The independent., 1907-02-14

reversals Of position on questions if
he understood the conditions which the
average legislator confrOntS when he
reaches state capital. Many an un-
initiated legislator would save himself
trouble and humiliation and all de-
grees of future trouble if he knew i'll
advance the traps which public Off
cial must avoid.
1t would be hard to find anything
more surely calculated to break ,iowl.
the moral makeup of an average man
than the life at Albany, the capital of
New York state, wrote a correspondent
recently. Albany is perhaps the worst
of the state capitals in this respect,
doubtless because the New York legis-
lature handles matters of greater
financial moment than any other leg 4.
islature. 1t is said to be even worse.
than the national capital i'm ths dew
iousness Of it's traps for compromising
lawmakers Albany is an exaggerated
example, therefore, but only in degree,
not in kind The most correctly gov
erned Of capital cities cannot be i'm
mune from such things so long as there
are deeds of darkness for men of dark
ness to perform
The life insurance inyestiga tior
brought out the facts concerning the
famous "HOuse of Mirth" at Albany
a house fitted up by the lobby for the
entertaining and debauching of men,
bers of the legislature. Other CAPITALS
may have no house Gf mirth. but moth
ing in the Wcrid can prevent sCirs
lobbyists suit. of rooms in a hotel fron,
being turned into a fiat of mirth."
"here member may be tempted into
gafnpiihg, with debts Incurred that put
al MT,
INTO acts OF impropriety concerning
which he can buy secrecy ONLY bv
doing lobbyists bidding.
In thousand ways legislator is
tempted lhs1dlously to go beyond his
means, lncurring obligations whicf fur
n1sh the opening of the man or tbn
lookout for votes for some dorbtfnl
enterprise. The bucket shop is a handy
device, the back room poker game ,s
trap for the unwary, and the cba,r,-
ing lady who incidentally becomes ac
qualnted and takes an interest IN .nc
young member is to be Stunned As fire
plague She is the gateway to black
mali that will rob him of his last shred
OF personal and political Independence
1t is said there are possible only three
classes OF legislators at Albany. There
are those of Independent means who
can stay honest; those who STAY hon.
est put run in debt; those either with
or without means who are corru.f.
Other states have these same things
TO contend with, though not in so eY-
aggerated form. There are stories
IN Nebraska of legislators who came
to Lincoln with faces set sternly mon
legislation in the public veal. who
stumbled, suffered and went home
with blighted official record to the
great surprise of their constituents
Ihose who know the traps laid bv de-
signing men for gaining power over
men whose votes they need were not
surprised. These things have grown
less frequent in late years. but even
curing recent sessions of the Nebras
legislatures there were stories of vine
suppers in which members particinate5
10 thelr own later embarrassment Tba
people of the state will be glad to
Know that old time observers of Ne
praska legislatures pronounce the Dres-
ent legislature remarkably free of tb.
klnd OF members who are subject r.
such influences. '0N' -