le over a year, more money was spent for public printing than in the 78 previous years of all the years combined. The greatest cause of corruption was the endorsement of rr bonds by the state. Rr bons in some instance, were endorsed before the roads was built. Such grants in one administration exceeded $27 million. Ala issues estimate $17-$30 million. A ring of 20 men in Arkansas got state loans of more than $5 million. When the companies defaulted like most of them did, the state was left with the burden. Lobbyist and politicans benefited. Alabama and Florida, 2 fold and in Louisiana 5 fold (500%n increase ) in pay for politican and in Alabama tax rates increased 4 fold than prewar levels. For these and other reasons, property in some states decreased as much as 75%. The sale of southern bonds at below par value in northern financial centers facilitated the creation of mountainous debts. Without an ignorant electors, such extreme extravagance and corruption could not have taken place. The ex-slave allowed him to be led by Republicans without protest. One blacks said that he couldn’t read and write so just so what they were told. Blacks were dupes rather than rascals. The more imporant bribes fell to the carpetbaggers and scalawags though some blacks received a smaller position and smaller amounts of money. Moreover, corruption was not confined to the radicals alone. Democrats also took part in what is known as the “great barbeque.” The legislature which engaged in these corruption in rr were controlled by the radicals but Democratic southerners also took advantage of openings even though they had fewer chances. The republicans probably profited more than the democrats, but the bankers and others who were involved were more conservative than radicals. During reconstruction much of the increase in state expenditure was need to remedy war’s destruction, to care for the freedman, and to satisfy the demand that the ...
