The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-08-08
MISCELLANY.
Lobbying as a Fine Art.

Amongall the f1Oirishing trades OF mod |
ern times there is none equal to lobbying.
The persons who follow it claim for it con- |
siderable antiquity, and they are always
endeavoring to impress upon the public !
mind that the business of politics never
was carried on without the aid of Lobbyists, |
and never can be.
There are lobbyists who are never gull
ty of double-dealing or cheating. But we
have never heard of these men making
fortunes. One does not see them with
town and country residences, or hear OF
their driving fast trotters. The square
sort of lobbyist has little political inf1u-
ence, and certainly is not able to s'plant'
all his relations and dependents comforta
bly, in public offices. The truly flourish
ing lobbyist plays his cards in very differ
ent way. His plan of operation is gener-
ally something like this: He manages to
obtain control by fair means or FOUL usu-
allv by foul, of a newspaper. This is his
first step. Country members OF the leg
islature are apt to attach much importance
to seeing their names in a newspaper-lt
does not much matter what sort of news
paper it is. Upon this weakness the ris-
ing lobbyist takes care to play, with what
Judgment and skill he may possess. He
praises his patrons and abuses all who re
fuse to intrust to him their "business.
He forges letters, invents ISLANDERS, and is
particularly expert in accusing his enemy
of being involved in some disreputable in
trigue with a woman. The lobbyist VINO
owns a newspaper knows that this Is q
sort of charge that scares nine men out OF
ten out of their wits; for there is general
ly no way of disproying it, and the world
is always ready to believe the worst OF
man, That is a characteristic OF human
nature which the lobbyist turns to excel
lent account, so far as his own interests are
concerned.
1t is clear, then, that newspaper oe-
comes an important aid to the LOBBYIST at
the outset of his career, and the longer ne
can retain control of it the more advan-
tageous it will be to him. The majority OF
men do not like to nave lies puDhsneo
about them, or to see their 1anhhes niaue
the subjects OF vile and coWardiy slanue.s. !S !.
The lobbyist knows tins, ana seidom ia,is al1
to drive his antagonist out OF the neld.
We have no libel law worth mentioning,
and the loDDylst makes lne most vi lilis ls
convenient circumstance. lie accuses one
man of starving his children, anu Ihen 0l
carrying on intrlgues with somepoay
else's wife-in short, there is no CRIME
which he is not ready TO cnarge against
anybody who presumes TO interfere Win
his operations. The persons VINO are
slandered might enter SUITS ior ilDeli put
they cannot bring their cases 10 nnai near "a.
ing in less than hve or SIX years aG LIe
very earliest. In the meanWhlle, Ine Iop
byist can go on repeating hlthy calumnies
as fast as he can invent tnem. Inc resI. ~.
in the majority OF instances, Is tnaG t4e 4e
victims "knuckle GOWN; H., IL II pegans afg{an5od -
be said by the persons VINO are aG.ac5eu seo,
"So-and-so is dangerous nan he uoi< =.
not care what he says ABOUT you. 1t ~
best to let him alone" AND SO ne Is le
alone, and goes on rolling up a lore9n'
which honest and hard-Worklng proles
sional men seldom have chance OF ac
quiring. One of the Albany Lobbyists ;
said to be worth S4O0,0OO; announcer ma
made at least $780, 900 in the course OF
few years. and there is notnlng 70 PREV prssetl !,