Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-25
MEMBERS OF THE LOBBY.
A. FEW OF THE WIKE-PULLERS
AND THEIR METHODS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23,-One by one Inc
LOBBYISTS are returning TO Washington.
They do not travel in numbers, but just
drop in as the time for the opening Of
Congress approaches, ana waen the day
finally arrives they are here in force, and
are as busy as bees laying tracks in every
direction by which their pet measures
may be rushed through, before the public
gets good chance to become acquainted
with the big jobs in their little
bills. Some famous figures and
some of the shrewdest men in
Washington are found in the lobby. One
of the best known men, who may be
called a member Of this class, is Capt.
Eads. Of jetty fame. Capt. Eads is pat
riot OF the first water. and is always
armed with some scheme which is bound
to beuef Uncle sam incidentally and
Capt Eads specially. The Captain
usually begins mis- campaign by appear
ing before a COMMITTEE armed with maps
and scientific arguments. This
is, of course. heraded by the
press. and paves the way for the fine work
which Is to follow. Boxes OF cigars, bas.
kets of wine. and demiiOnns of fine whls.
XIV are sent uD m mbers' rooms without a
line to show from " hence they come. At
Ter these comes Eads, smooth. calcula-
ting soft talGer. He impresses himself
upon ms host, then tires. directly some
about town friend OF toe member drops in;
be is asked to smoke or drink and receives
one OF Eads' cigars. or glass OF Eads'
whisky, WITH the statement OF now it
cnme: be saws at once, lads sent this.
know MS brand SO you are In with him,
arc you?' THIS has its effect, and the
me mher thus favored feels more or less
obligated to cast at least complimentary
vote Tor the pet project OF the clever en-.
gIneer. In the good old days OF
Sam Ward money was more of a
king than it is now. Most of the members
were not as well supp led with this
worlds goodslas those of to-day, and it
was mnch easier TO slip crisp Treasury
note into members hand than 1t Is at
the present time. Ward, of course, won
MANI votes by his epicurean feasts, but
money was nevertheless much more I'M
bIushingly used than now. Charlie Sher-
TELL is the head OF the present
puils bis wires on a different
syslem than Ward did. a majority
ri lht mem bore OF Congress are rich men.
@L-se- Will not reach them, if boldly
onered. Then most OF the Southern men,
bers would knock the man down who
made direct of OF money Tor vote.
But these rich men would like 10 make
more money and these poor men would
like TO get rich. Sherfell shows them the
way with points on ne stock market. He
NEVER uOts luis ullUeelI, DuI through some
oil bis stan, and IT is numer.
Gus one, comprising several ex-memb ers
OF Congress. Pension Attorney George
T. Lemon probably makes more money
than any Two lobbyists in the city. Lem
on's lobbying is more IN the line of a d.
rect raid on the pockets OF eX-sold ers and
eX-sallors than any hing else. some peO-
people are 80 uncnaritab.e as to class
Lemon with the sharpers rather than with
the lobbyists. He represents half the
pension claims on file. He testified be-
fore comm ttee of Congress, nearly two
years ago, that ne had nearly 10000
cases. Lemon is always trying to in
crease pensions for some class or TO have
some change made 10 the laws By which
he may send out another circular and
b. ecu his clients out of another dollar or
two. Three years ago be succeeded in
having the pension fee raised from $40 to
SO, making the Pension Office the court
to collect the fees. TnIs change was
equivalent 10 taking 81, 100000 out of the
pochets OF the Pensioners and putting 1t
into those OF George Z. Lemon. Bob"
1ngersOll and "Jere' Wilson were
paid by Lemon to work the men,
bers OF various committees in Con
gress TO do this wrong. Ingersoll
got $4,000 aud Wilson 81 000 for the 100.
and Ii mon swUre this Was all IL cost him;
but Fitzgerald, another pension attorney,
sWOre Lemon told MIN that he paid sou, 900
70 get the bill through. Lemon mas
newspaper with an immense circu-
latlon among the eX-solders and USES
1T TO AID all his schemes. Congress
itself turns out more lobbyists than any
source IN the country. A gentleman IRON
one OF the rural districts gets elected TO
Congress, serves two or three terms, and
rs taen retired by his constituents. In
nine cases out OF ten he recognizes that
bic days as Congressman are over. But
W asnlngtOn life mas fascinated nm. He
can't 20 back 10 his country town aud
live, So be opens an office in Washington
TO practice law. There are probably
hundred mere. some of them nave been
out 30 long that the public has
forgotten them. These ex-mem bers
cOnslii ute the most formidable
lobby, as they are emil led to the floor Of
toe House aud have the ear of their for
mer associates. The last to retire are
more Ia demand, though II few of the old
members keep up their connection and
get good pracLice. Every man making
apractice of hanging around the capitol
and the naunts OF the members OF Con-
gress LAYS himself liable to the danger of
beng put down as q lobbyist. Even the
newspaper CORE pondents have ut times
been objects OF suspicion, but
rs rule it may be said
IN safety that the imputation is unde-
served. Female lobbyists are moie nu-
merOus in tue tales woven by correspond
EMS tnan IN reality, though there are, OF
course, women VINO spend The winter in
the city IN an attempt 10 enlist the sup
port Of Congressman in behalf OF meas
ures in which they are interested per-
sOEally or In which they are paid TO ln-
terest themselves by people VINO are led
by these gllb-tOngued daughters of Eve to
believe that they can do
them some service. Some OF
the ways of the LOBBY are legitimate
and some Legitimate. Some OF the lob
byists work IN toe right way and are men
OIL good standing and intelligence, while
others WORK Improperly aud are rascals of
greater or less degree. But all lobbyia Z
is wrong, and there is but one way TO pre-
vent 1t. Congress can make the Ioboy a
thing OF the past II 1t Will create a parlia-
mentary bar, requiring license from the
Supreme Court Of Stale or the United
States as qualification Tor mem bershl p
OF this bar, and making II mlsdemeanOr
for any one but member OF the bar TO
approach a member OF Congress on an Y
matter pending before 1t. That would
Kill the lobby, good aud bad.
DIPS AND wICKs.
Capt. Isaac Bassett, the white-hared