The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-11-03
PROMOTER SOLD HIS VOTE.
Phase of Washington Legislative
Life Sounds Like Ropn.nee

|
Life Sounds Like Romance.
A former distinguished senator and
a man who died poor, although he
spent his entire life in public al
fairs, once told very interesting stO
ry of how his vote was sold without
his knowledge. Possibly other sena
torial votes have been sold in a like
| manner.
In a Pullman car one day the Sena
tor renewed the acquaintance of a
prominent railroad man he had met
in Washington and who he knew was
interested in land grant bill which
had become a law and had received
the senator's support.
We'll, your bill got through all
right remarked the senator al
though you were so very uneasy
about it,
I'VE had right to be uneasy" re.
spOnded the railroad man. "In these
| times of anti-railroad sentiment ma
ny public men feared to vote for a
| railroad bill"
wall, I voted for it because it was
a just measure and no amount of
prejudice could 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 the
senator sharply.
Because we paid $4,000 for it," an
swered the railroad man firmly.
The senator gasped. got his breath
demanded an explanation and the par
ion Of no aee Cot
1t developed that when this bill was
pending the railroad man received
information that there was danger of
its being defeated and came to Wash
ington to see about it. Soon after his
arrival he met a man whom he knew
slightly as a legislative promoter and
number of senators said to be doubt
full We're named. but, added the pro-
moter, their votes could be had for a
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.
land 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
= man in tie city who would be glad
to know that the senator would sup
port the bill and might they call lat
err and hear him SOP"
"Oh, YES said the senator, cts
good bill and I'll vote for it, but I
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 [
spoke to you about this morning, in
terested in that land grant bill. He
will be glad to know if it is all right"
yes. it's all right" said the sena-
tor. 'The bill ought to pass and as
| said this morning, l am going to
support it."
The incident apparently closed I'M
til renewed afterward upon the train
Upon the strength Of that inter-
view" said the railroad man, I'VE
paid the 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 any
thing Of this kind? Why didn't you
come to me first. without any nego-
tiation, and find out how 1 stood and
what I would do?"
We'll, we were so scared we didn't
take any chances on anything" was
the reply.
Telling the story afterward. the
senator said: 81 had often looked at
some Of my colleagues whose reputa-
tions had been impugned and asked
myself: Are they knaves or fools?'
But after this incident. when l felt
like cl'iticising fellow member for
being a knave and taking money for
his vote or placed in position where
he was suspected of it. and therefore
a fool, I would check myself. as some
one might be asking: To which class
do you belong Washington Post