The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-04
THE BUSINESS or THE LoBBY.
The Whiskey Rings Trans.ctIon. with Meu-
beers or ConGress-The Great Number Of
Men st Warrington Growing Kick on
Small Salaries.

| hmAu Salaries.
WASHINGTON June 2.-Witnesscs refuse to
testify what the Whskey Ring proposed to do
| in order to put through tho bill transfer
| ring from the Government into it's own pocket
seventy millions OF dollars. Mr.. Athcrton
| speaks OF what was said and done as being in
the nature OF business transactions" That
Is the regular expression of tho lobby. In
money paid to membcr2 1t isa business
transaction" Are thousands OF dollars paid
to procure report from u committee, and
thousands more to set up" the House. 80 that
when the bill Is reported it will slide through
without opposition or even the yeas and nays?
All this Is unqucstionably in the nature OF
business transaction"
How to direct the flow Of money drawn from
the people in the shape OF taxes into tho pockets
OF individuals is the aim Of no small part OF tho
legislation proposed in Congress. 1t Is the aim
OF no small part OF Congress itself 1t is the
undisguised purpose OF lobby composed OF
hundreds OF persons representing combina-
tons and Rings located in every part of the
land.
Too many men in responsible positions grow
rich on no other apparent income than barely
supporting salaries to escape comment This
fact, which is so common that. like many kinds
OF vice, 1t has almost ceased to provoke re-
mark has but one INTERPRETATION.
Some Of our most conspicuous public char
acters have acquired enormous wealth appar-
emily on salaries that would not support them.
The example Of the head OF department thus
growing rich cannot fail to exert corrupting
influence on the hundreds and thousands OF
subordinatcs in the Government.
with public men in general such small for
tunes will not suffice. Few think OF living on
their salaries. They must make large sums.
And in most cases they do.
An overlooking Treasury Ia the constant OBJ
lcct OF temptation. Scores of devices arc in
Congress now to divide tho money among in
diyiduais; although such is not tho declared
OBJECT. Few measures concentrating money
that do not pay heavy toll to the lobby.
IL is an undeniable fact, which men may con-
strue as they please. that members Of Congress
not all, be it said-como here without money
spend all eir sa larics. and go away with
money IN their pockets, some Of them having
become rich in a single session,
contracted to lobbyists. The Whiskcy Ring
had such proposals made to it. 1t had it's own
construction company. however, and the lobby |
get employment only to the extent Of allaying |
opposition.
The Tariff Commission, the Japanese indem-
nifty, the Eads subsidy. the Mississippi River
Commission, and numerous other measures, to |
say nothing Of Il host OF small ones, at some
stage pay toll to the lobby or are expected to
prove the means for directing to private pock-
cts a share OF the taxes paid by the people.
1t may be hard thing to say. nevertheless it
Is true. that few places in the Government are
free from this spirit while with an army OF spec
ulators. agents and lobbyists it is the sole and
constant purpose.
Abolish the taxes and stop the corruption.