The Forrest City times., 1905-06-30

not wait for the junket to begin. He had railroad passes and started out to investigate the penitentiaries. asylums. normal schools. reform schools and other state institutions himself. All such places have steam boilers
 Every state institution has its scan dal. and It's head is always sensitive to criticism from one who comes clothed with authority. The general salesman of the boiler compound concern. who didn't know the first thing about boilers. but did know human nature, simply in- timated to the wardens and superintend- ents that he was out looking for trouble and when he asked, as personal favor, that they would try his unexcelled boiler compound, they declared 1t didn't require trial; 1t was just what their head engineers had demanded for years. He made good money selling boiler com pound at outrageous prices to the state that year
 Probably the best paying honest graft" scheme worked by any member took the form of securing glowing tes timonials for 8 widely advertised patent medicine. This member. using his pow CT and influence, induced" number of prominent state officials, not only to write ardent words testifying to the wonderful curative powers of the med icine, but to permit the medicine com pany to embellish the advertisement with their portraits The lawmaker who carried the testimonial side line" re- ceived all the way from $25 to $50 for each testimonial. Of course be could not have secured a single letter had he not been an influential member of the legislature.
 It must not be understood that the member of the legislature always takes the initiative in making side line" con- nections. Often the first approach Is made by the business man There was an experience had in which one of the great life insurance companies had the audacity to make me proposition, after had been elected speaker, In which the company's agent broadly hinted that l of the gavel to drum up trade for bis concern. My experience Is interesting in that it serves to illustrate the methods employed by large corporations to get some kind of a grip on the legislature
 Some weeks before the general assem- bly convened the daily papers mentioned my name In connection with the speak lotn q letter from the attorney of the life in surance company, requesting me to rep resent the company in a little case which came up in our county seat did so and in the course of the following month l got check for my services. Next received letter from the same attor ney. asking me to call upon him in re lation to similar suits in my district l reached his office at noon and he sug. gested that we take lunch together anc there talk over the suits. We had { good lunch and a long talk, and not one, did the subject of the legislature conn up. Apparently be did not even knoy l had been reelected a member
 One of the first telegrams of congrat ulation 1 received after being electe : speaker was from this attorney Soo after representative of the compan called upon me and, assuming the atti tude of one who was talking with tn ) legal representative of his company. he , apparently, gave me some of the insid history of the great corporation. The came the proposal. The company want ed me to use my influence as speaker t. get business for it among the member of the legislature AS compensation was to receive fat commission on al business that might grow out of tn scheme. The agent, under the impres sion that l was willing. went so far a to say:
 You see, you are in good position t, induce the members to take out policies in our company. Just word from yo, will be enough, and where little pres sure is needed you can tap them witt your gayel, and they are smart enough to take that hint
 At first l was inclined to warm up un der the collar when the agent unmaske, his batteries and got down to business then felt amused and gave him plent, of rope. He told me, among other things that his company had had several speak CTS In other states with them. and tha each had made several thousands of dol lars honestly" and he laid special em phasis on the word honestly
 
 We had with us, at this session. chemist who represented district ii the largest city of the state From tn, beginning be talked food adulteration and. as he was a chemist, what he had t, say was heard with respect. He insist cd that IL was the duty of the state to talk the lead In campaign against impur, food stun He fitted up a laborator, near the state house and put in most o his time analysing the food stun solo to the state institutions He invited in. members to visit bis laboratory. anc