The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-03-15
WHorE No. 759.
LADY I,nl1hu;sts.

Several new lady lobbyists have made
their appearance about the Capitol this
Winter, says thew ashington Republican,
and, although the oldveterans complain
of duh times and dry picking, the raw
recruits appear to be doing thrifty
business. The female adventuresses
who haunt the galleries, lobbies and
waiting-rooms day after day are queer
lot. ''Strange as it may SEEM said a
gray-haired observer of long experience
in discussing that phase of life in Wash
ington, 'ta considerable proportion of
the female lobbyists are honest women.
You know what mean, women who do
not make vulgar commerce of their
charms; but by far the largest portion
are loose characters. One of the most
successful and notorious lobbyists
ever saw was beautiful brunette from
the South, who made Washington her
headquarters for several Winters. So
far as anybody about Washington ever
knew, she was pure as an icicle hanging
from the temple of Diana, and nearly as
cold. She had Senators and Congress
men, and grave diplomates by the dozen
in her train, and she led them a pretty
race. She was mistress of her art.
Chastity is golden, she once told me,
were to forget myself once my use
fulness would be gone. One false step
means ruin. No woman, however pru-
dent, can afford to deviate from the
straight path. The evil tongue of gossip
is certain to blast her good name
absolutely certain. Women may i'm
agine they are conducting their intrigues
with extraordinary prudence, but where
they are known at all somebody will
learn of their mistakes, and then they
might as we'll make public advertise
ment of their wrecked lives. Nobody
can say ill of me except to testify that
they think take money to lobby for or
against bills in Congress. That is not
enough to bar me from good society,
and there lies the secret of whatever
power I may have 1 do not know
what became of this woman. She dis
appeared as she came, suddenly, and
without warning, and without leaving a
trace, and have not heard of her or
seen her for eight or ten years.
Every few of the women who call
themselves lobbyists amount to much in
that line. 1t is the women who are sell
dom in or about the capital who have
influence enough over votes to make
their purchase an object Men inter-
ested in lubricating or clogging legisla-
ton are seldom foolish enough to invest
money in brazen professionals.
eff they are really in need of just q
few more votes, they sometimes ascer-
tain who are the mistresses of certain
statesmen of influence and buy them up,
trick that is by no means difficult of
narformanca The women oanarn1 11v
live quiet and retired lives, letting their
identity and commercial voting value be
known only to limited few. There are
men and women who are mean enough
to trade on their knowledge of the
liasons of Congressman, and there are
Congressman who are weak enough to
be governed by their fears of exposure
in the disposition of their votes, There
are Congressman, and not few of them
either, whose lives are perfect hells on
that account, and all for the lack of
nerve to defy and scorn the blackmailees
into whose clutches they have fallen.''