第12章

Averyslightconsiderationoftheabovestateofaffairswillshowhowdifficultitwasattimestokeeptheissueclear，forhonestanddishonestmenwerecontinuallyfoundsidebysidevotingnowagainstandnowforacorporationmeasure，theonesetfromproperandtheothersetfromgrosslyimpropermotives。Ofcoursepartofthefaultlayintheattitudesofoutsiders。Itwasveryearlyborneinuponmethatalmostequalharmwasdonebyindiscriminatedefenseof，andindiscriminateattackon，corporations。Itwashardtosaywhetherthemanwhopridedhimselfuponalwaysantagonizingthecorporations，orthemanwho，onthepleathathewasagoodconservative，alwaysstoodupforthem，wasthemoremischievousagentofcorruptionanddemoralization。

InonefightintheHouseoverabillastowhichtherewasabittercontestbetweentwoNewYorkCitystreetrailwayorganizations，Isawlobbyistscomedownontheflooritselfanddrawvenalmenoutintothelobbieswithalmostnopretenseofconcealingwhattheyweredoing。InanothercaseinwhichtheelevatedrailwaycorporationsofNewYorkCity，againsttheprotestoftheMayorandtheotherlocalauthorities，rushedthroughabillremittingoverhalftheirtaxes，someofthememberswhovotedforthemeasureprobablythoughtitwasright；buteverycorruptmanintheHousevotedwiththem；andthemanmustindeedhavebeenstupidwhothoughtthatthesevotesweregivendisinterestedly。

Theeffectivefightagainstthisbillfortherevisionoftheelevatedrailwaytaxes——perhapsthemostopenlycrookedmeasurewhichduringmytimewaspushedatAlbany——waswagedbyMikeCostelloandmyself。Weusedtospendagooddealoftimeinindustriousresearchintothevariousbillsintroduced，soastofindoutwhattheirauthorsreallyhadinmind；thisresearch，bytheway，beinghighlyunappreciatedandmuchresentedbytheauthors。InthecourseofhisresearchesMikehadbeenpuzzledbyanunimportantbill，seeminglyrelatedtoaConstitutionalamendment，introducedbyalocalsaloon-keeper，whoseinterests，asfarasweknew，werewhollyremotefromtheConstitution，orfromanyformofabstractlegalbetterment。However，themeasureseemedharmless；wedidnotinterfere；anditpassedtheHouse。Mike，however，followeditscareerintheSenate，andatthelastmoment，almostbyaccident，discoveredthatithadbeen“amended“

bythesimpleprocessofstrikingouteverythingaftertheenactingclauseandunobtrusivelysubstitutingtheproposaltoremittheelevatedrailwaytaxes！Theauthorsofthechangewishedtoavoidunseemlypublicity；theirhopewastoslipthemeasurethroughtheLegislatureandhaveitinstantlysignedbytheGovernor，beforeanypublicattentionwasexcited。IntheSenatetheirplanworkedtoperfection。TherewasintheSenatenofightingleadershipoftheforcesofdecency；andforsuchleadershipofthenon-fightingtypetherepresentativesofcorruptioncaredabsolutelynothing。ByboldandadroitmanagementthesubstitutionintheSenatewaseffectedwithoutoppositionorcomment。Thebill(inreality，ofcourse，anabsolutelynewandundebatedbill)thencamebacktotheHousenominallyasamerelyamendedmeasure，which，undertherules，wasnotopentodebateunlesstheamendmentwasfirstbyvoterejected。Thiswasthegreatbillofthesessionforthelobby；andthelobbywaskeenlyalivetotheneedofquick，wiseaction。Nopublicattentionwhateverhadsofarbeenexcited。Everymeasurewastakentosecureimmediateandsilentaction。Apowerfulleader，whomthebeneficiariesofthebilltrusted，afearlessandunscrupulousman，ofmuchforceandgreatknowledgeofparliamentarylaw，wasputinthechair。

CostelloandIwerewatched；andwhenforamomentwewereoutoftheHouse，thebillwasbroughtoverfromtheSenate，andtheclerkbegantoreadit，alltheblackhorsecavalry，inexpectantmood，beingintheirseats。ButMikeCostello，whowasintheclerk’sroom，happenedtocatchafewwordsofwhatwasbeingread。Inherushed，despatchedamessengerforme，andbeganasingle-handedfilibuster。TheSpeakerprotemcalledhimtoorder。Mikecontinuedtospeakandprotest；theSpeakerhammeredhimdown；Mikecontinuedhisprotests；thesergeant-

at-armswassenttoarrestandremovehim；andthenIbouncedin，andcontinuedtheprotest，andrefusedtositdownorbesilent。Amidwildconfusiontheamendmentwasdeclaredadopted，andthebillwasorderedengrossedandsenttotheGovernor。Butwehadcarriedourpoint。Thenextmorningthewholepressrangwithwhathadhappened；everydetailofthebill，andeverydetailofthewayithadbeenslippedthroughtheLegislature，weremadepublic。AlltheslowandcautiousmenintheHouse，whohadbeenafraidoftakingsides，nowcameforwardinsupportofus。Anotherdebatewasheldontheproposaltorescindthevote；thecityauthoritieswakeduptoprotest；theGovernorrefusedtosignthebill。Twoorthreeyearslater，aftermuchlitigation，thetaxeswerepaid；inthenewspapersitwasstatedthattheamountwasover$1，500，000。ItwasMikeCostellotowhomprimarilywasduethefactthatthissumwassavedthepublic，andthattheforcesofcorruptionreceivedastingingrebuff。Hedidnotexpectrecognitionorrewardforhisservices；andhegotnone。Thepublic，ifitknewofwhathehaddone，promptlyforgotit。Themachinedidnotforgetit，andturnedhimdownatthenextelection。

Oneofthestand-by“strikes“wasabillforreducingtheelevatedrailwayfare，whichatthattimewastencents，tofivecents。InoneLegislaturethemenresponsiblefortheintroductionofthebillsufferedsuchanextraordinarychangeofheartthatwhenthebillcameup——beingpushedbyzealousradicalswhoreallywerehonest——theintroducersactuallyvotedagainstit！Anumberofuswhohadbeenverydoubtfulabouttheprincipleofthebillvotedforitsimplybecausewewereconvincedthatmoneywasbeingusedtostopit，andwehatedtoseemtosidewiththecorruptionists。Thentherecameawaveofpopularfeelinginitsfavor，thebillwasreintroducedatthenextsession，therailwaysverywiselydecidedthattheywouldsimplyfightitonitsmerits，andtheentireblackhorsecavalrycontingent，togetherwithalltheformerfriendsofthemeasure，votedagainstit。

Someofus，whoinourangeratthemethodsformerlyresortedtoforkillingthebillhadvotedforitthepreviousyear，withmuchheart-

searchingagainvotedforit，asInowthinkunwisely；andthebillwasvetoedbythethenGovernor，GroverCleveland。Ibelievethevetowasproper，andthosewhofeltasIdidsupportedtheveto；foralthoughitwasentirelyrightthatthefareshouldbereducedtofivecents，whichwassoonafterwardsdone，themethodwasunwise，andwouldhavesetamischievousprecedent。

Aninstanceofanoppositekindoccurredinconnectionwithagreatrailwaycorporationwhichwishedtoincreaseitsterminalfacilitiesinoneofourgreatcities。Therepresentativesoftherailwaybroughtthebilltomeandaskedmetolookintoit，sayingthattheywerewellawarethatitwasthekindofbillthatlentitselftoblackmail，andthattheywishedtogetitthroughonitsmerits，andinvitedthemostcarefulexamination。Ilookedcarefullyintoit，foundthatthemunicipalauthoritiesandtheproperty-ownerswhosepropertywastobetakenfavoredit，andalsofoundthatitwasanabsolutenecessityfromthestandpointofthecitynolessthanfromthestandpointoftherailway。SoIsaidIwouldtakechargeofitifIhadguaranteesthatnomoneyshouldbeusedandnothingimproperdoneinordertopushit。Thiswasagreedto。Iwasthenactingaschairmanofthecommitteebeforewhichthebillwent。

AverybriefexperienceprovedwhatIhadalreadybeenpracticallysureof，thattherewasasecretcombinationofthemajorityofthecommitteeonacrookedbasis。Ononepretextoranotherthecrookedmembersofthecommitteeheldthebillup，refusingtoreportiteitherfavorablyorunfavorably。Therewereoneortwomembersofthecommitteewhowereprettyroughcharacters，andwhenIdecidedtoforcemattersIwasnotsurethatwewouldnothavetrouble。Therewasabrokenchairintheroom，andIgotalegofitlooseandputitdownbesidemewhereitwasnotvisible，butwhereImightgetatitinahurryifnecessary。Imovedthatthebillbereportedfavorably。

Thiswasvoteddownwithoutdebatebythe“combine。”someofwhomkeptawoodenstolidityoflook，whileothersleeredatmewithsneeringinsolence。Ithenmovedthatitbereportedunfavorably，andagainthemotionwasvoteddownbythesamemajorityandinthesamefashion。I

thenputthebillinmypocketandannouncedthatIwouldreportitanyhow。Thisalmostprecipitatedariot，especiallywhenIexplained，inanswertostatementsthatmyconductwouldbeexposedontheflooroftheLegislature，thatinthatcaseIshouldgivetheLegislaturethereasonswhyIsuspectedthatthemenholdingupallreportofthebillwereholdingitupforpurposesofblackmail。Theriotdidnotcomeoff；partly，Ithink，becausetheopportuneproductionofthechair-leghadasedativeeffect，andpartlyowingtowisecounselsfromoneortwoofmyopponents。

AccordinglyIgotthebillreportedtotheLegislatureandputonthecalendar。Buthereitcametoadeadhalt。Ithinkthiswaschieflybecausemostofthenewspaperswhichnoticedthematteratalltreateditinsuchacynicalspiritastoencouragethemenwhowishedtoblackmail。Thesepapersreportedtheintroductionofthebill，andsaidthat“allthehungrylegislatorswereclamoringfortheirshareofthepie“；andtheyacceptedascertainthefactthattherewasgoingtobeadivisionof“pie。”Thissucceededinfrighteninghonestmen，andalsoinrelievingtherogues；theformerwereafraidtheywouldbesuspectedofreceivingmoneyiftheyvotedforthebill，andthelatterweregivenashieldbehindwhichtostanduntiltheywerepaid。IwaswhollyunabletomovethebillforwardintheLegislature，andfinallyarepresentativeoftherailwaytoldmethathethoughthewouldliketotakethebilloutofmyhands，thatIdidnotseemabletogetitthrough，andthatperhapssome“olderandmoreexperienced“

leadercouldbemoresuccessful。Iwasprettycertainwhatthismeant，butofcourseIhadnokindofproof，andmoreoverIwasnotinapositiontosaythatIcouldpromisesuccess。Accordingly，thebillwasgivenintothechargeofaveteran，whomIbelievetohavebeenapersonallyhonestman，butwhowasnotinquisitiveaboutthemotivesinfluencinghiscolleagues。Thisgentleman，whowentbyanicknamewhichIshallincorrectlycall“thebaldeagleofWeehawken。”wasefficientandknewhisjob。Afteracoupleofweeksamotiontoputthebillthroughwasmadeby“thebaldeagle“；the“blackhorsecavalry。”whosefeelingshadundergoneacompletechangeintheinterveningtime，votedunanimouslyforit，incompanywithallthedecentmembers；andthatwastheend。Nowherewasabitofworkintheinterestofacorporationandintheinterestofacommunity，whichthecorporationatfirsttriedhonestlytohaveputthroughonitsmerits。Theblameforthefailurelayprimarilyinthesupineindifferenceofthecommunitytolegislativewrong-doing，solongasonlythecorporationswereblackmailed。

Exceptasabovementioned，Iwasnotbroughtincontactwithbigbusiness，saveintheefforttoimpeachacertainjudge。Thisjudgehadbeenusedasaninstrumentintheirbusinessbycertainofthemenconnectedwiththeelevatedrailwaysandothergreatcorporationsatthattime。Wegotholdofhiscorrespondencewithoneofthesemen，anditshowedashockingwillingnesstousethejudicialofficeinanywaythatoneofthekingsoffinanceofthatdaydesired。Hehadactuallyheldcourtinoneofthatfinancier’srooms。Oneexpressioninoneofthejudge’sletterstothisfinancierIshallalwaysremember：“Iamwillingtogototheveryvergeofjudicialdiscretiontoserveyourvastinterests。”ThecuriousthingwasthatIwasbynomeanscertainthatthejudgehimselfwascorrupt。Hemayhavebeen；

butIaminclinedtothinkthat，asidefromhisbeingamanofcoarsemoralfiber，thetroublelaychieflyinthefactthathehadagenuine——ifIhadnotsooftenseenit，Iwouldsayawhollyinexplicable——

reverenceforthepossessorofagreatfortuneassuch。Hesincerelybelievedthatbusinesswastheendofexistence，andthatjudgeandlegislatoralikeshoulddowhateverwasnecessarytofavorit；andthebiggerthebusinessthemorehedesiredtofavorit。Bigbusinessofthekindthatisalliedwithpoliticsthoroughlyappreciatedtheusefulnessofsuchajudge，andeveryeffortwasstrainedtoprotecthim。Wefoughthard——by“we“Imeansomethirtyorfortylegislators，bothRepublicansandDemocrats——butthe“blackhorsecavalry。”andthetimidgoodmen，andthedullconservativemen，wereallagainstus；

andthevoteintheLegislaturewasheavilyagainstimpeachment。Theminorityofthecommitteethatinvestigatedhim，withChapinatitshead，recommendedimpeachment；theargumentforimpeachmentbeforethecommitteewasmadebyFrancisLyndeStetson。