Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-03-21
UTHE THIRD House,.
Its Good and Bad hrembers-Thc Rcmarls-
able Experiences of n Close Observer
of Its Workings During
Long Residence Mt
Washington.
[Correspondence Rocheater Democrot.l


Correspondence Rochester Democracy
No city upon the American continent has
larger floating population than Washing
ton. 1t is estimated that during the ses-
sions of Congress twenty-five thousand
people, whose homes are in various parts
of this and other countries, make this city
their place OF residence. Some come here,
attracted by the advantages the city offers
for making the acquaintance Of public
men; others have various claims which
they wish to present, while the great ma
jority gather here, rs the crows flock to
the carrion, for the sole purpose Of getting
n morsel at the public CRIB. The latter
class, as general thing, originate the
many schemes which terminate in vicious
bills, all of which are either directed ut
the public treasury, or toward that reve-
nue. which tho black.mailing of corpora
tions or private enterprises may bring.
While walking down Pennsylvania ave-
nuo the other day met Mr.. William M.
Ashley, formerly of your city, whose long
residence here has made him unusually
well acquainted with the operations of the
lobby.
Having made my wants in this particu.
lar direction known, in answer to an in.
terrogative, Mr. Ashley said:
"Ycs, during my residence here have
become well acquainted with the workings
could tell you of numerous jobs, which,
like the Heather Chinee,' are peculiar"
"You do not regard the lobby, as body,
vicious, do youp'
"Not necessarily so; there are good and
bad men comprising that body; yet there
have been times when it must be admitted
that the combined power of the third
House has overridden the will of the peo-
pie. The bad influence of the lobby can be
seen in the numerous blood-bills that are
introduced at every session."
"But how can these be discoveredw
Easily enough, to the person who has
made the thing study. l can detect them
at a glance"
"Tell me, to what bill do you referW
"Well, take the annual gas bills, for in
stance. They are introduced for the pur-
pose of bleeding the Washington Gas
Light Company. They usually result in
an investigating committee which never
amounts to anything more than draft
upon the public treasury for the expenses
of the investigation. Another squeeze is
the d6attoir bills, as they are called.
These, of course, are fought by the butch
ers and market.men. The first attempt to
force bill of this description was in 1877,
when a prominent Washington politician
offered fabulous sum for the franchise"
Anything else in this line that you
think Of, Mr.. AshleyW
ayes, there's the job to reclaim the Po-
tomac flats, which, had it become a law,
would have resulted in an enormous steal.
The work is now being done by the Gov
ernment itself, and will rid the place of
that malarial atmosphere of which we
hear so much outside the CITY,"
"During your residence here have you
experienced the bad results Of living in
this climateW
"Well, while have not at all times on.
joyed good health, am certain that the
difficulty which laid me up so long was
not malarial. 1t was something that had
troubled me for years. A shooting, sting
ing pain that at times attacked different
parts of my body. One day my right arm
and leg would torture me with pain, there
would be great redness, heat and swelling
of the parts; and perhaps the next day the
left arm and leg would be similarly af-
fected. Then again it would locate in
some particular part of my body and pro-
duce a tenderness which would well nigh
drive me frantic. There would be weeks
at a time that would be afflicted with an
intermitting kind of pain that would come
on every afternoon and leave me com.
paratively free from suffering during the
balance of the twenty-four hours. Then
would have terrible paroxysms of pain
coming on at any time during the day or
night when would be obliged to lie upon
| my back for hours and keep as motionless
| as possible. Every time / attempted to
move chilly sensation would pass over
| my body, or would faint from hot flashes.
suffered from spasmodic contraction of
| the muscles and soreness of the back and
bowels, and even my eyeballs became sore
wiped my face. l became ill.tempered,
| peevish, fretful, irritable and desperately
Respondent"
"Of course you consulted the doctors re-
| garding your difiicultyp
"Consulted them? well I should say l
| did. Some told me had neuralgia; others
| that had infammatory rheumatism, for
| which there was no cure, that ] would be
afflicted all my life, and that time alone
would mitigate my sufferings."
eries?"' Yes, they vomited and physicked
me, blistered and bled me, plastered and
| oiled me, sweat, steamed and everything
but froZe me, but without avail"
'But how did you finally recoverW
| 81 had friend living in Michigan who
had been cured. He wrote me regarding
| his recovery and advised me to try the
remedy which cured him. l procured a
| bottle and commenced its use, taking O
tablespoonful after each meal and at bed
| time. l had used it about week when l
| noticed decrease of the soreness of the
| joints and general feeling of relief
| persevered in its use and finally got so
could move around without limping, when
| i told my friends that 1t was Warmers
| Safe Rheumatic Cure that had put me on
my feet"
| "And do you regard your cure as perma-
| nentP'
| "Certainly; haven't been so we'll in
| years as am now, and although l have
| been subjected to frequent and severe
changes or weather this winter, have not
| felt tho first intimation of the return of
| my rheumatic trouble"
"Do you object to the publication of this
interview, Mr.. AshleyW
| "Not at all, sir. l look upon # as a
| duty I owe my fellow-creatures to alleviate
their sufferings so far as / am able. and
| any communication regarding my symp-
| toms and cure that may be sent TO me at
| 506 Maine avenue will receive prompt and
| careful attention."
| there must be wonderful curative proper.
| ties about this medicineW
"lndeed there is, sir, for no man suffered
moro nor longer than did before this
| remedy gave me relief"
ITO go back to the original subject, Mr..
| Ashley, suppose you see the same famil-
lar faces about the lobby session after ses-
| sion" sH
"No, not SO much as you might think.
| New faces are constantly seen and old
ones disappear. The strain upon lobby
| lists is necessarily very great, and when
| you add to this the demoralizing effect OF
| late hours and Incorporate habits and the
| fact that they are after found out in their
steals, their disappearance can easily be
| accounted for"
w ndU pToportiou Oh VneSo DlOOu-DlllS
| are successfulT
"A very small percentage, sir. Not
| withstanding the power and influence of
| the lobby, but few of these vicious meas
| ures pass. Were they successful 1t would
be sad commentary upon our system OF
| government, and would virtually annihi.
late one branch of it, The great majority
| of them are either reported adversely OF
smothered in committee by the watchful.
ness and loyalty of our Congressmen."
j. K. ID.