Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-02-22
THE FOURTH ESTATE.
The Lady Lobbyists who are Potent Factors In
Much Of the Legislation at the Capital.


Several new lady lobbyists have made
their appearance about the Capit0l this
winter, says the Washington Republl-
can, ard, although the Oldest veterans
complain of duh times and dry picking.
the raw recruits appear to be doing a
thrifty business. The female adventur-
esses who haunt the galleries, Hobbies
and waiting rooms day after day are a
queer lot. Strange as it may seem, =
said gray-haired observer Of long ex-
perlence, in discussing that phase Of life
in Washington. "a considerable pro-
portion of the female lobbyists are hon
est women Yon know what | mean.
women who do not make vulgar COM
merce of their charms; but bY far the
largest portion are loose characters.
One OF the most successful and motor
ious lobbyists | ever saw was a beauti-
fui brunette from the South, who made
Washington her headquarters for sew
eral winters. So far rs anybody about
Washington ever know, she was pure
as an icicle hanging from the temple of
Diana, and nearly as cold She had
Senators and congressman, and grave
diplomates by the dozen in her train.
and she led them pretty race. She
was mistress of her art CHASTITY is
golden, she once told me, were | to
forget myself once my usefulness would
be gone. One false step means ruin
No woman, however prudent, can afford
to deviate from the straight path. The
evil tongue OF gossip is certain to blast
her good absolutely certain.
Women may imagine they are conduct
ing their intrigues with extraordinary
prudence, but where they are known at
all somebody will learn of their mis-
takes. and then they might as well
make public advertisements of their
wrecked lives. Nobody can say i'll of
me except to testify that they think |
take money to lobby for or against bills
in Congress. That is moi enough to bar
me from good society, and there lies
the secret of whatever power | may
have | do not know what became Of
this woman. She disappeared rs she
came, suddenly. and without warning,
and without leaving trace, and have
not heard of her or seen her for eight or
ten years.
VERY few of the women who call
themselves lobbyists amount to much in
that line. 1t is the women who are
seldom seen in or about the capital who
have influence enough over votes to
make their purchase an object. Men
interested in lubricating or cioggiug
legislation are seldom foolish enough
to invest money in brazen profession
ais.
''lf they are really in need Of just u
few more votes, they sometimes ascer-
tain who are the mistresses of certain
statesmen of influence and buy them up,
a trick that is by no means difficult of
performance. The women generally
live quiet and retired lives. letting their
identity and commercial voting value be
known only 10 a limited few There are
men and women who are ilean enough
to trade on their knowledge of the
liaisons of Congressman, and there are
who are weak enough 10
be governed by their fears Of expos Ire
in the disposition Of their votes. There
are congressman. and not few Of
them, either. whose lives are perfect
bells on that account, and all for the
lack of nerve to defy and scorn the
into whose clutches they
have fallcn.'