The Van Buren press., 1901-06-01
- CANDY cASrARnc> ~
Ct(0co)le&n
10, 10. NM 2$113sll 1;Iyy sC D,...,., -
Genuine stamped c. c. c. Never sold In bulk
Beware Of the dealer who tries to sell
something just as good"
The Use of Money.
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lue Use Vi MOutys
From the Batesville Guard
|. The most peculiar and remarkable
characteristic of the legislature Just
adjourned, If one may Judge from
general comment, is the low estimate
in which the integrity of so many of its
members is held by the public. Not
since the corrupt days of reconstruction
has there been so much and such open
talk of the use Of money in connection
with legislation. There are members
of both houses upon whom no breath of
suspicion rests, and no general law is
charged with corrupt enactment. But
aside from these there is a deal of ugly
talk. Representative Weaver Of
Sebastian, writing during the session
to the Fort Smith Elevator, of
which paper he is editor, had occasion
to refer to a class of members who
were anxious to extend the session to
secure the continuance of the per diem,
and added the following
This element is disreputable and
unworthy. Linked with them are
others of blacker stripe and still more
recreant to duty and more dangerous to
public welfare. Reference is made to
that coterie of members who are finding
it profitable to give their influence for
or against measures for valuable con
siderations furnished by representatives
of the interests to be affected by the
proposed legislation. They will want
the session extended in order to prolong
the opportunity to "hold up interests
and secure an illegitimate income from
their stay in Little Rock
During the consideration of the bill |
to exclude the American Book company
from the state, Representative Ponder |
of Lawrence declared upon the author.
ity of ex-Attorney-Ge General Trustworthy
that assurance had been given the |
concern that If a sufficient sum of
money were paid the bill would not
become u law. II was during this
debate that Representative Ponder de.
clared, THE time has come to clean
out the Augean stables and to force the
lobbyist to pack his grip The
Arkansas Democrat heartily com.
mended this utterance, but thought it
came to late, adding:
The time to have accomplished this
was when there was the first intimation
Of bribery. The democrat called
the attention Of the house to it vt the
time when the first evidence of the
boodler appeared. But nothing was
done, The air is still full of rumors of
buying and selling, boodling and
bribing. -
The bill to exclude the American
Book company was not the only meas.
ure OF that character offered. Other
business concerns sought similar
advantage over their rivals, or furnished
victims from whom the avarcious
legislator sought to extort money. The
anti-gainbling bill, after being stolen
In the senate and passing the house by
q tremendous majority, was finally
saved from defeat on reconsideration
by one vote. Twenty-Five members
who voted for this measure refused to
clinch Its passage Immediately after.
wards and secured reconsideration.
II Is said II Is thought arrangements had
been perfected TO kill IL, but one mem.
Der went wrong.
A bill to impose penalty for failure
10 deliver kilograms promptly, passed
The senate but never reached the house.
An investigation failed to find Il or
locate the blame. The democrat
says that on the last day OF the session
two members who were to distribute a
'und for the defeat Of u certain measure
divided the swag between themselves
md skipped for home that six years
.go u prominent member from north
Arkansas thus took away with him
~ 600, and that two years ago another
got of with $1,000, In spite Of the
protests OF those with whom he had
promised TO divide.
What can be done about it2 The
people can end II II they will elect only
men Of established integrity to the
legislature, There are plenty Of such
men In every county and every member
md every senator ought to belong TO
his class, II Is u matter OF shame and
TO the state that the late
assembly was not composed altogether
II such men. |;
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