Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-02-10
Tor tie Tribane.l
Le5byias-Its Prevalence and PoHer-De-
ssaeraty Of the Times,

deSlTed,0 or had conJectured. butt Is not of
this result that We now complain; it is
Of the means made use Of 10 effect the
result, that we wish to speak.
The members of the Legislature when
they assembled 1T Madison, were fully
ad ised, as to the claims and qualifca-
tons Of each and ali of the several cam
didates for Senator or, if some, per~
chance, were net so much advised, it was
then too late to weigh carefully and to
discriminate Justly as TO the record bear
ing upon tbs important trust TO be con-
ferred Or, in other words. it was prop
.erly q question of merit, of consistency,
and OF stn -ss 10 be determined by the
record, ana not one to be effected by
sheer weight Of personal solieitude and
by force Of lobby presslre- From facts
in our possession, facts within the knowl-
edge OF all eonyesant with matters at the
canital, we do not hesitate TO affirm, that
the latter instead of the former, cons
;Iolled the result finally arrived at
The lobby was never so numerous and
powerful on such an occasion, on any
cther occasion, not excepting that infa-
nous one which controlled the dispo>
>ition of the great Land Grant of sc 1t
filed the hotels, and it made the saloons
and the courts and purlieus OF the capt.
tai continual Babel In its eagerness
for a hearing, and in the iusolenee Of its
demands, it took holl Of the very horns
Of the altar" Ii doubtless was more
genteel in appearance and more decent
In behaviour, than the rabbie of the Eau
bourgs, which besieged the doc and in
Tested the halls Of the constituent assem-
bly, during the early period of the French
revolution but It's spirit, viz to control
legislation to It's own caprices, was the
same. Mr. William Welsh. of Madison
who was on the grounds. and keen OBJ
server, characterizes tie selection made,
as having been made "Gt The aictdti0R Of
numerous, actire. iHSoleat and J0iStrous
lobby Tie wonder really is, that such
4 body, so acting, should not by their
simple presence as lobbyists, have dis
gusted the majority Of the representatives
Of the people, and thus have defeated
the very ends they sought to accomplish
1t is gravely put forth, that this assem-
bIage of loJby-men was spontaneous on
their part; and gushing oblations Of
gratitude are poured out in presence OF
the people, for their disinterested and
unexpected sympathy.and support This
Is charming perspective in the picture +;
but in the reality, those gilIei tints
which alone give value 70 q scene, are, in
fact, wanting. All IS of a sombre and
unattractive hue The Railroad inter-
ests, both in and out of the state, were
not il!e spectators :of the fight Men
were brought to the capital in scores and
hundreds free, or at half fare, and hotel
bills were paid, letters Of personal soIic
itation inviting attendance were distrib-
uted all over the State; and yet we are
given TO understand. that the vast uphea-
walls of interest and sympathy, manifested
by the lobby men pending the Senatorial
canvass. was spontaneous and irrcpressi-
BE This will 90 for marines and tie
unsophisticatel generally, but We beg
not to be classed in either category.
According to our notions, an event Of
50 much Importance IS the selection Of a
[. ;. Senator for six years, should be
calmly and thoroughly considered in all
its bearings aud entirely free from out
side pressure and personal solicitation
Candidates. either self-coustitutei or
made such by others, should tender their
record, and foreshadow rs far as they
NAV their future line of political conduct
aud right there cease their efforts. We
regard it derogatory to the dignity of the
Office, and in fact almost any office, for n
candidate to 90 other than above suggest
Cd and If one st0ops TO questionable
practices. or uuseemly applianc to com
pass his ends, he should, for this, If there
were no other reason, be at once thrown
aside. Is for lobbying. it is alt -ether
wrong IN principle and rotten IN the ex-
ccution. aliae degrading to those who
practise It aud insulting to those upon
whom it Is praeticed 4 fair statement
Of any ease upon which action was de-
sired BY 2 legislative body in the form of
petition e5uchei in respectful term
was Formerly regarded IS sufficient; and
it invariably received the attention it de-
served. The legislation Of the country
during many years of is early history
had dis fsac lation-nona ether; and
the sooner we return to the practice OF
our fathers the better 1t viii be for u
and 'er nol,::ea, purity everywhere
These being our views, We cannot he p
being shocked and humilia.ed by the re-
cent action Of the Senate in the passage
Of resolution, authorizing the Cover
nor 10 70 u Washington for .hc purpose
Of lobbying among the congressman for
the appropriation Of millions of dollars to
complete the Fox and Wisconsin rivers
Improvement, according 70 plans before
Congress, We had verify supposed that
in she light Of recent revelations, Con-
Gres>iaual lobbying had rot to be a stencil
In the naStrils Of the peorle. altogether