The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-07-17
SENATOR LONGS CURIOUS CONFESSION
(By w. A. White of Emporial.


with having voted against the in
terest of Kansas in some cases and
against common honesty in Other
cases, Senator Long pleaded guilty tt
every single vote. He confessed that
they were his votes, and then threw
himself on the mercy of the court
pleading extenuating circumstances
In one count, and one only, the in
dictment was withdrawn as to the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cast, were withdrawn, but the charge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 Ubiquitous
still stands. The two cases were in
relation first to the senator's vote to
sell the coal lands of the Indian terri
tory 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 1t the
senator was absolutely right. But that
does not change the big fact that when
the people were making fight against
the coal combine Long lined up with
the railroads and on page 6272, part 4,
of volume 40, of the Congressional
Record, Long voted to sell the lands of
the railroads and uphold the hands of
the coal barons In the second case
Long is charged with helping fill
buster to defeat a measure intended to
give additional relief to railroad en-
ployes or their relatives in case of
death. 1t was charged in the indict-
ment that Long was hiding in the
cloak room and did not vote. That
was unfair to Senator Long, and with
out his asking it the charge was
promptly withdrawn, with apologies.
The truth was that Long was not hid
ing in the cloaking room. He was in.
stead hiding under a Democratic gen.
eral pair, and thus helping the filibust
er. Moreover, on page 1921, volume
40, part 5, of the Record, Long voted
against the provision to help railroad
employees killed or injured, but public
sentiment was burning up Wall street,
and it was filibustering to prevent a
vote. For, as has been said, Wall
street makes a fixed charge of human
life and mems limbs and does not care
to have the old order changed. So,
after hiding for hours under his Dem
ocratic general pair" when Wall
street surrendered Long came out
from his hiding, got around his pair,
as he knew well how to do, and sur
rendered to La Toilette with the Wall
street crowd as it 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 action. 1t is before
the jury. The jury can act. Error
was made only in describing the place
of hiding, but why did 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 and vote? Moreover, it is peril.
nent to ask which vote he will stand
on? His vote against the measure on
page 62S1, volume 49, part 5, or his
vote with Wall street when Wall street
surrendered. He was hauled around
by Wall street in that vote like
bought and paid for chattel. Which
vote does he stand on?
And now to the charges to which
he confessed and pleaded eXtenuating
and threw himself upon
the mercy of the court. Let us look
at the charges and Longs plea, line
upon line, precept upon precept For
he is begging hard for mercy, and in
no case does he deserve it. Charge
number one is this:
On page 5957-S. volume 2S, part 6, of
the Record Longs vote was cast to valid
at some fraudulent railroad bonds The
bonds were denounced as fraudulent on
the floor of the house, 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 railroads
were 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 the member of the
firm that was attorney for the bond
holders, and that the bonds were is
sued to pay for two roads and only one
road was built.
The next charge reads:
Again on page 6297. volume 2S, of the
Record, Longs vote is recorded in favor
Of shady deal to reorganize the North
ern racine
Longs defense is that others voted |
as he did. But the facts in the Rec
ord show that the transaction cover
ing millions and millions of dollars |
was rushed through allowing only |
twenty minutes for debate, and the
procedure was so rank that even Lem
lel Eli Quigg could not stand for 1t
and protested. The fact that the con-
yressmen along the line of the road |
voted for it may prove that the rail-
roads elected those congressman as
Curtis says they elected Long. The
tight or wrong of the matter Long
iares not to discuss.
The next charge reads:
On page 6SS, part one, volume 2S, of the
Record, Long voted against giving the
,eople further protection than the regular
,ill gave them in settling with the Union
Pacific. The interests of the people of this
were against those of Wall street
md Long voted with Wall street.
His defense is that he was wrong
md that he is sorry for 1t. He ad-
nitted that he was wrong once. The
admission is the best thing in his
speech.
The next charge reads:
A part of the Chicago & Northwestern
abroad Union Pacific controD owed the