The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-04-15

I have shown how the good citizen
and the reputable business man
sought to corrupt public officials and
servants. l have related a few oc-
currences which demonstrated the fact
that much Of the grating, corruption
and laxity in the public service is
caused by the pernicious activity and
influence Of private citizens acting for
themselves or their business associates.
This unholy alliance OF representative
and influential business and profess
siOnal men with the corrupted city of
Gals and employees is at the bottom
of all that is corrupt and evil in a
city's government
While money kings, merchant
princes, railroad magnates, prominent
lawyers, captains of industry, landed
proprietors, leaders Of society, pillars
of churches and retired capitalists
band themselves together to protect
low groggeries, guard disorderly
houses from police attack, shelter
gambling bells, balk municipal re-
forms, attack conscientious city Off
cials, terrorize faithful police officers
and encourage income-producing vice,
there is built up an influence which
will defeat any a who attempts
to contend against it.
The popular cry is that mal-adminis-
tratiOn of public affairs is attributable
to the pernicious influence of politics.
But the nan who has been d mayo
knows better. He knows that the
grating politician, the boodling pc
IiTica1 hNSc opI tho oHrrlInt nH[ltirdl
leader could not exist were it not for
the cooperation of solid" business
men and the indifference of the aver
age voter. | knew it before | had
served half my term, and one Of the
latest Of my mayoral experiences
served to drive the unpleasant truth
home and cIinch it ~immovably in my
memory.
One of my last official acts was the
veto of a particularly vicious Ordl-
! nance. 1t was introduced in behalf of
a public utility corporation and the
| gangsters purposed rushing it through
before the new administration came
into power. The board of aldermen
passed it by such a substantial ma
jority that there seemed little doubt
the gangsters would be able to muster
enough votes to pass it over my veto
if l should return it with my dis
approval.
The ordinance was so clearly against
public policy and interest that | de-
ciied to veto it as Don as | had read
it through. When my decision became
known the gangsters and their hackers
began a %boodling campaign to round
up sufficient votes to defeat my pur-
pose. 1t was my last fight, for the
newly elected mayor. my successor
would assume the office the following
week. I had my scouts out and their
almost hourly reports indicated that
the boOdlers were winning all along
the line.
Late in the afternoon of the day be-
fore the board meeting an alderman
came into my office. He was one OF
the incOnspicuOus aldermen, elected as
an independent and by accident. He
was a skilled mechanic and worked al
his trade; a man of decent habits
somewhat timid, but voting always
with the. honest minority. He was
elected. 1 said, by accident, -becaust
llS lHdtIcHtSiIl tdL1tlddCy gave d tid
jority of dissatisfied voters in his ware
an opportunity to punish the unpopu
lar nominees Of both of the great par
ties. and there happened to be enough
sore heads" to pull him through b,
a scant plurality.
He was evidently much excited whei
he came into my office. I CHANGED tt
be alone. He shut the door and, walk
ing rapidly toward my desk, said
Come in here. I want to see you"
followed him into my private office
shut and locked the door, for his ever.
movement old M the man was tryin!
to suppress an intense mental agita
ton. When he heard the lock click b
crouched on the lounge and burst int
tears. For some moments he was al
most hysterical. I watched him 81
lently until he had partially ~ecevere
his caImness.
I'm a ruined man." he began
"ruined, any a you look at it."
Then he broke into sobs, whic
seemed to shake every fiber of hi
body. and, sobbing, he muttered
They've got me, any way you loo
at it."
Look here. alderman" I said, "wha
l. is all this about?"
NJ Mayor he replied, eff I vol
l to pass that ordinance over your vet
l I get 81 500. If I vote to sustain vol
veto I'm sol out of house and HON,
y That's what's the matter. If take tn
money I'm ruined for eternity, and
1 don't take the money I'm ruined nov
, for all I've got in the world is my Ii
! tie business and Rome. They've bee
u at me ever since the ordinance VIZ
passed. They told me they had enous
votes to pass it over your head, b,
that l was a good fellow only I ha
g been training with the wrong crow
SO they would let me in on a GOO
thing if l would vote with them, so
to make their majority larger. 1 to
'em l was with you and fatty refuse
to pledge myself to them.
d This morning a lawyer comes