, 1876-04-22
Female LOBBYISTS.

EendiS LOBBY ISIS
There are no sbrewder persons in the
country than the female ia;riguers at Wash
ington. And though the whole class may
be known by one name, they differ il their
standing and in the magnitude Of their cpe.
ra,ions as merchants do in theirs. What make.
them dangerous IN the extreme /. the fact that
they are outwardly respectable in the extrs-
me. They msy be the leaders in society ;
they are almost invariably society women /;
and they accomplished, elegant, and pur-
sue their work as though It we're only second
sry matter. thereby disarrnipg the object Of
their attack and preventing suspicion They
are not necessarily women Of Questionable
character indeed, the highest Of them are
often above suspicion il this respect; but a
larger class e,s eOmposed Of those who are
not oppressed or hampered by conscientiou.
scruples, and who will hesitate at no sacri-
fee Of personal honor where the stake TO be
gained IL eorresPondinsly important
a large proportion Of ,hese women interest
themselves in the passage Of private bills,
and in the appointments of favorites 10 lu-
cratire Offices. The bill may be one which
Provives for the payment of claim Of com
paratiyely Insignificant amount, and it VIII
probably be supported on very flau-itle
grounds. There Is 10 polite al question in
YoiYed, the matter will be unheard of after
is passage, and the entreaties and bIandish-
ments Of the female lobbyist succeed in far
too many cases.
Il il not 10 be inferred By those unfamiliar
with Washington life that these women
f!aunt Themselves as lobbyists, or that they
have no visible reason for living in the capi-
ital save that Of the prosecution If such work;
or that they muster as an army Of i'zTignae,
which may be seen separate and spart from
the other portion of Washington society. 1t
is the expectation Of recognizing them as
lobbyists that makes them the more danger
Ous. The inexperienced legislator, aDd in
deed those who are not 80 iEexperit need,
rarely dream that the charming and lady
like person who seeks an interview with him
Is one of the crew that besets unwary Con-
gressmon in Washington. He thinks he
would know the latter 4. glance, and some
times wonders why they don't make their
appearance when one Of the most arlful may
be at that moment beside him.
and strange though il may sem, it i not
unusual for ladies engaged in this business
10 imagine Themselves anything OF every
thing except lobbyists. They have a friend
who has a claim, and they want 20 help that
friend through with it II they are success
ful, and receive Il reward for their services,
that can hardly be called lobbying. Or, they
may have a claim Of their own, for which
they lnve a perfect right TO work. It not
unfrequenGy happens that lady, perhaps
the widow Of a soldier, CT the daughter OF
Southern sufferer, comes 10 the capital in
order to present h=r own claims ior
compensation. The weeks that she expected
to remain in Washington extends into
months, and sLe flds II necessary te exc out
her means. She grows familiar, in urging
her own case, with the CROOKS and turns If
political life, and meeting others with more
pretantious demands against the government
she forms an alliance for the advancement Of
their respective schemes.
It thus happens very often that lady,
highly respected at home, and justly 50, be-
comes il Washington female IoLoysi=t, AID
that, too, wi'bcu; feeling that she is doing
any violence 10 her own eeii-respect- or, the
woman lobbyist may te department clerk,
or the wife Of clerk, OF of "a subordinate
official. crazy 10 add 10 her income, and a.
most as crazy to e1erc.ss the powe. which
fhe feels proud Of welding over men in prom
iuent Positions
In the great majority Of instances these
schemes do not r:se above petty attenPs to
duce officials on minor matters but low end
then bolder movements are exposed, and 1t Is
not at all unlikely that in some Of ;he great
est schmes which have been before Congress
and the departments, women, aid perhaps
those moving in the highest circles, have
been engaged ss chief msa ,pulators.
Two new and distinct breeds Of sheep have
lately been introduced into England iyom
the west coast Of SJu:h America. The first