The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-01-19

/ its issue of January 6, 1906. says:
The meaning of Walsh in Chicago
was roughly speaking, the meaning
of Thomas Ryan in New York, or,
let us say, James Campbell in ST.
Louis. Part or full ownership of
banks, trust companies, railroads, pub
lie service and utility corporations,
and the accompanying graft" makes
sucn men in sense the rulers OF
America. Walsh owned Senator Hop
kins, and to a large extent Senator
Cullom. He saw fit to bring his news
paper over to the Republican column
in the last election, as matter of
convenience. The names Republican
and Democratic are nothing to these
men, both parties being merely fac
tors in their business schemes, and
before Walsh himself put on the uni
form of a Republican, his cashier,
Blount, did the Republican business
for him, while Wash attended to the
Democratic. "Odell has influence be-
cause of his acquaintance with me,
says Hartman, in kindly jest, and his
motto deserves to become historic.
Hopkins has influence because of his
acquaintance" with John r. Walsh.
We speak thus cheerfully in the past,
although we have no belief that
Walsh's power is at an end. He has
been shade too frenzied in his fin
ance, but his fellow-financiers will
care for him and put him on his feet.
He will remain one of the little oil
garchy of banded money kings, and
he will continue his work of debauch-
ing business, corrupting legislation,
and generally acting as an energetic
and devoted worshiper of the dollar
mark.
Walsh grew fat in many directions
while Chicago was comfortably in his
control. Deposits of city and State
institutions were put into his bank,
which was also the favorite institu-
ton of the sporting and dissipated
classes. One of his richest crafts
was the Park Board, which in Chica-
go gives all sorts of opportunities for
rapid and Illicit gains. He was a
self-made man with a vengeance, and
not too spueamish about the method
OF the making. He rose until he
could afford not only a Senator or
SO, but almost anything in the way
city toys. The victory of reform in
Chicago diminished the extensiveness
Of his rule, and was of serious injury
to him financially. The reform ele-
nent first obtained control of the city,
and then to some extent of the State,
SO that today the principal sources
Of the old spoiIs power are the Hi.
1ois offices doled out by the National
Government at Washington. With.
)ut this Federal support the poor oil
machines would be wellnigh starved.
There would be nothing of Hopkins,
title of Cullom, and much less power
or evil in such man as Walsh. His
grip diminished step by step with
he conquests of that public opinion
which had its most notable centre in
he Municipal Voters League. TAX
ng away from him, in his banker as.
'ect, the deposits of public money.
md making it impossible for him to
ecure other public money, hit him
lot only directly in his DOcket. but
Indirectly in what might euphemisti-
ally be called prestige, and his loss
# such positions as that on the Park
'oard has counted still more indi-.
ectly than directly. Anybody who
appens to be studying the fine non
craftsmanship of leading financiers
ould do no better than make care
I'll study of the makeup and history
Walsh-s Illinois Audit Company in
hicago.