Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-09-16
MONEY BUYS THEIR VOTES
Continued from Page Two.)

he IeIl INTO inc trap SET 1Or MIN. De-
came habitual drinker and voted for
every vicious measure the gang pro-
posed.
ut Is touching to behold the AFFECT
slavery Of those men In the House who
hunger for the Speakers favor. They
have collars of brass upon their nccks.
They think and feel, yet dare not
speak. They protest and expOstulate
and swcar--but always under their
breath. The Speaker Is king and pros
tration is their play IL they would not
offend his majesty.
"And for what Is all this?
"To secure the passage of insignifl-
cant local measures. They amount to
nothing after they are passed, except
a stimulus to the vanity of their
authors, who 20 home ana boast how
they fought and blcd and died for the
cause.
AS to bOodling. know nothing def
mite. except that a member told me
he was Informed that there would be
n good-sizcd lump of money In Il IL he
would support a certain measure. lie
did not encourage the cmissarlcs of the
corporations and the deal was never
closed. 1t is well known that the cor
porations have things their own way
for the most part. They work chiefly
with those members who 60 to the
I legislature for what there Is in It. an l
who put their selfish interests above
every consideration of good morals AMI
ordinary dccency. There was a sand.
tagging combination In the late gcner-
al assembly. I was not present when
It was organized, nor do know the
particulars Of the organization. 1 saw
only the results.
".rhere are honest men enough al
every session, but they are inactive.
Many of them IRE new men and leave
the organization to the gang so that
the first thing they know they arc
scwcd up 1tascallty Is wakcfui;
honesty drOwscs. Rascality Is cncr.
getlc. daring, tlreless; honesty may
have spasms of activity, but usually II
Is sclf-satisfed, hopeful and sluggish.
In the agricultural world the farmer
must cultivate his ground increasingly,
otherwise the weeds will grow. lie
cannot stop with one process of plow.
Ing. narrowing. rolling and planting
SO In the world of society and politics
If the good men are Indifferent and lazy
the weeds OF scOundrclism will flour.
ish
"rO my mind the closing scenes IA,
the late House. looked down upon by q
smiling speaker, were u burning
| shame. The members did not act lili,
men. They reminded one of wild
beasts in ruthless. unrcasoning. RUTH
anly struggle for u bone. lifted my
voice In protest. but could not be heard
for the din. believe that laws wcr,
rushed through that night which never
saw the light. They were passed I,
redeem pledges made by the Speaker
hut do not see them In the published
acts. l presume they fell victims I,
the cNpurgating pencil of the commit
toe appointed by the Speaker ut the On,
To see that everything was all right
or course this committee has no a,l
thOrlty to set aside u bill that has bcci
passed, but II sometimes finds nm OK
cuse for doing no.
"llcllcf from some of these evil
could bc secured by modifying til,
rules so as to require reports from
committees within reasonable tim,
upon all bills or resolutions referred {,
them, ana by absolutely prohibiting til,
Speaker from taking any bill, unless
an appropriation bill, out Of Its rcgula
order. When proposed some changes
IN the rules ut the last session some o
the members said: Here, Mac, tina
won't do; every crank In the cOuntr!
will be sending down a bin. anti II W,
refuse to vote for It We shall bc mark
cd for Misunderstanding that the!
were not there to be guided by tn,
wishes Of the majority Of their constlt
uents."