New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-06
Tho Albany Lobby.

The Albany correspondent of the New
York Warya, writing under the date of May
l-b gives the following racy interview with
the HUncls Sam Ward" of the legislative
lobby
The communications of an accomplished
rabb yise made to ME a night or two ago are
too good to be kept in that secrecy which
he DIDN'T require. He mentioned names
with sp6ntaneity and frequency. but if
should print them the World would have q
score of libel suits next week which it
would be pOwerless to meet in court. You
see." said zay acquaintance, ''even Barber
himself would swear he had never paid a
member any money if he was called to the
stand And if Barber should so swear,
how cauId anybody prove the facts Ger
sainly the bribees wouldn't admit them
This man showed me full list OF the
Black Horse Cavalry. To prove his pre-
science he marked down on a yea and nay
List OF the two houses the probable votes on
two hills, "with money in them" which
we're TO be considered next day. The &C
curaey of those lists proved amazing.
"NIw,' said l, promptly, 'all this is good
glessr york, and may grow out OF careful
study OF the sides men are accustomed to
take ayr certain kinds of bills. l don't
believe in your business-in its expediency
or it's morals. l have notion that YOU
genttesuen immensely exaggerate your intiu-
euce on Legislatures and ON politics. Come,
tell NE if it isn't the fact that your receive
a good deal more money than you really
earn
The gentleman's face was completely
overspread by the radiation Of sardonic
smile,
"Wbr,7- said he, you've got at it this
year exactly. It's the damnedest year that
was ever known. I've been thinking of it.
u don't believe any of EN- has made $500.
And les a disgraceful business, and it's
shame they can't get no more money
Things are dryer than desert, except the
regular payments"
.Wnat do you mean by the regular pay
Dents,'T
.Wesl, if you want to know all about lob.
bying. here's the way it's done. In the first
place some Of the big corporations--like the
-- railrOad-knOw they're going
to be struck They make up their minds to
that, jast as they do to any other thing. So
they fix the boys in this way: They make
a regular promise to pay for the session
$500, $jG1 and $500 to each rider in the cav
airy, provided he supports all the bills in
their interest, and goes for all the bills
the ceRu try men are damned dull. You may
spend hour after hour with 'em, and drill
,em over plight and some of 'em are sure to
20 wrong next day. They get so confused
ven cant reckon on EN- at all. Ii some
body gets up and makes motion they're
all at sea, and away goes their pile. It's
enough 20 make a man swear horribly some
times 90 hear these fools vote away their
very beard bills"
s.NogT don't believe word of this: but
how about the rest of what you would call
the striking bills!"
..Yuu may believe it or not, it's all true.
The minute the Legislature assemblies the
iobbyuien gather. What do they do! Well,
first they watch. They inquire about every
nan elected who he is, where he comes
from, his habits, his character, who he runs
with. in fact, they get him down to fine
point Then when the committees are
made UP they look at them. There their
chance They find out whether they known
any one on committee. Ii they do they
uansge to know the rest of the committee
soou, dr perhaps they arrange IL SO as 10
see ouly that one"
nd lac sees the rest of them
And he sees the rest OF 'em."
II have seldom met with better liar |
than you are, but that is not to the point. |
How is il possible to SO corrupt men SO |
How much is the average pay. |
and how do you manage to make them take
it. How can men so intimately associated |
as these are in legislative committees &C
cent brides without discovery! Leaving |
out rnaUhood and consistency, how can they |
risk it and especially how can they risk
Of this kind among themselves"
ooh" said my professional companion,
with 8 bitter expression, that's easily |
ixed. You're good deal too fine minded
and soft hearted. You don't study human
nature All YOU newspaper fellows are
sound on ideas and theories, aud all that,
and can tell US good many things we
want to know, but you can't tell me any
thing about human nature. can guy IL.
You NAV send saint here, and unless mes
rich he can be bought with money.
Nonsense
Il say lie can be bought! If not directly,
shen indirectly. You can give all sorts OF
excuses and explanations to him. lie ain
a goiur to go back of a two hundred, I'VE
hundred or thousand dollar bill"
.Yeu say the big corporations appoint
heir OWE agents to control the Leglsla-
,uretH
Always
1.Do these agents attend to other outside
obss'
aVerv seldom. They may once in a while
70 ont OF their way to help friend in the
legislature who has done them a good
url."
"Theu the independent lobbyists have to
Eepeud mostly on their wits.
Eyes. Some of them who have the conf
Iance of members manage to get in with
ereet railroad and insurance companies
nd other corporations likely to be struck,
6 if they don't succeed in this, they devise !