Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-19
TIE STORY OF A BRIDE.
How . Senator's Vote Was Sold
without His Knowledge.

How a Senator'S Vote Was Sold
without His knowledge.
a former distinguished senator. and a
man who died poor although he spent
| his entire life in public affairs, once
| told a very interesting story of how
his vote was sold without his knowl-
| edge. Possibly other senatorial votes
| have been sold in like manner
! In Pullman car one day the SEN
! ator renewed the acquaintance OF a
prominent railroad man he had met in
| Washington and who, he knew. was in
terested in a land grant bill which had
become a law and had received the
senator's support.
well. your bill got through all
right" remarked the senator. though
you were so very uneasy about IT.
I'VE had a right to be uneasy" re-
sponded the railroad man. In these
times of antlraiIrOad sentiment many
public men fear to vote for a railroad
| BILL
"WeIl, voted for it because 1t was
just measure, and no amount of pref
udiee would have scared me-" remark
ed 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 5000 for it," an
swered the railroad man firmly.
The senator gasped, got hfs breath,
demanded an explanation and the par
ticulars of the affair then came out.
1t 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 n man whom he knew
slightly as a legislative promoter. and
a number of senator's said TO be doubt
full were named; but, added the pro-
moter, their votes could be had for
consideration. The price of this par
ticular senator was fixed at $1,000.
Now, he is, 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 rail-
road bill and said that there was a
man In the city who would be glad to
know that the senator would support
the bill and might call later and hear
him say So
"Oh. yes" said the senator, cit is a
good bill, and I'll vote for il, but 1 have
no time TO bother with this man.
Nevertheless, in the afternoon the
railroad man and his friend were
ushered into the senator's committee
room, and the promoter said:
Senator. this is the gentleman 1
spoke to you about this morning in
terested in that land grant bill. He will
be glad to know it is all right"
Yes. it's all right" said the senator.
''The bill ought to pass, and. as l said
this morning. 1 am going to support
it"
The incident apparently closed until
renewed afterward upon the train.
Upon the strength of that inter-
view" said the railroad man, eve paid
that promoter $1,000 for your vote"
'Well, it's needless for me to say 1
never knew anything about it. But,
tell me, why did you go about any
thing of that kind? Why didn't you
come to me first, without negotiation,
and find out how l stood and what l
would dog"
"Well, we were so scared we didn't
take any chances on anything" was
the reply.
Telling the story afterward. the SEN
ator said, II had often looked at some
of my colleagues whose regulations
had been impugned and asked myself,
Are they knaves or fools? but after
this incident, when felt like CRITICS.
ing fellow member for being a knave
and taking money for his vote, or
placed in position where he was sus-
pected of it, and therefore a fool. 1
would check myself. as some one might
be asking. To which class do you be-
long? Washington Post