The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-10-31
How ABE RUFF HUNTED
WITH HIS PACK OF HOUNDS


Soooooooooooooooeeeeeoooo6
Nothing contrived by man has ever
done it, work more efficiently ana
completely than the San Francisco
graft machine. All keepers OF saloons
who thrived by breaking the law. pro-
prietors of gambling houses. mere
tricious restaurants, etc.. paid a tax
Of extortion that was nicely adjusted
to squeeze out every dollar the vile
traffic would bear. Wretched women
paid promptly under penalty Of being
driven of the street. No lawbreaker
was small enough to slip through the
meshes Of the graft net without pay
, ing. No individual, nor firm, nor cor
|, poration asking favor or even their
rights of the city government was ricn
E or strong enough to escape. The
traflckers in vice paid cash, divided
their takings secretly with regularly
appointed agents of the machine. Pro-
moters of great enterprises that re-
Quired municipal permit in order to
become active and profitable found it
expedient to add Abe Ruef to their
staff of attorneys. Ruef's procedure
was not coarse; it was diplomatic, al
though exceedingly avaricious. Hav-
ing learned who was the principal In
dividual in a company seeking or
about to seek a franchise, he man
aged to meet that principal individual
in a casual way and suggest a helpful
scheme.
sI'd like to be one of your attor-
neys," was the astute method by
which Ruef would insinuate himself.
II feel certain that could be of con-
siderable help to your concern.
shall expect fee of -- dollars a
year for years, and I should
prefer to have the paymen. made In
one sum-"
Sometimes. though not often. the
victim succeeded in persuading Ruef
that the fee was too high and that a
reduction was imperative. but always
Ruef prevailed. For II he were not
engaged as attorney. Paul might
plant and Apollos might water. but
-withered by the Indifference OF the
Board of Supervisors. It mattered
nothing to them whether or not the
proposed activities would supply a
public need. The only question was:
rs Abe Ruef in favor Of this fran
chise?" II the answer was afiirma-
tive. the franchise was granted; II
negative, the franchise was withheld.
The little lawyers control of the SUI
pervisors was perfect. He originally
chose them, nominated them to Office
and had them elected by means of a
fusion between the Republican and
union labor organizations. They
were, and they knew they were. his
creatures. To him they looked for
further advancement in political life.
20 that In so far as gratitude is a live
~ sense of favors to come they were
grateful to q high degree. and did his
bidding without question. Moreover.
their status - supervisors brought
them an increase Of business and
profit in their ordinary vacations. for
many citizens were anxious to be on
good forms with the city fathers. Be-
sides all this, Abe Ruef distributed .
minor part Of his spells among "the
boys" From all that l can learn this
largesse was not the result Of any
mathematical division Of booty. He
did not pretend to render any ac-
counting to his small confederates.
\ "The supervisors were Abe Rnef's
pack Of hounds. and he hunted with
them." was the Characterization that
. shrewd San franciscan gave me.
~Now and then, when they became
clamorous, he tossed them some
scraps of meat. You remember the
description Ruef has given Of them
so hungry that they'd eat the paint
- house." - William Inglis, in
4arper's Weekly.
= Tenants Garry on Their Farms.