Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-04
MEMORABLE LAW or GRAFT.

s
In the symposium on graft pre-
pared by the Brooklyn EagleFrederick
Upham Adams says: The inexorable
law OF supply and demand governs
and determines in the world Of graft.
As naturally as water seeks It's level.
and as instinctiyely as rats discern
the scent OF cheese does your
CRATER locate and reach out after the
positions where graft is possible ann
profitable. Since there are mor graf
tiers than opportunities for grating.
there Is engendered a lively compel.
ton between those who would fatten
at public expense. Thus there Is es-
tablished a market price for official
positions. At times a combination oil
grafters will sacrifice M Of these
positions { 0 an honest man in order
that In an election the influence OF his
good name will place or hold them
In power. But as a rule these places
are sold to the highest bidder, discrim-
nation being shown TO those whose
personality adds to that popularity
necessary to the winning OF votes, No
investment yields SO large returns on
money expended as that which estab-
fishes one as a CRATER. Experienced
politicians usually estimate the profit
at a minimum OF 100 per cent. II q
man spends $4,000 In order to secure
d political Job he expects 70 make ~
much or more each year out 81 y.
Like gambling. the profits are high be-
cause the risks are great. There
ever looms up the shadow Of the jail.
Ii will not be claimed that official
salaries are too high In the city
county, state or nation. On the con-
trary they are too low. 1t will not be
claimed that there Is longer any honor
In serving a community while suspi.
cion attaches TO every oeeeholder, 4
capable man can make more ! n q
civic position than he a In a public
one. and his reputation stands In NO
danger. 1t may, therefore, be fair to
assume that the man who pays his
way Into an Office purposes 70 rob
the community through 1t. No Other
Inference is logical II naturally
follows that the greater the %opportui.
J ties for plumber, the higher the
price paid Tor ONCE. The law OF sup.
ply and demand is followed absolutely
It Is. therefore. possible to locate the
more important g%rafters and to dc
termine the Offices which are sold by
determining the price paid for them
Every elective position In New
York, and, for that matter, In al
!, large cities In this country, offers
possibilities for graft. and all Of them
in the metropolis have been filled by
grafters. 1t Is conceivable that an
honest man of wealth might pay MS Q
\, campaign assessment d sum Of money
equal ID his salary for the entire tern
u which he aspires. but In doing q
! he evinces a sad lack u delicacy ant
sets a most deplorable example, Blu
J we may quickly dismiss these figure
' heads who stand as the standard bear
ers OF the party, They may OF ma!
not be intending grafters. As a rule
: they pay campaign assessments, ant
large ones. In England. France AM
' Germany such i~ndiscretions are no
permitted, But what shall we 50.
= of aldermen who pay In assessment
many times the amounts OF their sal
: aries? What shall we say OF candl
y dates for the Judiciary who pay vas
sums OF money in order that they ma!
be elected TO the most respected place
within the gift Of citizenship? TIL
demand Is made from pulpit and ed
torial page that no word OF criticism
or breath of censure be directed
against the bench. They may thu
: cultivate a respect among the masses
7 but the damning. practical fact re
mains that there are communities y
' which the highest assessments In pre-
: portion 70 the prospective salaries ar
! levied against the judicial candidates
ana coupled with this IL the add
! tlonal and more ominous fact that Y
= many instances these assessments ar'
!. not paid BY the candidates. but b
= corporate and other interests whic'
7 reasonably may expect to have lttl
! CATION before the Judge whose elee
: tion il in question. Where there Z
reasonable doubt ss To which ticke
: viii win. Il is customary for such y
: terests to pay the assessments Of tn
rival candidates. No fact IL bette
: known to those admitted behind tn
scenes III pbnutS 1T Ihdt al Asfes
III -. H..k fsoroff