Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-22
THE LOBBYISTS AT DovKR-PRoGREss OF
OUR LITTLE STATE


LAwyers do most OF our Delaware lobbying,
during the sessions Of the Legislature. The
most Important public bills, especially those for
rlising rovenne. have been drawn up generally,
OF late years, by loyal gentlemen employed by
the Legislative committees, who we're unwilling
or incapable 10 do the work themselves. One
Dover lawyer put in bill for $500, at the recent
session, for preparing the amended educational
act and the liquor license law. The bill was none
too igh.perhAps, but the Committee on Accounts
cut il down. Another gentleman, also men,
ber OF the Dover bar. has received nearly eight
hundred dollars out Of the treasury OF this city,
for attending to our corporate interests during
tue recent session. In the contest over the Ship
Canal charter, most Of the leading lawyers Of the
Capital were engaged, and labored hard with the
Legislators, good fat fees being psidiboth for and
against the charter. The same may be said Of
one or two railroad charters, though the parties
who sought them did not probably come down
to anything like the extent OF the contestants
over the Canal business.
For drawing ordinary acts OF incorporation, the
fees OF the legal gentlemen ranged from ten dol
lars to twenty-five. Getting divorce cases, and
also fighting them. cost much more, it being pre-
sumed that the parties to the sIuAbble, having
once got their dander mp, will bleed freely. One
anxious gentleman, who had filed his papers, and
had tho bill read severing him from his wife,wAs
heard to AnathemAtize all considerations Of ex-
pence, declaring that he would have his di-
vorce, IL it cost him two thousand dollars for he
had another girl, ready courted, with farm
worth twenty thousand" What lawyer this fore
sighted and progressive suitor employed we can
not state, but We should say he WAS fool II he
didn't get at least i've hundred dollars from this
client-And whatever other folly may be laid to
their account, his profession are not addicted to
that OF neglecting such an opportunity.
As there are only thirty members in both
Houses of our Legislature, the experts who Are
employed to direct their course, and steer then
straight along the narrow path. have to spend I
great deal Of soap and oil on each one and thu
lAbon of adverse lobbyists sometimes come dowr
to fine points, when single vote will kill or cure
Then it is that tho master stroke OF summoniuG
female assistance is sometimes resorted to
This sent the Ship Canal charter through the
House, like the Baltimore clippers will skee
across our PenirsulA-when the Canal is dug
The persuAsions OF female loyeliness from Ne'
York--or even rhilAdelphia-hAv degre
of influence in such close fights that illimitAbl
baskets OF Jersey cider fail to exert.
After few more sessions Of our Legislature
lobbying will doubtless be improved and devel
oped to the tegreo Of science which it has at
tanned in other States. 1t is the observation 0
the older members OF the Legislature that dur
ing the past winter it was more systematic an
better organized than ever before, This is er
courAgins. We may yet defy the supremacy {
Harrisburg and Albany, disdAining any compAii
son with Tronton.