The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-29
The EmpOria Man Fires a Five
Column BrOadside
Loaded With Thirty Five
Charges of Black Powder.
GUNNER FOR BRISTOW
He Rakes the Long Vessel Fore
and Aft.
Damage Done Is Problematic
and Left for Readers Review.
The Senator's Curious Confession.

The Senator's Curious Confession.
When Senator Long appeared at En-
poria to answer the 35 indictments
against him, charging him with having
voted against the interest of Kansas
in some. cases and against common
honesty in others, Senator Long pleaded
guilty to every~single vote. He con-
fessed that they were his votes, and
then threw himself on the mercy of
the court, pleading extenuating cfrcum-
stances.
In one count, and in one only, the
indictment was withdrawn as to the
charge that his vote was wrong-that
was in the case of the Atlantic & Pa
cific land grant. In two other cases
charges relating to things that hap
pened before or after the votes were
cast were Withdrawn, but the charge
that the two votes were iniquitous Still
stands. The two cases were in rela-
tion first to the senator's vote TO sell
the coal lands of the Indian Territory
to the railroads. He did vote to do SO,
and will not deny it. But 1t was said
that the president withdrew those lands
from the market. This was wrong,
and in explaining it the senator was
absolutely right. But that does not
change the big fact that when the peo-
pie were making a fight against the
coal combine Long lined up with the
railroads., anu OH page OAfS, Pdlt VI
volume 40 of the Congressional Record,
Long voted to sell the lands to the
railroads. and uphold the hands of the
coal barons. In the second case Long
is charged with helping filibuster TO
defeat a measure intended to give ad-
ditional relief to railroad employees or
their relatives in case of death. 1t was
charged in the Indictment that Lon
was hiding in the cloakroom and did
not vote. That was unfair to: senator
Long. and, without his asking 1t, the
charge was promptly Withdrawn. with
apologies. The truth was that Long
was not hiding in the cloakroom. He
was instead hiding under Democrat
-ic general pair. and thus helping the
filibuster. Moreover, on page 6S2l, vol
ume 40, part of the Record Long
voted against the provision to help rail-
road employees killed or injured, but
public sentiment was burning UP Wall
street, and it was filibusterinS to pre-
vent vote. For. as has been said.
Wall street makes a fixed charge OF
human life ana mems limbs and does
not care to have the old order changed.
So after hiding for hours under his
Democratic general pair" when Wall
street surrendered. Long came out from
his hiding, got around his pair, as ne
knew we'll how to do, and surrendered
with Wall street on that proposition,
as he surrendered on the Hepburn bill
He does not deny this filibuster- But
because an error was made in his place
of hiding he claims immunity for his
cowardly action. 1t is before the jury.
The jury can act. Error was made IN
describing his place of hiding. Long
was right there, but why dad he hide?
And why, when Wall street decided to
surrender and quit filibustering and
vote-why did Long find way out from
under his general Democratic pair or
vote? Moreover, it is pertinent to ask
I,A ct nr1R
against the measure. on page 62s1, Yol-
ume 40, part 5. or his vote with Wall
street When Wall street Surrendered?
He was hauled around by Wall street
in that vote like a Bought and paid
for chattel. Which vote does he, stand
on? '"p'W seq - -- q
And now for the charges to which
he confessed and pleaded extenuating
circumstances and threw himself upon
the mercy of the court. Let US look at
the charges and Longs plea, line upon
begging hard for mercy, and in no
case does he deserve 1t. Charge No. 1
Is this:
"On pages 5957-S, volume %, part
6, of the Record. Longs vote was cast
to validate some fraudulent railroad
bonds. The bonds were denounced on
the floor of the house as bonds from
which the people got no adequate
value received. But the bonds were
held in Wall street and the issue being
between the people and Wall street,
Long voted for Wall street"
Longs defense is that the railroad
was built and that he took the word
of the delegate from New Mexico for
his vote. The facts are that the dele
gate from New Mexico was shown on
the floor to be a member of the firm
that was attorney for the bondholders.
and that the bonds were issued to pay
for two roads and only one road was
built.
The next charge reads:
again on page 6297, volume %, of
the Record. Longs vote is recorded in
favor of a shady deal to reorganize
the Northern Pacific"
Longs defense is that others voted
as he did, but the facts in the Record
show that the transaction covering
millions and millions of dollars was
rushed through allowing only twenty
minutes for debate, and the procedure
was so rank that even LemueI Eli
Quigg could not stand for 1t and pro-
| tested. The fact that the congress
men along the line of the road voted
for it may only prove that the rail-
roads elected those congressman as
Curtis says they elected Long. The
| right or wrong of the matter Long
dares not to discuss.
The next charge reads:
ION page SIS, part 1, volume % of
the Record, Long voted against giving
| the people further protection than the
regular bill gave them in settling with
| the Union Pacific. The interests of
the people of this country were against
those of Wall street and Long voted
with Wall street,
His defense is that he was wrong
and is sorry for it,: He admitted he
was wrong once. The admission is the
best thing in his speech.
The next charge reads:
"A part of the Chicago & North
western railroad (Union Pacific con-
| troll owed the government 4 million
dollars of a just debt and was trying
| to get commission appointed which
would settle and not report for ap-
| proval TO congress. 1t was an attempt
to avoid publicity. On page 3eSO Of
the Record Long is found voting for
the railroads kind of settlement and
/ apetnsf ha naaDIa