The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-14
Union Plumber

- mon 4QlQCI.
one ~ tho plumbers" in connection
with tie Strand Improvement came 10
lght n few days ago The Council nur-
chased the lease on A building held D, a
laundryman. who was one Of the pillars
of the laundrymen's union. The usual
high premium was paid and the building
Was RACED The public has just learned
that the land is not needed by the CITY
that il IS not in the line Of any pro-
posed Improvement and that sre payment
20 the laundryman was gift ~ rate
payers money. He hal admitted that
he was losing money on the lease whom
the city stepped TN and p4id $50 900
bonus
big contract was let by the borough
~ Westminster for the paving - a
number OF streets near the Parliament
buildings While the work was IN pro-
gress citizens complained that the mate
rial used was Of an inferior quality and
that the workmanship was even worse
Finally absolute evidence was secured
that the contractor was paving money
10 certain city offciais. This led To an
investigation which the Council could
not escape. When the hearing was held
the contractor admitted the payment %
the money. but asserted that Il was o
personal loan
And the verdict rendered was that the
Y.
This personal loan plea Is ono that IS
frequently advanced in political invosti-
cations here. II appears 90 be a sufficient
excuse 10 Justify a contractors making
direct payment 10 those who give him
the contract or who are appointed TO
inspect the work.
The charge is freely made here that
Councilman make 81 a practice To- receive
q profit out of being in the know" when
land is TO be purchased by the city. This
being in the know Is the English equiv
aient for securing options on land which
the city is going TO buy. Through it's
many municipal trading schemes the
Council has a great deal OF buying to
DO. both OF land and material The
County Council handles enormous sums
OF money yearly.
7 find that many business men are
willing that the Council shall graft so
long as the business man gets a share
Of the pickings. In this some London
bankers ara involved.
One banker Just of Threadneed.e Street
told nae that he could recall a score
OF instances in which men who went
into the Council with practically nothing
are now among the best customers Of
the bank. This refers 10 members OF
the County Council and to borough coun-
ellis as well.
But when / pressed him for names
and figures he shut up like a clam They
are customers OF ours or have been, you
know" he said. and you couldn't ex-
pect me TO help get them into trouble"
He appeared TO treat the Use Of the
county end borough councils for step
ping-stone to affiuence as a matter Of
no real import. In fact. one OF tho most
inexplicable things about English poll
tics Is the dulied moral sense Of the com
munities. They seem to take petty graft
ing on the part Of the officials as a mat
ter Of course. Their only complaint comes
when called upon 70 pay higher rates
have rccited but a few instances Of
municipal transactions I'm which the hand
Of the professional political CRATER is
revealed. There arc hundreds Of such
to be had for the searching in the So
cialst horoughs OF London. and in prac-
ticallv every large city in England.
Shaw's Testimony.
Lest ] should be thought the only one
who has found evidence OF this graft in
English cities. I shall include an extract
from the testimony given by George
Bernard Shaw before the American Com
mission which the Civic Association sent
20 Great Britain last summer to study
municipal socialism.
Tie was testifying about lease Of the
northern section OF the London tramway
system.
The result was that the Council was
almost equally divided between two
parties When the question came along
Of the County Council manipulating the
tramways on the north side. as Il had
"a right to do. there was a terrific fight.
The tramways corporation Influenced an
innpecunious labor man to vote against
/ his convictions. His cash value could
i not Eava heen a 600 The cash xruIua