The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-20
Lobbyists and their "Fees.''

AODUy lSOS NuN ChCiI GCCos
The meanest of all human pursuits is
that Of the professional lobbyist. IL is |
even meaner than the business Of the |
professional juror; for whereas-the juror
intervenes to turn aside the stream Of
public justice in its course, the lobbyist
intervenes to poison and pervert the
springs at their very fountain. The
professional juror is public harlot; but
The professional lobbyist is public
panderer. He proffers himself, for
money, as the common "gc-hetween"
for the service of the meanest Of vices
in other men.
The professional lobbyist is becoming
recognized 'institution" in this coun-
try. They hang like buzzards about
every Legislative Hall. They fasten
themselves like vampires upon every
Legislative body. They feed and fatten
upon stagnant blood and fostering car
rion. By their arrogance and assump.
tion they declare their pride in their
filthy pursuit; and thus complete their
revolving degradatlon,
The lobbyist is always sleek, we'll fed,
and fashionable. Like public strum-
pet, he is elegantly ''got up' to fit his
calling. He studies the special wants
and weaknesses of every "Member" OF
legislative bodies. He fans their pride
and hatters their vanity. lie soothes
their wounded ambition, and poultices
their itching palms. Only let his CON-
pensation be sufficient, and there is no
plan for public plunder that he will not
undertake, no scheme Of rottenness that
he will not engineer. Impudence, arro-
gance, and avarice are the trinity to
which the lobbyist pays all his devotions.
They demand privileges not accorded to
honest men. They assume authority
and influence unknown to those in off
cial place. They require ''fees" such as
the most distinguished Of honorable
counselors would blush to receive.
1t is strange, tits passing strange, that
such class of men should be tolerated
about any legislative body. But there
they are, in the lobbies Of both houses
OF Congress and of every Legislature,
plying their infamous pursuit, seeking
corruption wherever 1T sand begetung
1t wherever it is not. And the greater
misfortune is, that the ranks OF these
professional lobbyists are not recruited
from the humble and obscure. Of later
years we find men serving in the lobby
who once served within the Halls. Ex-
perience as Members in the Hall had
taught them how to manipulate men,
Lers in the lobby. They write "Honora-
BILE" as decorative prefix to their
names, and then engage in the most dis
honorable of human pursuits. The very
presence of these legislative scavengers
around the Halls OF Congress indicate
rottenness and corruption within; be-
cause it is only where the carrion is that
these political yultures be gathered to-
gether.
A more modern feature OF this lobby
system presents an aspect of even
greater mischief than the former could
work, for the reason that it is not con-
fined to lobbyists outside Of the Halls,
but takes hold upon Congressman them
selves. The instances are, unfortu-
nateiy, too recent and too numerous, OF
,Congressmen receiving large amounts
for prosecuting private claims at Wash.
ington before the several Departments,
on other tribunals where such claims
against the Government may have been
pending. When these large payments
, OF money are investigated and traced to
Congressional pockets, the taking o.
such sums Is explained under the in
nocent cognomen OF "provislonal fees.'
They are lawyers by professional. and
claim to be paid for their services al
sach.
But, since when was it that the people
sent men to Congress in order to enable
them to practice the business Of "clain
agents" with greater successS What
propriety can there be for the Law
makers to appear before heads of dc
partments, over which they exercise leg
dslative control, to prosecute private
claims against the public treasury This
thing is altogether wrong in principle
eorrupling in its tendency, and shameful
in its practice. There is nothing In It's
:, :, s..,sA to distinguish it from the worst
feature Of the lobby system, which SO