The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-15


ONE of the cleverest of the politicians
who had a good deal to do around
the city hall during my administration
tool me buggy riding toward the END
of my term. We passed a handsome row
of flats. Pointing to the building, he
sale:
That belongs to NE. l built 1t out OF
my commissions"
Commissions" replied. "You
mean"
Il mean just what l say" he broke In.
THAT building was put up with the
money paid me by the business pubic,
paid me for work done, and, if do say
ii myself, we'll done. That'sm my business
broker to the public, the businesspub-
lie preferred, and for that work getmy
commission It's not Doodle or bribing
or graft. It's a straight, middleman's
business"
"Of course" said, 81 have known that
some of you fellows used your influence
to get ordinances through the board OF
aldermen or to get a committee to send
in a favorable report on som resolu-
ton or order, but l didn't think there
was enough in it to make a man a land
lord OF a capitalist"
81 nave never used my influence to
put through an order, ordinance or reso-
luton which smelled of dirty money"
said the politician, speaking earnestly.
But I have lobbied for measures which
required no lobbying and pulled for
ordinances which would have gone
through without any pulling and charged
my principals good round commissions
for it, too. You have been mayor Of
this town a good many months and you
were no spring chicken when you were
elected, yet you could be gold-bricked
in the city hall as easy as the softeSt
business man who wants something of
the city.
you have the same idea of the way
business has to be done in the city de-
partments as most business men have.
You think nothing can be lone or put
through without influence or graft.
That idea is the capital of men in my
line of business. We are regarded as
men Of influence in the public depart
ments because We are politicians of
more or less strength. So, when Mr..
Business Man wants a favor done, wants
a permit, order or certificate, wants the
street in front of his house repaired,
wants this or that-al II legitimate, prop
er wants-he hunts us up, tells us what
he wants; We get the thing done and the
next day get his check.
HE believes we used our own per-
sonal influence or cash to get him what
he wanted. That is, he believes that
every man in the city hall, including
yourself, Is crooked. so he puts up no
holler when we gently intimate that our
little commission is due.
NOW the fact is, in ninety-nine times
out Of a hundred cases that same bust
ness man could get for himself, without
paying n red cent, that for which he
paid me or some of the other boys sew
eral hundred dollars. Sometimes it's
hard work to keep from laughing in the
face of some keen, bright business man
who draws me into a dark corner to give
me $25 to get a permit for him which he
could get himself by merely asking for
1t. It's like taking candy from a baby
SO easy. Yet that sort of thing is done
every day simply because the common
belief is that anything of a public ma
ture is associated or connected with
Doodle or graft. And just as long as this
public pessimism continues I will build
and own income-producing fiat build
ings."
lhave repeated these candid and some
what cynical observations ofthis profess
sional politician because the public pes
sImism which gave him a good living is
the most discouraging condition which
faces the chef executive of any city. One
of the best mayors who ever filled that
office, Golden Rule" Jones, of Toledo.
died but a short time ago.. His death
recalls a conversation he had with a
friend of mine in which he said:
1T was extremely difficult for me- to
convince the business men of my city
that l wanted to give them an honest
fair and decent administration. They
seemed to take it for granted that |
was expected to say those things and
to do just the opposite; to be a hypo-
critic and use my Office for the personal
benefit of myself and my friends"
Golden rule" Jones lived long
enough to know that the citizens of
Toledo implicitly believed him and
In him, and it is a sad fact that this
mutual confidence between a mayor
and his people is 30 rare that Mayor
4 Jones OF Toledo was known the world
over as a unique character"
AS Isdrew near the close of nv term
I began to count the days when
would step down and out and become a
private citizen again. My impotence
to transfer the reins of government
10 my successor increased as the end
drew nearer. / had said In the com.
nlencement of my administration that
1 would not seek denomination. NV
friends urged me to reconsider that
statement, but l had had enough of the
office.
felt that another term would trans
form me into a confirmed cynic. / had
tried faithfully and earnestly m live