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。Thebillinreality，ofcourse，anabsolutelynewandundebatedbillthencamebacktotheHousenominallyasamerelyamendedmeasure，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-