Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-22


 I don't sign it--what then?'
 If you don't, your political career is ended from this time on See? It's ended Smashed flat. You think of yourself as q fine, promising young man who's on the road to the gov ernorship and maybe to the White House. We'll, you aren't. You're what Dick Horrigan made you, and your future will be what Dick Horrigan chooses to make it. lifted you up, and l can tear you down just as easy. And, what's more, by -, I'll do it If you don't sign the Borough bill. I'm man of my word, and before ever you were nominated I pledged my word to have that bill put through. The bill paid your election expenses. It. ....
 T paid my own election expenses. You know that"
 Your personal expenses, perhaps. But who paid for parades, halls, ban ners, fireworks, speakers, advertise ments, workers and watchers and all the other million things that elected you? The men behind that Borough bill paid them. And they did it on the understanding you'd sign the bill"
 "In other words" remarked Ben. nett, you made bargain for me. Well, can't keep it."
 "Oh, I'll keep it all right You'll sign that bill or you'll''-
 MT. Horrigan," exclaimed Bennett, controlling his temper with more and more difficulty, you said something just now about our coming to show down. This is the time for it. want you to remember henceforth that I wear no mans collar-yours or any one else's-and that you can't deliver any goods you've bargained for In my name. If sign that bill it won't bs under your orders, but because l think it right"
 "Oh," laughed Horrigan, who thought he began to see the drift of the oth- CTS mind, q don't hold out for that. I don't care why you sign it as long as you do sign it."
 What do you think about the bill yourself?" inquired Alwyn. Do you consider it honest?"
 What do I care? It's got to be signed, and"-
 'I care. And I think the bill is fraudulent"
 Getting tender in the conscience, aren't you? Welp'-
 If you put it that way, yes. I think this Borough bill is crooked from first to last. But
 Whats the matter with it? Ain't'-
 Let me explain" pursued Alwyn. This bill gives the Borough Street Railway company the right to use whatever motive power they choose to. It gives them the right to charge five cent fares without any transfers. In one paragraph there's a clause permit ting them to build a subway if they want one. By another paragraphs con- sessions they can build conduit and lease 1t out for telephone or telegraph wires. By another they can do an ex- press business. But all these provi- sions are as nothing compared to the fact that the bill gives the streets above and below ground to the Bor- ough company forever and ever-not for term of years, but until the end of the world It delivers that route to the company not only for our time, but for always, and binds US and our de- Scendants 10 it's terms. That is the chief outrage of the whole thing To think that the'-
 "oh, we've got bowling reformer in the mayors seat, have we" scoffed Horrigan. If I'd known that
 The people have got man who is trying to protect their rights and prop erty. Here's a letter received to- day. You'll recognize the name of the capitalist who wrote it. You know he is honest as well as wise. This is his proposition: He will pay s2,O00.000 for that same franchise, give the city 10 per cent of the gross receipts and turn over the whole plant to it at the end of fifty years. What do you think of that?"
 Its fake"
 Tt is bona fide offer. He volun- teers to deposit S1,0Oo.00O to bind the bargain. Now, what I want to ask you, Mir. Horrigan. is this: If the fran chise is worth s2.000OOo. why are you and your faction in the board of alder men so anxious to give it away for nothingp
 Look herer' clustered the boss. 'I"-
 'I am looking" returned Bennett. I've been looking deeper into it than you realize. I asked you a question just now. I'll answer it myself in one word-'Graft" That is why you want to give away a franchise that is worth S2.0Oooo0.'
 Graft" snorted Horgigsn contemptu- ously. "The same old reformer how'll Whats your idea of graft anyway
 Graft is unearned increment Money to which the recipient has no legal or moral right. That is''-
 So. Then show me the man who ain't a grafter' A lawyer shows his client how 10 cyade the law, and he takes a fee for eoIns 1t. Whats that bst grsfti 4 magazine takes pay for printing an advertisement its editors know Is a fake. What's that? Grsfti When a congressman votes for an ap- propriatiOn because another congress