The San Francisco call., 1908-07-04

none OF them would touch these bonds.
because they had received information
that the railroad people were going TO
take them in themselves.
Q.-That was since Herrin turned on
you?
A.-That was since Herrin turned on
me. yes; and I was told by bankers
that they were going TO do so. And
Mr.. Burke was president OF the road.
and by his attitude as president of that
road. why, he assisted in defeating
either the sale of the bonds or loans.
For instance. I had one gentleman
that was going to call on Mr.. Burke
and was to@pay me 80 cents net for
these bonds il Mr.. Burke would say
that 1t was all right. called upon Mr..
Burke myself about two weeks ago
and told him that this gentleman
would call the next day and 1 hoped
that he would give him a favorable
report, as 1 now handed the matter
clear up to him, having discovered
where the railroad people had de-
strOyed my opportunities for borrow
Ing money upon the bonds And mas
much as they had made UP their minds
to rob me out OF these bonds, hoped
that inasmuch as I had got so close
to him he would be fair enough TO
say TO this gentleman that the road
would be run in the interest OF the
bond holders. He said he could not do
so.
Well" 1 says, Mr. Burke. you can
tell him that the interest will be paid
upon the bonds"
Il cannot make any such statement"
he replied
Well" I says. "this gentleman told
me that your people have robbed peo-
pie at Fresno and have got control OF
a majority Of the bonds; had put the
road into a receivers hands and sold
I the bonds at 10 cents Now, / says,
surely you viii tell this man you ars
not a thief. and that you are not go
/ ing to rob him if he puts in his money,
can't you2"
| He says. L can't tell him anything
except that it will be run in the inter-
est OF the stock holder"
I said. "Al1 right. Mr.. Burke: II
I you can't say that you are not a thief.
and Mr.. Herrin is not thief. and will
not rob a prospective buyer. I can't
expect him to buy these bonds. but he
will call on you. anyway
This man did call on Mr.. Burke. and
I he sent me word that he couldn't
afford TO go in on the report-he
/ couldn't afford to invest in the bonds
on Mr. Burke's report
BURKE'S DUTY ALSO
TO o. X. LEGISLATION
IL that il what you mean, Jere Burke
Is what you call the fnaneial-pOlitieaI
manager of the Southern Pacific In
that sense. He also goes to Sacramento
and looks over every bill that II
passed. As I understand, the bills are
taken out from the files to his room
something unpreeedented-and he goes
over them up there and %. Ms the
bills, or condemns them, as the ease
may be; that Is, he puts his mark
upon them, and the Legislators up
Afr
are called, aye or nay, as Mr.. Burke
\ directs.
/ Q.-Is there any set schedule OF
prices for votes on any general sub
| jects in the legislature?
A politician who makes politics
/ a business has TO depend upon the de-
mand and supply. the same as in any
other business. If he has the casting
vote on United States senator. he may
/ come very high: but as a rule, don't
know what the price is now. but il
/ used to be $4,000 a vote for a six year
/ term; that is, the venal senator's. those
/ who were out for the money lined up
accordingly, and got their $4,000 apiece
for United States senator for a long
term. If it was a short term. like a
/ four wear or a two year term-a SEN
| ator dying apd only leaving two year
\ term TO fill out-he might only get
Il 81 900: it was reduced in proportion.
Yet there was one four year term. the
/ time Mr.. FELTON, was nominated for
United States senator, and was in
that fight. when one OF the senator's
came to me and demanded S1S0,OO0 and
for a short term, and this was about
nv first real good shock. 1t was a SEN
ator from our county and told him
IL was short term and even the regu-
lation price would not amount to that
He said that the railroad companies
were behind Mr.. FELTON,. the sugar trust