New-York tribune., 1910-09-23
PAID FOR MEN WHO
COULDN'T Be BRIDED
That Was Why Rogers Helped,
with More than $4,000,
Square. Honest Men,"
GAVE CAsH-ELWAYS Cash
Forgot Names Of Al Beneficial
ries. So Graft Hunters Turned
Attention &c Cunningham
and His Clerk.

nsliEned street railway interests at yes
1erday's session Of the legislative Eraft
hunters G. Tracy Rogers. who. as
president for several years OF the Street
Railway Association and disburser OF
.,~7ecial funds" ard assessment funds"
had extraordinary means Of knowing the
true fnv-a-dness of street railway arfairs
set the interests right before the public
Rogers is a stout. phlegnatic sort Of
g. person B.lt his blood gradually
reached the boiling point as he heard
N Linn Bruce dsy after day ask ques-
-ions about cash credits 20 legislators on
she hooks ~ EIIfngwood & Cunningham;
r-a-~nssz- contributions - legislators
M through the records q the 'legisla-
..ve clearing house IN devious fashion,
and the opening OF trading accounts for
LEGISLATORS who didn't put I'D any margin
T7e resented birreriv the cynical attitude
~ the graft hunters and their counsel
rhat the street railway people were do
snr favors-even important financial IA
z-o-s-to legislators and politicians from
any soudid Interior motives
Roar-s Boiled Over.
~ wesee-dav. when Judge Bruce got
HUNT in asking why the railroad people
hsd given some $1,000 n about three
years 70 a group OF legislators. Rogers
boiled over. His Indignation al this
-nis-ep-esentatton-th deliberate re-
<-zssi 10 understand and appreciate the
high f6eals and splendid motives of the
e--eef Railways AEsociation-knew no
bounds When Judge Bruce reitsrsL.s
his sordid question:
What did YOU expect 10 get for this
rncney-- Rogers burst forth:
I'VE expected 70 elect good SQUARE
bcnest uer. who couldn't be bribed.
Ns-ifestlv il was the statement Of q.
-zrseu- man. who had suffered long IN
d. --,s-erraseutation ana calumny. but
Who felt hound N protect hts friends and
associates from unVsrranted attack II
rroauced almost Z sensation IL the al
deruantc chamber. where the graft
hunters hunt.
The relentless fnouisftor. Bruce, whose
7sshtest questions are mercilesE PROB
srus ~ The innermost souls OF unwilling
witnesses. Easped-
! glad smile lighted the counten7nce
rf the zrusus1ici0us and tTIlst1C1 MeTri1I'
chairman oF the graft hunt Merritt 81
vas had contended that there was nc
.- z,S nothing Improper at Albany,
ana he showed his 10v AZ having Rogers
,,,--4--7 his statements And the rest
= +4,s committee. suspicious and cynical
<honrh they were. evidently 1eit trelr-
~-7.s-, IN humanity spring I'd afresn-
They conned over the names Of those
-r.+., un11n Rogers and his friends the
-s-z=av usople had done business
8z-,es. AHds. Beden. Goodsell. George
s,zIsrz. TACK yale. George ". Dunn
.Tp-,es 7. Roesrs. Senator Green. the late
5--s,-sr Nsxan and the score OF others
~ l,o.h ua-ries whose names modestlE
-,-az7eu-ed Rogers from calling-all al
honorable men
Square, Honest Men.
Gladly. willingly, that committee
prca-4ed Rogers'E characterization
s,.cus-e honest men who couldn't De
r1-ibed-
--r,is refreshing incident fortunately
os-ne early. Its memory sweetened the
proceedings Of the graft hunters for the
rest of the Gay
1,sre Bruce. little thinking Of the way
This witness was 70 turn the tables on
e4n and hold his base suspicious up 70
i aro-r. began asking questions about the
II contributions Of the street railway IN
' sereets 10 legislators and politicians
.,,-ough Rogers and EIlingwood & Gun
ntn-ha-n. TIC brokerage firm with which
he was connected
..Eserween May. 1900. and July, 1903"
satd Judge Bruce, the fraEmentary
-ecords we have show that SS2.4I5
nassed through your hands and. through
r-li-rwood & Cunningham. into the
hands ~ legislators. Tel US why you
raid that money"
NFodestlv. almost hesitatingly. Rogers
-eplied that he had no doubt much more
than that had been paid Judge Bruce
WIS wiling 70 concede that probably this
was ''onlv & drop in ths bucket" SdI
ne pressed for an answer as 70 the no
tive. and at length got this:
Il paid the money 70 elect men from
z-~orr we could expect fair treatment"
Fair treatment for whonf-the people
or the railroadsT'
The best men for the railroads were
the best men for the people. contended
Rogers
You said neu from whom YOU could
expect fair treatment. Couldn't You get
fair treatment without paying for it?''
.Au corporations contributed" said
ogerE.
~ these men 70 whom you contributed
were elected they were under obliga-
tions U your
Under No Obligations.
'Oh. no. not AZ all" said Rogers, afr
Iy.
But didn't they know you were pay
ing money for their electiOn?"
Not ali II them, some Of them did"
answered the traction man. who spent
u7uch time AZ Albany during legislative
sessions and so got 10 know the real
character Of the much criticised poll
ticianE. He couldn't recall the name Of
one legislator. though, who didn't know
about the contributions. Finally Judge
Bruce asked him again:
Why did you want these men
eiec1edg"
Because they were good. square. hon
- rnep VINO couldn't be bought or