The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-12
TO BUY LEGISLATION.

Except in one instance it was not sug-
gested in North Carolina. from the ex-
pulsion of the Radicals in 1870 until the
victory of the Fusionists in 1894. that
money was required to secure the pas
sage of just legislation in General AS
sembly of this State. 1t Is a matter oil
history how the 1S6S-'69 Legislature was
debauched-and gladly debauched. The
debt ''the hands" saddled upon the State
was repudiated because IL was notori-
ously secured by bribery and other gross
corruption. 1t is equally as notorious
that during the session of the Fusion
Legislatures in 1895 and 1897 certain
OF the Big Five" of bosses had to be
"seen' before legislation could be ex-
pedited. In fact persons who wished
legislation did not hesitate to employ
some Fusion lawyer to put it through
otherwise he knew that its chances were
doubtful And so the practise of using
money to buy or expedite legislation,
that had been unknown LOT more IMAM
twenty years, was re-introduced.
The return of the Democrats to power
legislation, but the hiring of lobbyists
remained as an evil legacy. 1t was
quite pronounced during the 1899 session
of the Legislatures it was much less dur
ing the 1901 session. 1t ought to be
nipped in the bud by the 1903 Legislature.
1t seems, however, that those who get
a taste of making money easily hate to
give it up. And so, five months before
the Legislature is to assemble, plans are
organized for a return of the evil. A
gentleman, owning stock in certain cor
porations, was recently approached and
requested to contribute to fund Ito
prevent pernicious legislation by the
General Assembly, The suggestion that
it is necessary for corporations to raise
a corruption fund "to prevent pernicious
a new suggestion in North Carolina The
people know what it means. It is not
ito prevent pernicious legislation for
which this corruption fund is to be
raised. 1t is to secure immunity from
Just taxation that prompts the raising
of this fund. Nobody can be deceived
by it.
There is no rhyme or reason in raising
this fund. If the lobbyists will stay
away from the Legislature, and if no
money is used to elect the tools and
agents of railroads to the Legislature,
the General Assembly may be relied upon
to treat every interest with justice and
fairness. There is no intention in any
quarter to enact "pernicious legislation"
If the present laws bear hardly upon any
class of people, they will be amended
and made fair, and this without the
necessity of raising any money to go
into the pockets of lobbyists and specu-
lators in legislation.
Business men and manufacturers OF
character ought not 10 lenu themselves
to this new method of corruption. They
need not be so emphatic as the gentle
man who said, in response to solicita-
tion for a contribution to the corruption
fund, II will not give a id cent" but
they ought to put their foot down upon
any such corrupt methods of influencing
legislation. If it is contributed to by
business men this time, the disgraceful
practise will grow, and when legislation
is bought and sold in this State like it
is in Pennsylvania. for instance, the
men who put up the money now in re-
Spouse to a false suggestion, will be re-
sponsible for the consequent debauchery
which is sure to result from the intro
duction of such methods.
The time may have been when these
things could be done in corner; that
day has passed. Raising money to in
fiuence legislation is no whit better than
raising money to control the decisions
Of courts or the findings of juries. And
the people of North Carolina will not
tolerate either. :. ! a fall. M Gz