The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-24

And the StEehli law gave this body con-
troll OF franchise extensions.
The same measure also empowered city
councils to release street railway compan-
les from all obligations they had assumed
toward the city 70 secure their franchises
except that OF paving and cleaning between
the tracks. whenever the companies might
change motive power with view to secur-
ing more rapid transit.
Its curative feature was a gem. /;
provided that any franchise grant there
tofore. made, no matter in what way
whether legally or illegally, should be
valid for all time. In other words. IF you
have stolen something and have It. it Is
yours hereafter by law"
This was the milestone Joseph Benson
Foraker helped tie around the neck Of his
own community In 1898.
The public gorge rose at It. Ed Strehli.
It's curative father, never has dared show
his political head again, and George B.
Cox never has had the nerve to put him
forward. But Foraker, the man who lob
bied the bill through, has since gone to the
United States senate on his audacity.
What did Foraker get for the Stretlilaw?
dent Kilgour ought to be glad he lives in
Ohio. No Chicago lawyer. not even a lob
bykst, would handle such a measure for
less money than enough to live on the rest
of his life.
The Ttmes-Star took one more look over
this phase of the former governors career
when the session had ended. Having still
in mind his Columbus record, II found oc-
casion, in connection with local matter.
on June 10, 1S9S to say a last word on
Personal Favor Arguments" 1t gives a
hint on Foraker methods which may be
valuable Co some budding lobbyist.
About two years ago." said the Times
Star, 81. B. Foraker adopted lobbying as a
profession and dubbed It 'practicing law
He mad some political capital and deter
mined to sell his services to corporations.
His stock of argument before the aegisla-
ture was: You defeated me for senator:
therefore You ought to do me the personal
favor of voting for this measure
His crowning service IN behalf of the
street railway company was the passage
of TIE Strehli bill this spring. The bill was
entirely in the interest Of the street rail-
way company and against the interest Of
the people of Cincinnati.
'Of course he charged large fees for his
services, and 1t was said that in one year
he made over $4,000. 1t is safe to say that
$4,000 out of the $4,000 came from the lob
5ying department OF his law business.
ITO be little more explicit IN this mat
ter, George B. Cox and ]. B. Foraker have
business, in which Mr. Cox managed con-
ventions and took into his care the politi-
cal future of all candidates. while Mr.
Foraker got the usufruct and charged the
fees. If, therefore, any city official or rep
sentative did not yield TO the personal
favor argument of Mr.. Foraker he was
liable to be threatened with the disp,eas-
ure OF Mr.. Cox.
at has become manifest to the great
mass Of republicans Of this county that
Mr.. Foraker Is using his political connec-
tons for the purpose of building up his
own pecundary interest by serving corpora
lions against the interest of the public at
large"
This explains why Senator Foraker as a
legislative attorney never got anything
but a regular salary" He was able to
get things done as personal faUors''' and
OF course ne would not charge his employer
for personal favor.
Think how much money Yerkes could
have saved on the Allen law in Illinois IL
he had had an attorney" who could get
votes by the personal favor route.
Think how a Chicago lobbyist would re-
joice II ne could work the personal favor
racket and put al the "swag' in his own
pocket.
And SUCH lot Of work as Foraker aid
that winter, without considering anything
but the ones which have been mentioned
saved his clients from the Nichols law,
saved the weitzei law and passed the
Strehli laval for a regular salary" OF
course.
How in the world did ne get rich at such
a rate? Business sense revolts at It.
Really, Mr.. ilgour could affcrI to build
that Washington mansion for Foraker and
make him a present of IL. Maybe he did
he and others. All the sourses of For
aker's Irregular salary" cannot be put in
to one newspaper article.