pecu-
MARY interest of the agent at stake.
contrary to the plainest principles of
public policy. No one has a right, in
such circumstances, to put himself in a
position Of temptation to do what is re-
garded as so perniCiOus in its character.
The law fOrbids he inchOate step, and
puts the seal of its reprobiLiOn upon the
undertaking
Ifany of the great corporations of
the country were to hire adventures
who make market of themselves in this
way, to procure the passage of gen
eral law with view to the promotion
of their private interests, the moral
, sense Of every right-minded man would
, instinctivelY denounce the employer
and the employed as STEPPED in corrup
ton, and the employment as Infamous
"lf the Instances were numerous, open
, and tolerated, they would be regarded
as measuring the decay OF the public
morals and the degeneracy of the times
, No prophetic spirit would be needed &c
fOreteil the consequences near at hand
The same thing in lesser legislation, il
, not so prolific of alarming evils, is no
less vicious i'm itself, nor less to be con
q demned. The vital principle Of both il
, the same. The evils OF the latter are OF
sufficient magnitude to invite the mos
serious consideration. The prohibition
OF the law rests upon solid founda.
. ton. A private bill is apt to attract lit
tie attention. 1t involves no great
!, public interest, and usually fails TO ex.
cite much discussion. Not unfrequent-
q ly the facts are whispered to those
! whose duty it is to Investigate, vouched
for by them, and the passage of the
. measure is thus secured. II the agen