The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-13
TALES OUT OF SCHOOL
Massachusetts Legislators Bought and
Sold Like Fish and Sausage
in the Market
HOW "FIxERs" DO THEIR WORK
Tom Lawson's Exposures Make Very
Interesting Reading for All Those
Who Vote 'Er Straight

The following extracts are taken
from Lawson's article in Everybody's
Magazine. Tom has been on the in
side and not only knows what he is
talking about, but evidently tells the
truth:
AT this period | knew nothing what
ever OF the workings or the wire-pull
ings OF state legislatures. My business
life had been engaged at the stock end
of corporate transactions, and l had
not troubled myself about franchises
or how they were obtained, being con-
tent to play my part with the manu-
factured product with which we delt
or the market. In general way
knew political corruption existed.
That Rogers had obtained favors for
his Brookline company through brib-
ing officials had good grounds to be-
lieve; / had read of strange doings in
connection with H. M. Whitneys West
End railway franchise obtained from
the Massachusetts legislature amid an
accompaniment of much public scan
DIAL; but being quite without personal
experience / had no clear conception
OF how things we're done and, inno-
Gently enough, asked Whitney before
We parted:
''How is it possible for you to get
this valuable charter from the legisla-
ture, particularly with such a strong
and honest man as Roger Wolcott in
| the governors chair, when Addicks
has been trying continuously for four
| III, fun r,f 10
secure an ordinary one under which
he can combine our gas companies"
George ToWle answered for Whit
ney:
Lawson, that part is no affair Of
yours. Mr.. Whitney will absolutely
guarantee to deliver all those goods,
and if it is necessary to override the
governor in getting them, he will also
guarantee to do that too. You can call
all that done the minute we sign pa
pers."
We, the Boston companies, were to
| go snags" with Whitney in the re-
suits OF legislative game in which
he was to bear the expense of getting
a charter, and as Whitney and Towle
said it was to cost them, to get it,
| $250,000 to 100000, it loked as if there
would be some nasty business done at
| the state house.
| do not set UP for saint, nor to
possessing exclusive virtues which dis
| tinguish me from the ordinary Ameri-
can citizen who does business for gain
A man who writes the history of af
fairs in which he bore leading part
is bound to be accused of egotism
however he deals with himself, especi-
ally if he admits a strong prejudice
in favor of honesty and fair-dealing
in his relations with his friends and
the public. In reiterating that the
bribery end of our 'hitch-up" with
Whitney did not appeal to me, | am
neither pluming nor. crowning myself,
but merely stating fact. But this
was an emergency / could not meet as
a mere personal concern. 1t was my
duty to care for the interests of
great property which must not be en-
dangered by my scruples, and | was
willing to be advised by my business
friends in the matter. So / went
round among my most conservative
banking, business and newspaper con-
ACStlOAC duu put hypOtuCtlCdl uuGS-
tions to them bearing on my difficulty
In nearly all instances the replies
were the same, and the subject seemed
to be regarded as joke-what were
Legislatures for, anyway, but to be
| fixed? All who did business with
legislatures fixed" them, and Whit
ney was certainly the star '.fixer." |
| frankly stated that | considered brib.
ing legislator as a low-down crime
and that l did not believe it was done
in our strait-laced old commonwealth
as freely as they all seemed to think.
Thereupon 1 was sarcastically referred
to my Bell telephone, New Haven, and
Boston & Maine railroad friends, the
organizers of trust companies and
many other Representative pillars of
social and business society, who had
had occasion to deal with the state.
l began at once round of investiga-
tion among men who would talk frank