The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-12-06
THE LOBBY IN CONNECTICUT.
A Body That Makes Money by Tying
Up" Legislation.

HARTFORD, Conn, Nov. 1.-THE ex-
penditure of $35, 900 in lobbying the Hart
ford bridge bill through the legislature,
In June, is still exciting wide interest in
this state. The Glastonbury town COM
mittee, which was appointed TO in
Vestigate the scandal, so far as that
town was concerned. is at work on the
case and will bring in a report severely
critieising the entire transaction. 1t Is
expected that a suit will be instituted
by the town against =. II. Goodrich, who
was member of the bridge board from
glastonbury, to recover the amount that
was spent for the town in the lobby.
The most important result of the agi-
tation thus far has been the disclosure
or the lobby influences and control in
the legislature. Facts are constantly
coming TO light, showing the greed and
INSCRIPTIONS character OF the third
mousse In the Connecticut legislature.
Men of prominence in the state can be
cited as authority for the statement
that no man can be elected speaker OF
the house who has not consented to
make his committee appointments in
keeping with the wishes of the lobby
The committeeships. it is alleged. are
distributed so as to promote lobby
schemes and interests. 1t Is specifically
stated that the committee of the last
house, which was charged with the re-
port on the Hartford bridge bin was
the LEGISLATURE every one of the num-
Der being in favor with the lobby
But the Hartford bridge was but one
of scores of interests that came under
the eye of the third house" The Char
ter Oak park association, the Middle
town bridge project. the insurance legis-
lation that came up. and the charter
amendment Of the Coe brass company
of Waterbury were some of the interests
that We're beset by the lobby in the five
months session.
President Charles +. BROKER OF the
Coe brass company was a member Of the
senate and when the bill amending the
charter OF his company came up for
action it was tabled on the motion of an
associate senator. Mr.. Brooker-so the
story goes-went to the man after adj
journment and demanded what was
meant by tabling the bill. Said the
senator in reply:
This is pretty big thing, isn't it?"
Senator BROKER replied with ill-con-
cealed anger: "You will call that bill
up in the senate tomorrow or ! will do
so and state my reasons for that course"
1t was Senator Brokers course alone i'm
dealing with his colleague that pre-
vented his company from being levied on
by the lobby.
1t is also alleged that when the Mid
dletown bridge project was in the hands
of the committee on interpretations word
was sent to the managers that nothing
would be done for them until they came
up and settled" The project was for
the erection of a public bridge across
the Connecticut river at Middletown.
It's Importance was vital, as affecting
the citizens and business Of Niddlesex
county.
When the anti-pool legislation was at
It's hight, the proposition was made to
rescue Charter Oak park from the effects
Of the law. One OF the members OF
the house approached a leading men,
Der of the Trotting park association and
wanted to know what there was Sin the
park, He added, in explanation: There
are nifty on us who will stand together
The suggestion was rejected on the spot,
and the park was included in the proVis-
ions Of the anti-pool act
The bills relating to insurance inter-
ests in this city were expected to prove
sources of revenue to the lobby. There
were three companies i'm particular that
were to be drained. These were the
Aetna life, the Travellers and the Hart
ford steam boiler inspection and in
surance company. The bills introduced
in the interest OF these companies were
tied up for two or three months between
the two houses. The bills were not
acted on in the end until every hope Of
getting something out Of the companies
on account Of their passage was aban-
doned.
These instances might be multiplied by
the dozen. But they show sufficiently
the gauntlet that must be run by every
measure in the general assembly that
can be forced under lobby control
There are trained manipulators in the
state by the dozen, who may be found
at the capitol every session, making a
living by the barter and sale of legis-
lative influence and votes.
The $35, 600 that was paid by the towns
of Hartford, East Hartford, Glaston-
bury. Manchester and South Windsor
can be traced, in part at least. OF the
lobbyists who received insallments, sew
eral hold prominent positions in state
and national politics. Some are office
holders at the present moment. The
agitation concerning this bridge eXpend-
iture will clarity the legislative atmos-
phere to a certain extent, and will place
the lobbyists at a disadvantage temper
arily. The evil will not be eXterminated
until a better class of citizens shall be
elected as members Of the legislature
n. Y. Times.