Gunnison news-champion., 1908-07-10
a ox1ITH0I 10I1D zVlN21EI Sx11<1V2 NJ


Come OF, Why two of
that last bunch cleaned up ten thousand apiece be-
fore they walked the plank"
Well it's new deal No side issues for me
Just the little old four thou That's all"
Why, you Amt honest, are you, jack"
Well ! never had Honest John tackled onto
me for handicap, but ] don't want to go along
the street looking back to If anyones following
me"
But those fellows are alive and well to-day and
the statute of limitations has EN-"
Yes, maybe but it would be just my luck to
get 'snaked' My tailor says stripes are unbecoming
tall men anyway"
You're foolish Jack
"A regular lobster. Billy; but when I'm let o~t
] want to sleep nights, without listening for some
to ring the door bell and ask how about it?'"
The foregoing conversation is verbally a correct
transcript between appointee to q city once and
. political acquaintance. the wellknown and almost
"disbarIed" attorney, the HoA william "Skiphis-
name" II occurred just written down. and y
merely given to illustrate the general idea prev
aleat among the crooked the crafty and the
scrupuious that public oice a private snap"
The salary was supposed to be merely expense
money for being in the political game; the real
money Was to be gotten out Of side deals"
schemes where the offcial was to his influence
and his opportunities to get into something good"
whereby for fsvors either directly indirectly
granted he got what known sometimes as his
''rake-oh," his bit"
II he was in position where contracts
be let Ito the lowest bidder" it his business
II CRATER. to see that his man" the low
est bidder, or to have a combination" among the
bidders that the contracts would be divided
among two three favored firms or individuals;
or TO work In some one subcontractor, in
various ways get finger in the pie" that he
could hop up somebody for "a dvvy." Where
individual ofcials had the entire control their
Offices, their opportunities for graft" were. Of
course, extensive; where oficias were coassociated
In city work. there had to be either complete and
general understanding as to crooked work." or
there might be underhand work by two
men which was hidden from the rest.
The public had weird and unique ideas about
graft" The fact that grating carried
in city hall and city departments to a greater
less extent during every political administration
fact that was undeniabe. Sometimes ad-
minstration especially corrupt; sometimes the
administration was headed by a man who was even
by his bitterest enemies acknowledged to be strict
ly honest But could the
ins and cuts Of department in the city, there
bound to be some grating" however petty.
somewhere in the various Offices or departments.
But the public generally seemed to be of the opn-
ion that the instant man was appointed or elect
ed to ONCE his entire nature changed The people
imagined, apparently that business man whose
integrity, through many years had never been
questioned became crooked" the instant he took
the oath of ONCE. And because of this, the most
insulting and hbelous statements were being ban
died back and forth by irresponsible parties. con
cerning men who were honestly and conscientiously
doing their duty in public ofhces.
Citizens who appropriated without any legal right
the sidewalks in front of their for shipping
purposes-men who would follow alderman for
weeks in order to get bay y-window put in a down
town shop contrary to the ordinances people who
hung about the city hall from dawn twilight try
ing get railroad pass would enter a public
offce with the air of Daniel going down the eleva-
tor into the lions dcl. And IL a question was asked
them when they stated their business they always
imagined it had a hint of graft in it Well now,
let tell you: These folks that always
ing graft" in every public Office and offcer-these
Holy Willies" that assume such ''unco guild
air they often the people that will bear watch
ing themselves.
The fact of the matter was that that real graft
was handled by who worked il that nearly
always it entirely legal in the strict letter
of the law. A measley five or ten-dollar bill handed
here and there for some favor mere bagatelle.
And as for graft in politics the legislatures of the
various states are as mighty universities kin
dercartens compared to city administrations As
for the United States senae-but that is the king
row on the political checkerboard, and not mat
Ter for comment in this article
Money is the cheapest and least dangerous form
of graft | mean money that buys favors; bribes
in word Zig graft concerns itself With shares.
stock .interests--thinss that cannot be traced
So easily TO corrupt Big srafters afraid
of colo cash They want something that be