Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-07-10
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Come off! Why two of
that last bunch cleaned up thousand apiece be-
fore they walked the plank"
We'll 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 l don't want to go along
the street looking back to if anyones following
me"
But those fellows are alive and we'll 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
on tall men, anyway"
You're foolish Jack"
"A regular lobster. Billy; but when I'm let out
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 an appointee to city Office and
a political acquaintance, the weknown and almost
''disbarred" attorney the Hon. William "Skiphs-
name" 1t occurred just written down, and is
merely given to illustrate the general idea prev
alent among the crooked, the crafty and the un-
scrupulous that public Office 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 official was to use his influence
and his opportunities to get into something good"
whereby for favors either directly indirectly
granted he got what is known sometimes as his
'rake.oh" or his bit"
Ii he in position where contracts were to
lie let ito the lowest bidder it was his business,
If a CRATER" to see that his man" the low
est bidder, or to have combination" among the
hidders tnat the contracts would be divided
among two or three favored firms or individuals;
to work in subcontractor or in
various ways get finger in the pie that he
could 'holp up" somebody for "a divvy." Where
individual officials had the entire control of their
offices, their opportunities for graft" were, of
course, extensive; where officials coassociated
in city work, there had to be either complete and
general understanding to crooked work." or
there might be underhand work by or two
men which was hidden from the rest.
! The public had weird and unique ideas about
at" The fact that grating was carried on
in city hall and city departments to a greater or
less extent during every political administration
fact that was undeniabe. Sometimes ad-
mnistration especially corrupt; sometimes the
administration was headed by man who was even
by his bitterest enemies acknowledged to be strict
ly honest. But as no one man could oversee the
ins and outs of every 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 opin-
ion that the instant man was appointed or elect
ed to Office his entire nature changed. The people
imagined, apparently, that a business man whose
integrity, through many years. had never been
questioned became crooked" the instant he took
the oath of office. And because of this, the most
insulting and belous statements were being ban
died back and forth by irresponsible parties, con-
corning who were honestly and conscientiously
doing their duty in public offices.
Citizens who appropriated without any legal right
the sidewalks in front of their stores for shipping
purposes-men who would follow alderman for
weeks in order to get bay-window put in down
town shop contrary to the ordinances, people who
hung about the city hall from dawn to twilight try
ing to get railroad pass would enter public
office with the air of Daniel going down the eleva
tor into the lions den. And If question was asked
them when they stated their business, they always
imagined 1t had hint of graft in 1t. Well, now
let me tell you: These folks that are always scent
ing graft" in every public office and oticer-these
'Hoy Wies' that assume such 'unco guild"
air. they are often the people that will bear watch
ing themselves
The fact of the matter was that that real graft
was handled by men who worked 1t so that nearly
always 1t entirely legal in the strict letter
of the law measley five or ten-doar bill handed
here and there for some favor a mere bagatelle
And as for graft" in politics. the legislatures Of the
various states are as mighty universities to kin
ldergartens compared to city administrations. AS
for the United States senate-but that is the king
row" on the political checker-board, 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 Big graft concerns itself with Shares"
.stock" 'interests' that cannot be traced
so easily to corrupt Big grafters afraid
of cold cash. They want something that can be