The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-06-05
Corruption of the Federal Judges and
Other Officials.

In commenting. the other day. upon
/ the farce of eEcmptiuE the Individual
from criminal punishment WhiI, c&-
acting fines (Which do not Hurt) oI the
corporations we expressed the he-
lief that tn" foolish ANA luIuGIt t9us
practice Of the courts lyletaar iu ace
cord with. 81 in opposition 10 the law.
the authorities differ. and it does not
alLect our present purpose which may
Dc cofrecD we expressed the belief
mat that practice would never cease
nnul We restored TN. Federal c4uiIi-
brlum which the war OF '6l-'65 dis
turbed, We added that a necessary
condition Of such a restoration Was
the Withdrawal from the courts Of the
power To veto the laws Of the SoVe=,
elRn, because nearly all Of tho courts
are said 10 be corrupt. We made
gaat statement upon the authority ot
another newspaper whose assertion -
That effect has not been challenged.
and W have not the slightest douDt
that il is true, both a TO the Federal
Judges and as to many other officials.
ON the 10th Of April. Representative
Iiandel. of Texas. made a notable
speech IN Congress in behalf of the
bill now before that body ''F0 Pro-
hibit the Receiving OF Gifts. Passes
and Franks by Congress and the
Courts from Certain Corporations.
In connection with tho subject now
under consideration by us, the fol
IpN liS tNtEatlS from Alf. 1tdndFlI S
speech will aStonish the marines, CON
firm the views of the sailors and prove
interesting to both.
Said Mr.. Randall:
"It may be asked, What is the need
FOR this legislation 1t is not re-
quired by the Constitution. our fore
fathers did not contemplate its ncces-
SitE. This Government has existed
more than a hundred years without
hot ;.,, :.
true that the trainers of the ConstitI-
tion recognized the principle contain
ed in this bill. Il principle that is fun
Gamcntal ana vital, one that is the
essence Of every code of religion. NOR
ais, or law. namely. absolute loyalty to
one creed, one master. No man can
serve two masters" eye can not
serve God and Mammon." You can
not be faithful to the people and at
here to their oppressors.
Article /, section 9, of the Constitu-
ton provides:
No title of nobility shall be granted
by the United States, and no person
holding any office Of profit or trust
under them, shall without the consent
OF ,the Congress, accept OF any present.
emOlument, office, or title OF any kind
Whatever, from any king. prince OF
foreign state
"Thus it will be seen that the build
crs OF the Constitution fully under
stood the weakness Of human nature
and the danger to the country of
Greeks bearing gifts" The danger
then was from without and not from
within. The danger now is from
within and not from without CAP
plause) The founders of this Gov
ernmcnt feared the influence OF for
elgn interest and expressly guarded
against it. Their action was wise
and salutary The railroad. telegraph,
and other corporations, which now
Threaten every industry by their
monopolistic combinations. were not
then in existence. Had they been,
those old patriots, who won our lib
erty by the sword and protected it ~
law. would have erected adequa
barriers against corporate aggression.
AS it was they made and handed
did government. in which justice,
freedom. equality We're cardinal vir-
tues and basic principles.
"It became our duty by inheritance
to follow up their work and to rightly
solve the problems that necessarily
confront us in the progress of our
civilization
them-honest. vigilant, true to the
people. consecrated to the task We
should not only strive to do right but
should also avoid the appearance OF
evil
Mutual respect and confidence
should unite the people and their
public servants. How can the people
respect YOU and confde in you when
the great corporations are on such
good terms with you that they give
YOU as much or moro in value as YOU
receive from the Government
Railroad passes are given to the
Congress and the courts without limit;
telegraph franks are unstintingIv fur
niShed to them; express companies are
equally liberal, sieeping-car companies
also keep pace with the procession
CThese last We're. by mistake left out
Of my bill but will be inserted by
amCndmentD Gentlemen say these
are only courtesies extended to public
officials. We all know better than -
believe that. | do not think the pro-
ronents or that theory feel very
comfortable in the conclusion. The
official with his pockets full of franks
and passes s2Es. 1T is only courtsy
then everybody laughs, and some
sneer."
Mr., Randall also quoted from let
ter addressed TO exam ba ssa dor
Choa1e, president of the recent New
York Constitutional Convention by
Second NIce-PreSident Brooks Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad the folowf1l-,
| astounding statements:
Il have known a member of the
| Supreme Court Of the United States
to apply for free Transportation the
money value of which i'm a single m
stance was between $500 and $500.
! Governors Of States, United states
Senators. members Of the House of
| REPRESENTATIVES. members of every
| department of state government from
the governor to the janitor, ask and
| expect to receive these favors
|
An officer of rival railroad com
pan Pan i9cehliy told me that he had
| taken the entire board of tax con
miSsionerS Of q certain state with
their families and certain friends
from large inland city to Fortress
Monroe and Washington and back