The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-02
IN POLITICS ron THE RAKE-oFF.

IN POLITICS FOR THE RAkE-OFF.
The testimony taken by the Senate COM
mittee investigating the charges of bribery
against Senator Clarke of Montana has
not. so far tended to show that the Sen
ator was directly connected with the at
tempt 10 corrupt any legislator, or that he
furnished the money which a certain leg
islator says he accepted from an attorney
for Clark as payment for his vote, and
which money is now locked up in the vault
of a bank in Helena. But the evidence has
shown conclusivey that many of the Mon
tana legislators were quite willing TO be
corrupted, on all possible occasions They
were in politics for what they could get
out of it, and the oftener they were in
suited" the better they liked it.
One witness before the committee, State
Senator Geiger, who described himself as
Mckinley Republican, tod how within
few weeks he had risen from minus
nothing" to comparative wealth. When
he was nominated he had $25 of his own.
He received $500 from his mothers estate
and borrowed $500 for his campaign. Near
~ all of this was gone when he reached
Helena after his election. But once the
legislative mill was started, A flow of
money came his way. He couldn't go 10
his room of nights without finding pack
ages of money on the bureau or the bed,
or living about on chairs. If he went into
a gambling room it seemed impossible for
him to loose. If he put his cash on
| horse race, his favorite was sure to win.
At the end of the legislative session he
had paid off his debts, had bought build
ing lois in his home town, had contracted
for the erection of buildings, and had
comfortable bank account.
Some of the inquisitive members of the
committee wished to know how Mr.. Geiger
explained his remarkable winnings at
| gambling after he became a member of
the LEGISLATURE, in view of his ill-luck be-
| fore. and asked how il was that he,
state senator, knowing gambling to be a
misdemeanor, should engage in games of
chance. He had no explanation to offer
as 90 his luck and as to the gambling as
serted that he was about as conscientious
as some other Montana officials"
This matter of conscience extended TO
and included the finding of the packages
of money in his room. He said he did
knew pretty well that they were intended
as testimonials of friendship from the pro-
motors of certain bills Two corporation
bills he recalled. When one of them was
up he found a package containing SLIGO
in his room He voted for the bill aud
kept the money He intended to vote for
the bill anyway, he said, hence in keeping
the money he was not bribed 1t was the
general understanding among the legisla-
tors that money could be had for votes for
or against bills chat were before the Leg
| islature. There were many ways to make
money in Helena at that time" he de-
clared. And from che number of $40
and 500 bills handled by the banks during
and Immediately after the session of the
LEGISLATURE it appears that many of Sem
ator Geigers conferees, as web as him
self. made the most of their opportunities
1t is a trite comment to say that any
such condition of affairs is shocking to
those who believe in free and honest gov
eminent And it may be equally trite, but
nevertheless true 10 say that no man
| could have been elected to the Senate by
such a body as Senator Geiger indicates
the Montana Legislature to have been
without becoming smirched with suspicion.
Mr.. Clarke may have used money to Sc
cure his election, but If he did il was prob
ably because the Legislators demanded 1t.
They were statesmen for the "rake-off."