A Yankee Story

Sen. Arthur R. Gould of Maine, leather-faced Yankee of 69, sat before a grate fire in a committee room last week and sought to defend himself against charges of bribery, which he is said to have committed many years ago. An investigating committee, headed by Senator Walsh of Montana, prodded him with questions. Here is the story that Senator Gould told them. In 1912 he and four partners were building a railroad in New Brunswick, Canada--it was "the best railroad they ever had up there." A man named Flemming came to him and said:

"I am going to be Premier. I am a poor man and need money for my campaign. You people are going to make money. You ought to contribute $40,000 to my campaign and pay me a salary of $5,000 yearly while you are working here."

At first Mr. Gould refused, but later he admitted that his partners found it necessary to present Premier Flemming with $100,000. Later, another Premier named Clark appeared and demanded $50,000. "I told him," testified Mr. Gould, " 'You won't get 50 cents.' He said he would legislate me out of the railroad business and he did. That's the only time he ever had the reputation of keeping his word."

In the course of the testimony Senator Goff of West Virginia re marked: "Then you were in a band of thieves."

"They did not want to do it, but they had to," replied Mr. Gould.

"Well," sighed Mr. Goff " it is surprising to me that you can't go up into one of the provinces of Canada and do business in a legitimate way."

"You could not do it then," said Mr. Gould.

One major discrepancy was noted in Mr. Gould's story. In referring to the $100,000, he carefully used the words "the company" or "my partners"; whereas in 1917 he had said "I" and "me" before Justice McKeown of New Brunswick. It was because Justice McKeown had called the payment of the $100,000 "an act of bribery" that the Senate committee was investigating Mr. Gould's right to hold his seat. The hearings closed last week to be resumed on Jan. 24. No recommendations were made.

Mr. Gould, meanwhile, remains an active member of the Senate. His lawyers maintain that, even if he did commit bribery in Canada in 1912, he ought not to be ousted from the U. S. Senate since he was legally elected in 1926. In any case, it was the New Brunswick Premiers, not Mr. Gould, who had violated political trust.

And, Smith, out in Illinois, Senator-elect Col. and Sen Frank L. Smith, Senator-elect and Senator-designate for the unexpired term of the late Senator McKinley, is debating Senator whether he should soon come knocking at the Senate door. His lawyer returned from Washington last week with the sad news that only 25 Republicans and four Democrats are willing to vote to seat him.

The two cases differ: Mr. Smith, a politician with ambition, had received money from an interested businessman; Mr. Gould, a businessman, had helped out a needy politician.