The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-11-13
orNAroR's VOTE GOLD.
Phase Of Washington Legislative llis
Told By the Victim. -

Teld by the Victim.
A former distinguished senator. and
O man who died poor. although he
spent hls entire life IN public ahalrs.
once told a very interesting story OF
how his veto was sold without bis
knowledge Possibly other senatorial
votes have been sold IN a like manner.
In Pullman car one day the sena.
tor renewed the acquaintance of o.
prominent railroad men he had met In
Washington. and who, he knew, was
interested In a land grant bin which
had become a Jaw and had received
the senator's support.
We'll. your bill got through all
right" remarked the senator, though
you we're so very uneasy about
I'VE had a right 20 be uneasy
sponded the railroad man. I'm
times Of anu-rallroad sentiment, Ekuy
public men fear TO vote for a railroad
bill"
well. voted for It because It was
a Just measure, and no amount OF pre-
JUDGE would have scared me-" re-
marked the senator
"Oh, yes, we knew we had your
vote" the railroad man remarked
with peculiar look. ~
How did you know it," asked u Z
senator, sharply.
Because we paid $4,000 for f." an
swcred the railroad man, firmly
The senator gasped, got his BREATH
demanded an explanation, and the par
ticuIars of the affair then came out.
It developed that when this bin was
pending the railroad man received in
formation that there was danger Of its
being defeated, and came to Washing
/ ton to see about it. Soon after his ar
rival he met a man whom he knew
slightly az a legislative promoter, and
a number of senators said to be doubt
( full were named, but, added the promo
ter their votes could be had for a
1 consideration The price Of this par.
/ ticular senator was fixed at $4,000
NOW, he is a little peculiar about
these things" said the promoter, "and
you had better let me see him first;
then later in the day you can call on
/ him and see if he promises his vote.
1t seems that this promoter did call
/ on the senator, and mentioned the
railroad bill, and said that there was
a man in the city who would be glad
to know that the senator would sup
port the bin; and might call later and
hear him say so.
"Oh, yes" said the senator, cts a
good bill, and I'll vote for it, but have
no time to bother with this man"
Nevertheless, in the afternoon the
railroad man and his friend were ush-
cred into the senator's committee
room, and the promoter said:
Senator, this is the gentleman I
spoke to you about this morning inter
ested in that land gran; bill. He will
be glad to know it is all right"
yes, It's all right" said the sena-
tor THE bill ought to pass, and, as
said this morning, am going to sup
port it,"
The incident apparently closed IN
til renewed afterward upon the train.
Upon the strength of that inter
view" said the railroad man, I'VE paid
that promoter $4,000 for your vote"
Well, it's needless for me to say
never knew anything about it. But tell
me, why did you go about anythi7f
of that kind? Why didn't you come
me first, without any negotiation, and
find out how stood and what would
do%'
We'll, we were so scared we didn't
take any chances on anything" was
the reply.
Telling the story afterward, One
senator said: 81 had often looked Aat
some of my colleagues, whose reput2.
tions had been impugned, and asked
myself: Are they knaves or fools"
but after this incident, when felt
like criticizing a fellow member for
his vote, or placed in a position where
he was suspected Of it, and, therefore,
fool l would check myself as some
one might be asking: TO which class
do you belong? Washington Post
All Gone.