The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-08
THE LAYROURN RESOLUTION.

The resolution introduced in the house
of representatives by Mr. Laybourn CEN
suring Mr.. jacobson and Mr.. Washborn
for preferring charges of bribery which
they were unable to support, will afford
the members an opportunity to rebuke
the authors of an open insult to the
entire house, which they were powerless
to resent at the time
The report Of the committee of inves-
tigation shows clearly that Mr. Wash
burn, ont of a conversation which might
mean something of nothing built up a
scandal involving, not one OF two or
ten members, but the entire legislative
body
From a survey of the whole proceed
ings, is is apparent that Mr.. Jacobson
saw in this public charge of wholesale
bribery. an opportunity to force a major
ity Of the legislature to support his
gross earnings BILL He knew that
majority of the representatives were in
favor Of referring the question Of rails
ing the gross earrings tax to the tax
commission. This proposition to refer
this matter of taxation to the commits
sion was so fair that no man could find
any objections to 1t. TIE tax commission
was the proper body to deal with such a
matter. Mr.. JacobGon knew also that
Wholesale charge of attempted brfb-
cry would plao[ the members between
the devil and the deep blue sea; they
would have to vote for his bill for an
arbitrary advance in the tax rate or
oppose it under the blanket charge of
being bribed to refer it to the tax COM
mission. Here lr. jacobson showed
himself a capital judge of human nature
and a politician of considerable skill, but
at the same time he advertised himself
as totally devoid OF that sense of right,
of honor and of common justice, without
which any public man becomes a menace
to society.
He knew at the time that Washburn's
tale would not stand the test of investiga-
ton, and would not sustain his charge
of bribery, even if his charge had been
made specific. To have been specific
would have been fatal to his stratagem.
The power of the charge was in its
vagueness. None but jacobson and
Washburn was exempt from the sweep
ing tmputation of bribery The scheme
worked Before the truth or falsity of
the charges could be proved, the bill was
Up for consideration, and a majority
Tvera time ooa-oad ;c+o Sc s,,orou+ = o.o .,,-.
their convictions.
It is immateriaI whether you kill a
man Or scare him to DEATH 1t is i'm
material whether you influence the vote
of a legislator by the promise of money
consideration or by the fear of defama-
ton. One is called bribery and the other
blackmail
Whether the gross earnings bill should
have been referred to the tax commission
or passed as it was is a matter of opinion
on which men may honestly differ, but
there can be no question about the tactics
employed by Mr.. Jacobson to secure It's
passage; they were reprehensible to the
last degree-an insult to every honest
man in the legislature
Had there been reasonable grounds for
g charge of bribery; had he been In pos
session Of facts to prove undue influence
in one, two or ten individual cases. even
then his sweeping charge of bribery was
unfair to the rest Of the house. Any
man of honor who is in possession Of
facts tending to convict public servant
of malfeasance in office will so frame
his charges that the innocent may not
suffer with the guilty
The object Of Jacobson, however, was
not to convict any one of the charges
preferred by him with such a bIare Of
trumpets, but to scare the timid into
the support of his bill it was parliament
tary blackmar
Chickens Of that breed always come
home to roost, and he must be a greater
statesman than Mr.. Jacobson who can
practice that kind of parliamentary tao
ties and survive the deserved contempt
Of his associates. For the sake of the
reputation Of this legislature, and the
honor Of the great state of Minnesota.
the Laybourn resolution should be pass-
ed