Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-07
JoBBERY.
The Testimony ola veteran Lobbyist.

The Testimony Ofa Veteran Lobbyist.
WASHINGTON, March cit is the testi-
mony of veteran lobbyists that the regu-
lar appropriations of the present session
are filed with jobs as never before. 1t is
their assertion that the jobs which hereto
fore have been either ground out in special
bills or tackled on to various measures
which afforded hiding place have, at if by
q common understanding, secured berths
this winter in regular appropriation bills.
In nearly every instance these bills have
received their finishing touches from the
hands Of conference committees.
Now, for the selection of conference CON-
mittees competent to give such finishing
touches, Speaker Keifer has developed ex-
CeptiOnal genias. No former occupant of
the Speakers chair as ever come up TO
him. For weeks past lobbyists with little
bills having for their object the getting
Of money out of the Treasury have been
Proceeding on the theory that the best
fields to cultivate are found in the rooms
occupied by conference committees in
charge of the big appropriation bills.
For example, the public building ring,
heretofore so conspicuous, has dropped al
most wholly out of sight as an extensive
operator in distinct appropriations
The Results OF Its Activity
will be found mOdestly established in one
of the regular appropriation bills, wherein
are items ranging all the wav from $4,000
to twenty times that sum to continue work
started at the previous session, and some
times to start new work.
There can be no knowing yet precisely
how much has been crammed into the reg
Ill rtAfI n HnF hal
guises. Innocent looking items sometimes
are quite the reverse Ot what they seem.
The many beneticiaries, claimants and Sc
CuritieS have in some instances shown great
expertness in hiding themselves in garbs
the least in the world calculated 10 awake
suspicion.
This practice has been favored by an ap-
parent retrenchment in certain quarters,
so that the gross amounts should not be
greatly swelled Thus worthy objects sut-
fer sometimes IN order that unworthy ones
might thrive. To this end, from the first
to the last hour of the session, an organ
;zed effort has been made. No regiment
in an enemy's country ever
FOraged More Ind ustriously
for subsistence than has the band of sgper
numersries who from year to year live Off
the Government without rendering service
AAOOIeu U get llllO tue IcSuldI dDpTOpEld-
tion bills. There is hardly q member OF
Congress who has not favorite in some
one of the departments who can
be depended on to do the neces-
sary prompting. There Is no lack Of
this description of influence. There is
an abundance Of false knowledge and ticti
tious data, all wearing the garb of genuine
ness. Nor is there any want Of preceients
A bad appropriation once begun. it is easy
to continue it. The recommendation of an
official or employe who has rendered ser
vice IN a member during the term will help
smooth the way, and whatever appears to
have official sanction will 20 through. 1t
hardly matters how specious the guise is
under which the Treasury is tapped. The
public service seems to require it, and there
would not be so much earnestness if there
was not the need. That is the argument.
The regular appropriation bills have al
wsyS sheltered jobs OF more or less magni-
tuue, but never before to an extent equal
10 the present.