Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-24
THE RAILROAD LOBBY.

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A bill was passed by the Legisla-
ture the other day appointing three
senator's and four representatives to
investigate the l.. Il N. lobbyists at
Frankfort. The bill cites numerous
indignities supposed to have been
committed against decency and order,
and proposes complete moral revo'
luton in the way things are man
aged. To an observer at this dis
lance it seems that the bill is either
humiliating confession, or an odious
charge, of corruption among our leg
islators; in either case the parties to
be investigated should be the law
makers themselves, who in succumb-
ing to the brides of lobbyists have
violated all the principles of man
hood and honor. But we go a step
further and say that if such state of
facts exist, as set forth in the bill, the
whole town of Frankfort should be
swept clean of the boodlers. This
one fact is true, however, vultures
feed only where carcasses are, and If
the Legislature was strictly business,
if the members openly and unreserv-
eddy acted up to principle, if when
bill came before them it was well
understood that they would always
do the right thing-then there would
be no lobbyist, either corrupt or In
corrupt, and our representatives
would bear as fair name as the
Supreme Justice.
In the debate on the bill Senator
Clay said that the L. & N. had sub
sidized the press of this State. The
Senator was doubtless hot in the col
lar when he made this remark. The
SoUTH KENTUCKIAN will make oath
10 the fact that never in the history
of this paper has any railroad ever
come to us with proposition, direct
ly or indirectly, that could be con-
strued into an attempt at bribery,
and we believe this is true Of the
State press at large. Mr.. Clay was
doubtless performing" for the bene-
fit of the Railroad Commission, and
when the KENTUCKIAN, or anyother
paper, advocates the Thomas bill, or
any measure hostile TO the Commits
sion, it but echoes the voice of the
people expressed in printed inter-
views had in all the principle towns
Of the State. Mr.. Clay has made an
ass of himself in preferring this
charge of corruption
against the newspapers, and he need
lot expect TO be dubbed performer"
or this solitary oratorical attempt to
ave the country.
In regard to the L. & N. lobby this
act is TO be considered: the Com
ANY is probably the largest property
lolder in the State, and when an at
empt is being made to transfer the
of its affairs into the
hands of an inexperienced Commits
sion with extraordinary powers, il
cannot be blamed for looking after
its own interests. We do not pro-
pose to vindicate any injustice the L
& N. may have inflicted upon the
people of this State, but as plain |
matter of business no man can blame
the Company for an honest effort to
protect its property and its business.
This is simply common sense.
One word about lobbyists in gener-
al. 1t is great mistake to suppose
that every man who goes to Frank
fort TO look after measure that con-
Germs himself or his community, is
corruptionists. People have begun
to suspect the fidelity of representa-
tives in many matters of great i'm
portance. Gentlemen who 60 TO the
Legislature as lobbyists frequently
are sent by the people at home that
they may keep their representative
from being led with the nose.ring of
"courtesy" into forbidden paths by
some fillibustering boss in the AS
sembly. Lobbyists are as frequently
angels of light as they are demons OF
darkness. Just let the representa-
tives plant their standards on the
heights of fidelity TO principle, loyal.
ty to constituency, conservation to
country, and commit matrimony with
honor and integrity, and the boOdlers
would sooner call upon the noun
tains TO fall upon them than to at
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