Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1908 — “BUSINESS POLITICS.” [ARTICLE]

“BUSINESS POLITICS.”

The rottenness of republican politics in Marion county is being shown up in the trial of John McGregor, one of the county commissioners indicted for graft in soliciting and accepting a bribe of $3,800 from the Altas Engine Works —Hugh H. Hanna, a country-saver in ’96 and 1900, president—for furnishing boilers, etc., for the heating plant of the Marion county court house. McGregor testified on cross-exam-ination that the fact that another responsible firm’s bid for precisely the same work was some $6,000 less on a $21,000 contract, did not 1 cause the board to make any investigation of why this great difference in price should exist or make any impression whatever on his mind. The contract was awarded to the Atlas people because “the board felt friendly to that firm!” McGregor, so he testified, never had a bank account in his life until after the graft money is alleged toi have been paid to him, and he seems to have had absolutely no business qualifications whatever at any time. His sole business has been politics, and he had no other occupation or source of incoiqe after he was elected county commissioner except his salary as such commissioner. The evidence also disclosed that this McGregor had a room In the upper part of the court house which he called hiß den, and it was there the spoils were divided between the other commissioners and their go-betweens. It is indeed amazing that the taxpayers should elect such men as A'jhdsvi*,.,*,

John McGregor to so important an office as county commissioner. And in Marion county the commissioners have the handling or expending of about 11,000,000 per year, too!