Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-03-15
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FRIDAY EVENING, MAR. 10. 1907.
CRAFT IN ENGLAND,
Perhaps Not So Great In Extent
as Here, but Yet Well Started.

hey are MOI ESposeo.
There is nothing about the visiting
American in England more amusing to
The native than the Americans convic-
ton that there is no graft in English
municipal politics.
Frederick c. Howe, the magazlnist
who writes so much in praise OF munlc-
ipal ownership, the British form OF
socialism. admits that there Is graft In
England, but says it is all practiced
by the lords and millionslres. No
graft. he declares. has crept in through
the municipal ownership and operation
Of public utilities.
Graft in England may not be Of such
magnitude as In the United States,
said an Englshman who is well known
in public life, but is neither lord nor
a millionaire. "but IL exists here as
certainly as ii does in America. II Is
carried on along similar lines, and, fos-
tered by the opportunities which the
rising tide OF municipal trading afrords,
It is rapidly growing In magnitude. Ii
ia owing 20 our overstrlct libel laws
and 10 the fact that immunity may not
he granted under English law 10 one
who confesses 10 accepting bride that
the corruption now so well known TO
exist 10 our municipal governments has
not been effectively exposed long ago.
The newspapers know all about II,
and they know who are the grafters'
but they do not dare TO EXPOSE the ait
uatlon. and until the proper statutes
are enacted il will be almo.t impossi-
BILE 10 punish grsfters through the
courts.
"Not so very long ago certain
speech was reported In one or tue
London newspapers. The speecbmak-
or was indignant, for neither the sub
iect matter OF the speech nor the elf
cumstances under which II was dellv-
cred were creditable TO him, and he
brought a suit for damages on the
ground that the libel laws had been
violated. 1t was not claimed that the
speech was Incorrectly reported; In
deed. 1t was admitted that the report
WAS substantially without error, yet
nevertheless heavy damages were
awarded to the plaintiff on the grounds
that the plaintiffs reputation had been
injured and that the publisher could
not show that the publication OF the
report was Of benefit to the public.
"A little longer ago 1t was suspected
that members OF the council OF London
borough OF Poplar had been accepting
bribes from contractors who were fur
nlshing materials and supplies Dstee-
tivss were put upon the case, ana the
facts were run down. Certain OF tho
contractors and councilmen. confront
ed with these facts. confessed and
promised to go upon the stand In court
and testify to the truth. In due time
one OF the guilty men took the STAND
as promised and told the story As
agreed.
HE was Immediately arrested az q
criminal under the law As its STANDS
and slated for an early trial. This
chilled the enthusiasm OF the others
who had promised TO confess, and they
changed their minds promptly ana ir-
reyocably. AS the prosecution was
thus left without witnesses, tho inVes'
rigation was brought to sn ebrup'
close.
"Now. the installation and operation
~ uamways. electric light works, gas
works, etc, involves the letting OF
MANY large contracts by men who hoio
places In the municipal councils, not
because they are fitted by training ana
sxperience to let such contracts, but
because they have succeeded through
petty politics in getting elected. They
receive no pay for their services ana
in many cases are men without nnan'
cial resources OF any consequence,
"There are contractors in England
GA we'll as In America who are not
above getting contracts through prip'
srv and there are council members OF
the grade I have mentioned who are
no more able to resist the Temptation
10 be bribed in England than they
would be in America. II 1t would not
sound-unpatriotic. might 90 so Tar as
10 saw that since municipal trading mas
40 Increased the magnitude OF munich
naJ contracts Englishmsn In many eit'
les have been known to seek eiection
to the councils In order TO have the
chance TO be bribed.
Eve could today make exposures Oh
graft In London and more than one
other English city that would starue
American readers even. accustomed as
they aret reading graft stories, II we
could only give immunity TO whoever
might I've either scared or reasoned into
confessing the trnlh In other words,
municipal ownership and operation OF
public Utilities I'm England are rapidly
Loneycombing all our municipal gov
emments with graft.
THE law makes m exception Win
regard 10 election bribery charges. and
immunity may lawfully he promised
10 those whose testimony Is needed 10
convict tie guilty. This has enabled
us 70 uncarth many election Irregular
tiles. as the readers OF English news
papers know very well. and eventually
we are going to he able to unearth the
facts with regard TO bribery and job
berry in English municipal adminlstra
aon. We are wei! aware, however
that It will probably be quite as dim
cult to fob ~ 1t was thirty odd years
ago In America TO unearth the frauds
perpetrated by New YOrk's notorious
Tweed ring"