The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-05

N fees TO attorney McMurray and others upon
a contract with Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians
for the sale of certain lands is not matter
either for ridicule or buster.
The would-be bride giver in this case is said by
the Senator to be Jake l.. Hamon, Republican
Chairman in Oklahoma, both WHEN it was
Territory and after it became State The
circumstances attending the offer of the alleged
bride are detailed by the Senator and against
such testimony the expected denias of Hamon
will be accorded such credence only as their lmph-
cation of untruthfulness in a man of Cores adj
mitted integrity and ability will entitle them to.
The truth about an offer of bride, which is re-
fused, is necessarily never absolutely determined
except as it may be deduced from relative prob
abilities of veracity OF certainty man who
will offer bride will lie heartily about it after
the event. No doubt it was this knowledge, the
certainty that he would himself be involved in d
position in which his word would be questioned
and his honesty attacked, that caused the delay
in Senator Cores statement, which was made IN
general terms Immediately upon the of the
adjournment of Congress. 1t would have been
better had be spoken Immediately. That he fol-
lowed natural impulse not to speak, but spoke
with reasonable promptitude nevertheless, ought
statement.
The cases of Vice President Sherman and
Senator Curtis are reasonably to be taken in
another light. As to them, Senator Gore states
that they were mentioned to him by Hamon as
being interested in the payment Of the fee. This
statement is entirely consistent with the assump
ton that Hamon attempting to give bribe
The bride giver sought To offer the man he
Il /
in crime. He was careless Of regulations in the
effort TO carry his end. While we know nothing
of Senator Curtis, il ought TO be said that, so
far as known, this charge is the first imputatior
of dishonesty on rhe part Of the Weep resident
| Sunny Jim Sherman Is = different sort. All
his robberies are legal He is for privilege under
the form of law. He has no doubt the same
contempt for man who would pick up 100000
or 100000 BY means involving the peneten.
tiary upon detection as the expert swinder has
for the yeggnan, the veggman for the pick
pocket. Sherman's stakes are high; his game is
regular. His denial under these circumstances
stands on exactly the same plane, is entitled to
the degree of credence as Cores accuse.
| ton. That bride was offered, that the lobby
sought 10 put through Congress gigantic steal
from credulous Indians, cannot be Tor a mo
ment doubted 1t is perhaps well that the names
of Sherman and Curtis are in ected into tL-
scandal. It will perhaps occur to them that
the only satisfactory method of 'whitewash" is
an investigation that shall disclose the whole
truth. Bribery in the Houses of Congress has
been too long charged and too clrcumstantlally
suspected to permit these, more or less definite
disclosures TO 60 unprobed.
| From time TO time there have penetrated to
/ the public nose odors from the lands of the
Choctaws and the Chickasaws which have been
anything but pleasant. Sharp lawyers have
traded outrageously upon the Indians in legisla-
ton and in litigation They have been hand and
glove with sa=called Courts composed for the
most part of broken-down politicians whose every
instinct that of the freebooter. Judges of these
courts have returned 10 their homes with the con-
seriousness of labor we'll performed. and their
pockets well-ined One of them, the present
Republican Chairman i'll North Carolina, was
dirscty charged with having improperly feath-
cred his nest by sharing the fees on allowances
he, as the Judge, granted this same McMurray
and his associates. For making this charge he
indicted ex-senator Butler, who doubtless brought
it out of jealous chagrin. Butler was convicted,
but the higher court granted him new trial.
/ Judge Adams also sued Butler for damages.
He has compromised and settled the suit, and
the amount, for good and sufficient reasons, has
{ never been named.
/ We mention this matter, as showing the spread
of the corrupting influence of these lands of the
Indians, which have melted the lust of greed
which have set the jackals circling about the
remnant of the Indians primeval wealth. and
nosing for the bones of corruption even in the
/ Senate of the United States.
AfterAthe Ballinger-P inchot investigation, the
''high cost of living commission farce, the Con-
gress will make a monumental mistake if, in the
probing of this Scandal, it again tempts the dis
gust of the people with insincerity.
MEETING AN EPOCH.
4 Comparative national bank statistics compiled
by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. so far