The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-04-01
H0TCHk|SS IS HELPING PATCH lip
lEAKY MECAPH0NE Of THE PEOPLE
BY G. W. SHEPHERD,

AVE-" AOiNh, April l.-f1ere
stands VIM. H. Hotchkiss, state SUI
perintendent of insurance, friend
OF Governor Hughes. strong, reli.
ant and scowling, at table.
Before him came presidents of
fire insurance companies. They're
mostly gray headed. They sit in
chair before him and first look af-
Fable and then worried. He asks
them many questions, such as
Where did this money go? Why
ala you give this check to so-and-
SO? How many lawyers did you
have at Albany? Did you know
that money was to be used in influ.
encing~ legislation?'
What is Hotchkss doing? Just
grilling fire insurance presidents9
No; this isn't his chief object.
He's doing his part in patching
up the leaky megaphone of the
people.
Suppose he sends half a dozen
company presidents to jail?
That won't be the real work he
hopes to do.
Or suppose half dozen legisla.
tors who have taken brides go to
cells? Only incidental; only a lit
tie part OF the big job he has in
mind
The big thing he seeks is to help
put patch on the leaky mega
phone through which the people
speak-or, perhaps better-help
them get new one.
He had just finished grilling sew
eral fire insurance presidents when
l had talk with him
'lf all of this fails" he said,
nevertheless it will have had it's
part in teaching the people that
their lawmakers must be kept safe
from br,bers. And that's the big
thing. - =.
1.-THE legislative branch of the
government is the one that is clos
est to the people. 1t is the mouth
piece of the public and through it
the people say how they think they
ought to govern themselves.
But bribery and dishonesty
among the makers of law distort
and sometimes render almost inco-
herent the voice of the people.
Then there is the executive
branch of government. Its duty is
to carry out the wish of the people,
but how can it do as the people
wish 1t to do, when it can not I'M
derstand what the people say;
when the mouthpiece leaks so bad
ly that the people can not speak
plainly through it?
And when the executive branch
through failure to understand the
people, does not act as the people
wish it to act, there Is discord and
the government and it's people are
at outs.
1.-THE time Is coming In this
country when it will be as criminal
and dangerous to approch law
maker-a congressman or a state
Legislator or an alderman-with
an offer of bride as II is now to
approach judge on the bench
with an offer Of gifts.
1--WE hope, in this fire insurance
Investigation, to get all the facts.
My duty as a state official ends
within the limits of New York.
But | shall bring out all the facts
and the newspapers will give them
publicity, no matter to what states
Of the union these facts are pertin-
ent.
"The authorities of these states
may do as they please about prose-
cutions, if prosecutions are neces-
sary.
THE big fact will be. l hope,
after all is done, that we will
have shown the people again that.
until all lawmakers are honest and
are protected from bribery, the
people will not have a government
run absolutely by themselves for
themselves.
Legislatures are getting better.
We have made splendid progress.
1t Is now more reprehsnsible than
ever before to bribe, or attempt to
bride, lawmaker.
"As soon as the people fully