The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1904-07-08
NUMBER Is.
HIS VOTE WAS SOLD.
Phase of Washington legislative Life
Sounds Like a Romance.


fairs, once told very interesting
story of how his vote was sold
without his knowledge, says the
Washington Post. Possibly other
senatorial votes have been sold in
like manner.
In a Pullman car one day the
senator 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 law
and had received the senator's
support.
"Well, you got your bill through
all right" remarked the senator,
though yOu were very uneasy
about it,"
ave had Il right to be uneasy"
responded the railroad man. in
these times of anti-railroad senti-
nent many public men feared to
vote for railroad bill"
well, | voted for it because it
was a just measure, and no
amount of prejudice could have
scared me" remarked the senator.
ooh, yes, we knew we had your
vote" the railroad man remarked,
with a peculiar look.
"How did you know it?" asked
the senator, sharply.
Because we paid $4,000 for IL"
answered the railroad man,
firmly.
The senator gasped, got his
breath, demanded an explanation
and the particulars of the aff'@
then came out. 1t developed tl;,
when this bill was pending the
railroad man received informa
tion that there was danger of its
being defeated, and came to VAS
ingtOn to see about it. Soon after
his arrival he met a man whom hp
knew slightly as a legislative pro
moter, and Il number OF senators
said to be doubtful were named,
but, added the promoter. their
votes could be had for q considera-
ton. The price of this particular
senator was fixed at $4,000.
"Now he is a little peculiar
about these things" said the pro
meterys'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 man in the city who
would be glad to know that the
senator would support the bill;
and might they call later and Lea,
him say so?
"Oh, yes" said the senator, ats
a good bill, and I'll vote for it, but
/ have no time to bother with this
man"
Nevertheless, in the afternoons
the railroad man and his friends
were ushered into the senator'sE
committee room, and the promotere
said:
Senator, this is the gentleman
/ spoke to you about this morn
ing, interested in the land grant
bill. He will be glad to know it is
all right"
Eyes, it's all right, >" said the SEN
ator. "The bill ought to pass, and,
as | said this morning, am going
to support it,"
The incident apparently closed
until renewed afterward upon tie
train.
upon the strength of that in
terview," said the railroad man,
1--WE paid the promoter $4,000 for
your vote
well, it's needless for me to say
l never knew anything about it.
But tell me, why did you go aboutl
anything of that kind? Whyh
didn't you come TO me first, with.
out any negotiation, and find out;
how l stood and what / would
dO?"
"Well, we were so scared we
didn't take any chances on any
thing" was the reply.
Telling the story afterward, the
senator said: 81 had often looked
at some of my colleagues, whose
regulations had been impuened.
and asked myself: Are they
knaves or fools? but after this in
cident, when l felt like criticising
a fellow-member for being
knave and taking money for his
vote, or placed in a position where
he was suspected of it, and there
fore, a fool, l would check myself.
as some one might by asking: TO
vwyh nj, III n 4