Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-05-20
ABOUT PRIVATE BILLS.
How They Are Engineered Through
tho Senate and House.
'o"''uer"bie Diplomacy Necessary to SCI
cure Favorable Report from the
committee ON Clains-An UnpIeas-
ant Feature OF Legislative. Life.
LspecIal WashIngton f.cltcr.l

t'P''l"l washington letter.
low many people, II asked offhand.
could give the full and correct history
OF private bill or claim? Everyone
could tell you that such bill was in
troduced, passed by both houses Of con-
gress and signed 10y the president,
thereby becoming law. And that Is
about all that the average man or wom-
an, even in Washington. knows con-
corning the history Of n private bin.
They know nothing OF its conception
by an interested party on the "out-
SIDE; OF it's preparation and correction
by men skilled In such business, nor Of
the subsequent methods employed in
bringing IL before the notice Of sem
ators and representatives. Some OF
these methods are very interesting and
often amusing.
FOR instance, man discovers that he
mas apparent grounds for claim
against the government which. il
granted, will give him "A fair share of
this worlds goods lie Immediately
proceeds to let people know Of IT, The
hrst thing 10 be done il o. gather
all the data and arrange everything in
concise and readable shape. All the
facts and figures pertaining To
the ease are complied and boiled
down and typewriter employed 10
make several good copies for use in pre-
pairing reports upon the bill. This done. a
bill Is prepared authorizing and directing
the secretary Of the treasury 10 nav To
the proposed beneficiary the amount Of
money which lac claims is due him.
Then our claimant meandcrs up 10 the
big marble building and calls out the
senator from his own state who il most
likely TO interest himself In the ease.
lie tells the senator that he has "a lii.
tie bill" which he would like 90 have
him introduce In tho senate. and goes
into detailed history Of his claim. Civ
ing the various reasons why IL should
be allowed. II the claimant Is poll |
tician and IL Is presidential year IL Is /
pretty certain that the bill will be in /
toduccd at the next meeting 81 the /
senate. While our claimant II laying /
the matter before the senator some one /
employed by him for the purpose is do /
ing the same thing az the other end of .
the capitol Representatives are more /
easy 10 approach than senators, and /
perhaps the friend simply invites his .
member 90 take lunch with him, and |
during the course, or rather courses, Of .
the meal, casually remarks that he
wants 10 have introduced IA little relief
bill after lunch.
Thus the hill Is simultaneously intro
duced In both houses Of congress and the
work is fairly started. so far 80 good.
Upon its introduction In the senate the
vice president announces that 1.-THE bin
will be referred 20 the committee on
claims" and the speaker Of the house
makes similar announcement Then
the matter is referred to sub-cummit-
tee consisting generally 81 three mem
bers Of the committee. and these three
members at once constitute the lcgisla-
tive deity In the eyes Of the anxious
claimant IL Immediately becomes his
business, and the business Of his friends,
who are now full-fcdged lobbyists, 10
have many personal interviews with the
.hree members Of that subcommittee In
zach house. Our claimant manages To
meet them I'm all sorts of out Of the way
places. He will run across them, quite
~ accident Of course, rs they are com
ng to the capitol in the morning and
will walk with them up the broad mar
Die steps, all the while chatting about