The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-11-17
THE LuBbYl>T Or TODAY.
Potent Factor in.the Conduct of Affairs of
State.

Potent Factor in.the Conduct of Affairs o
State.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
The Washington Lobbyist. He ia moth
ing like he's represented. Hp is mo-
what he used to be. The French artist
for Harper's represents a man leaning
back in chair with his hat on one side
and cigar held careiessly bstaeeu his
fingers while he coolly blows curls o,
smoke up to the ceiling. diamond
sparkles on his shirt front and cham.
pagne sparkles in the glass on the table
The Lobbyist" he calls it. 1t suits the
popular idea, but suspect the subject of
the artists sketch was an Nj. G. from the
Pacific slope.
The lobbyist OF to-day doe sn't wear
diamonds. He doesn't swagger and puff
smoke in members faces. II hs drinks
champagne j. is on the quiet. 1t is a
mistake to think that his pockets are
bursting with money, which he spends
with lavish hand. Gracious! this Is no
more like the lobbyist of to-day than
the stage detective is like the genuine
article.
The typical lobbyist see every da- Mt
the capitol Is plain man. He is unas-
srming, poorly dressed, and, wi hal,
meek and lowly. He does not
slap members on the shoulders
and ask them to drink. He does
not treat them TO champagne sup
pers or champagne lunches. He
makes no display of wealth. Hs does
n ot come upon the floor of the house TO
talk with members much, nor does Le
walk through the corridors of the capitol
with an air of ownership. He is gran
ger frontiersman-like fellow. His trousers
are bagged at the knees and wrinkled at
the bottom, from having been worn in
the tops of his covhide boots. Ii he
wears "biled shirt" it is soiled, and his
face is not shaved often enough to
greatly affect his appearance. His
business with congress- relates to
the public domain. He Is inter: sted
in some way in the territories of No
Mans Lsnd aud Oklahoma. For diplo-
matte reasons he is got up TO represent
an actual settler" with an honest desire
to get possession OF the legal 100 acres
and 20 dig livelihood for growing
family on. of the soil. Hs manages 10
stay in Washington a. considerable tx
pense from the first Mauday in Deem
Der until the adj iourpment of congress
without serious Inconvenience 10 himself.
He is anti mouopolist and an
"ac'ual settler" His pockets a'e
not full OF money; they are
bulging with petitions signed by other
"acsual settlers" 1t ia 10 u e cunmlj tee
hat he directs his attentions, and IL l.
matter of precaution not TO make MS lace
too familiar with members on the hbur.
He Is generally quite clever at figures,
for fronGiersman, and ne furnishes
mt mbers Uf the committee in which n l.
interested facts AID statistics they niSht
not otherwise obtain. Hs does not look
especially bright; tha: ia nos his business.
He is Il sim pl-. plain. hopes: settler.
He di 1ides his time br,& cen me com
mittce on territories, over which the yer.
satiie Mr.. Springer presides, aud the
public lands committee wherein Mr.. Hol-
man sits ''in retreat" for hIs objections
in times past. Both these gentlemen
have tender spota in their hearts for IN
simp p!s citizens of the west who conquer
narure on the plains.
The lobby ist that popular impression
depicts could never overcome the predj "a
dice OF these men. The "actual settler"
disguise is the most succ=ssful Of the day.