The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-04

by any railroad or any corporation, but the fact remains that these cor porate influences do exercise the en- actment of any law that promises to. seriously affect their interests or les- sen their dividends. The methods oy which this influence Is secured are many and varied.
 The system is usually put in opera tion, so far as the railways are con- cerned, at the little local stations, like waynesville. Bolkaw, and places like that. As soon as the road is opened for business, the station agent and the day and night telegraph operators get into the local political game. They call to their assistance the hand-car crew. usually five or more, that has charge of the section. Frequently two section crews live in the same town and work from 1t in each direction This will give a nucleus of a dozen or more men who cut quite figure in town where there are probably not company picks out some bright young lawyer and makes him local attorney, and a poor but promising physician and appoints him local surgeon.
 Free Passes a Big Help.
 These, with the editor of the local paper, are furnished with passes over the road, and, when emergency war rants. are able to help their friends in the way of transportation facilities. Gradually few of the merchants will find that they can get passes for their wives. when they want to go back East to visit ma, and the first thing you know the most active workers in the political field in a small town are under obligations to tho railroad company and ready to do its bidding in the nom ination of county officers. candidates for the legislature, and on through the list The man elected to the legisla- ture is supplied with transportation for himself and friends. and after he has served few terms, comes to look upon these favors as his natural rights He returns the favor by serving the railroad in the committee work of the legislature, and, almost unconsciously, finds himself practically on the pay roll Of the corporation.
 When he is called upon to vote for a candidate for the United States Sem ate he soon finds out that he must be against Mir Soandso, who has always been openly hostile to the interests which have been so kind to the legisla- tor. He may argue with himself that he has not stultifled himself in any way by accepting the favors of the railway company, and he usually sue ceeds in becoming a champion of the political policies Of his corporation friends. The candidate who is elected to the Senate is not slow in finding out, if he does not know in advance, tA2t the corporations claim credit for his selection. If he grants this credit rrhesitatingly, he Is assured of pretty smooth sailing. If he tries to show little too much dignity or independencs he Is pretty promptly brought to q realization that the forces which ac- complish his election can assuredly ae- complish his defeat when he comes up for reelection. In the end, he usually finds 1t much easier and pleasapter to pared by his corporation friends, and thus relieve himself of further worry about his political future.
 To Keep Machine Intact.
 Political obligation Is plant of rather rapid growth. The Senator soon finds that his influence is wanted to secure the appointment of the United states marshal, the United States judges, and the United States district attorneys in his State, and he may be surprised to find out how hard they worked for his election; were really responsible for iL. in fact, and then the corporation gents want them ap- pointed. The Senator. to keep his ma chine Intact. indorses the applications. and these men are appointed. Nine times out of ton they were selected for the positions by the same corpo- ration influences that selected the Sem ator. By the time 2. Senator's first term has expired he finds that he has honey combed his State with appointees and political workers who are grateful. of course, to him, but who realize that their real obligation and their ale glance is to be the corporation inter est which framed the whole game, from tN. staton agent and the section hands to the United States Senate.
 at Iav there is anything corrupt in all this A man may accept all these favOrs and secure his political prominence and stih be personally clean and honest and possibly able to serve his State