The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-06-27

WASHINGTON, June 27.-FoI
the eon-men, it's always open
season on congressman.
The Jobs of senators and
members of the House land for
that matter, any other persons
who hold their posts by popular
election) are no more secure than
their regulations. To become
involved in shady transaction
or to be caught playing the goat
for some wolf with a slick con-
fidence game is almost political
death.
The common know this. The
congressman know it. 1t makes
the congressman wary and a
hard nut to crack. 1t makes the
smart common willing only to
try their slickest tricks around
Washington. The risk is great,
but once they have gotten inside
and over the first hurdle, they
feel pretty safe--for no politician
can afford to raise any hue and
cry over the fact that he has
played dumb.
It isn't often that congress-
men will even whisper off-the-
record when they have been
bilked by some sharper-but by
whispering at least among them
selves, they have just broken up
a smooth bit of chicanery that
for a few days threatened to
spread all over the place. I'll
tell you the story.
Worked Several Times
The game was worked several
itimes-just how many not even
members of Congress themselves
know-but just let someone try
it today and he will find himself
rafting the bars for exercise.
A bright well-dressed young
man put in his appearance at the
congressman's office. He was
from the congressman's state.
He was a personal friend Tor his
father was) of some of the con-
CHEESEMAN'S most powerful polit-
ical allies.
He chatted about them amiably
and intimately. He brought the
latest bits of gossip and news
about them and their families.
The conversation ran on and to
personal things.
The young man, it seems, was
in Washington and in Baltimore
and Philadelphia on business. He
had inherited quite a fortune.
He had just invested it in a large
importing business. In a boat
which was locked at Baltimore
the young man had acquired
large quantity of Scotch whisky.
I'm not in the whisky BUSH
ness, he explained, "and because
/ am now on the 60 all the time,
have no use for it myself. Be
cause so-and-so back home thinks
so much Of you and because /
think so much of him, I'd like
TO give you half dozen cases..
Appreciated II
Now even If the congressman
weren't drinking man, how
could he refuse thing like that
Ia gift from a friend of a
friend and with absolutely no
axe to grind. He appreciated it
very much.
"All right, said the young
man, that's settled then. I'll
have 1t sent down to YOU. He
Started to leave, then said; "Oh, /
almost forgot. You don't mind
paying the duty. do you2 It's
Just $3.50 a case?"
No. the congressman didn't
mind. He would write a check.
He did. And except for the can
ceIled check, which had been
cashed within the hour, that was
the last seen or heard of the
bright young man. If you think
$3S IS a paltry sum for so much
trouble. remember that it could
be worked many times in day.
and many times that in a week
or SO.
This is just the latest gag that
the con-men have thought up to
harass poor congressman. There
have been others down through
the years, ranging from black
mail to petty touches from men