The Washington times., 1894-06-17


and oddly enough each OF these men typifled
one of three great schools OF American poll
tics. There was a Tammany man-post grad
| uate in the course Of practical politics. "
There was q southern Democrat-the "old
school, that practices theories rather than
| politics. Then there was Populist-pre-
cursor Of "new birth" in politics.
| A New York Congressman prOfessed faith
: fulness to the Tammany precept. "Never
| forget your friends.
Legitimate lobbying2 That's 80 much a
matter of proportion, it can't be defined in
| any general, positive terms" said he.
II should say that lobbying Is legitimate to
! any extent a member will stand it and IL
legitimate in proportion as this spirit OF en-
durance encfoaches upon IL mans duty to his
constituents. Lobbying is inevitable, and 1t
| is also inevitable that some legislation should
be promoted on the score OF friendship. 1t is
| absolutely impossible for a true man to be
| friend until his friend wants Il favor. and then
| climb out of his reach on the pedestal OF n
| Congressman and stand stony one OF the
heroes in Statuary hall, making ingratitude
| with II marble front of patriotism. l believe
| in being a friend in Office as out of it, and
| doubt the sincerity of man who processes
| any more supernatural creed in politics
mo. don't think Washington has a cor
rupting influence on men. The great ques-
| tions and broad interests which absorb mems
minds in Congress clear the atmosphere Of
much that is debasinS in lesser legislative
| bodies 1 have worked in the political field
in the country. in the city. IN the state, and
here ut the sent OF the nation, and l know
| that the narrower the interests and the more
| personal the principles involved the more in
tense and bitter is the PARTISAN spirit and the
more corrupt in operation are the spoils OF
office. Another thing. a bad man in Congress
| hasn't the license he has anywhere else in
| office. The eyes of the whole country are
upon him, and he simply can't afford to dis
honor himself here, for it means dishonor for
| him in every state in the Union. As for the
machine in politics. if neither makes nor mars
a man. II merely furnishes him his oppor-
tunity. 1t is ridiculous to say that man is
| less or worse as Il result OF party organiza-
| ton The machine has u place for every
kind of man, and in it he finds a chance to
! do the work he is willing to do. II he is not
| disposed to do dirty work, the machine can't
make him; if he is so disposed, be will do it,
! and the machine that uses him isn't respon-
| sible."
| His Congressman was speaking with partic-
ular reference to Tanmany. but, no less than
| Tammany, that greater machine. which is the
| government OF the United States, is driven 10
! use people who do dirty work. "The most
] valuable sources of Information the govern
ment has, says Mr.. Holman. ARE disrepu-
| table people, who follow their natural bent,
| fail to make as much out of it as they think
| they should. aud TO work vengeance on those
| who are making more inform the govern
ment of their proceedings, and for pay work
| with the government to bring their former
allies to judgment"
-.
81 tell you what think is the trouble with
| Washington" said Buck Kilyore. "a lot OF
| men come to Congress who never did have
nn. nd trba ia 10 f,ytf
after they get TO work here. why they charge
| it up to Washington. Now. l brought my
conscience wi me when | came. 1t was in
| first-rate running order then, and don't see
| that it is any the worse for wear after seven
years hard service. Yes, it has had some
pretty severe shocks, but has come out alive
every time. You see down in our country.
where party organization isn't so mach OF a
science as If is up North. man doesn't have
his moral srnsbilities trained to understand
just how strictly kissing goes by favor
When he gets up in Congress he can't exactly
understand at nrst how it is so much done on
the Upenly-avowed principle: You help keep
me in Office and Iii help keep you in
He has to get used to this thing or get out
and he gradually comes to see that abuses re-
sultinC from this practice are the evils of or
ganization. which is necessary to party action,
and something that nobody less than the Gre
ator of human nature can overcome So he
I -
conscience grows a little frayed about the
edges it is not enough to hurt it any. No,
don't trust the Lord when 1t comes to lobby
ist. There isn't any such thing as legitimate
lobbying. in my mind It's all want to know
OF bill to know that il needs lobbying. The
people don't have anybody lobbying FOR them
in Congress, and the member who votes un-
der the influence OF a lobby does as unfair an
act as judge who would decide case in
which Only one side had been heard. My idea
is that man in Congress needs to be mighty
careful what he votes for anyhow. / have
always worked on the theory that man who
hinders bad legislation does u far greater ser
vice to the people than in seeking to promote
good legislation. If it is really good. that
will 90 OF Itself; so don't worry about that,
and just keep right on kicking in the interest
of my country. My people seem to like it.
I'd have to quit if they didn't. Why, quit
Congress, oil course. 1t isn't in me to quit
kicking.
Like Mr.. Kilgore Senator Allen said that to
the best of his observation and knowledge
more men came to Washington without a
conscience than lose one after they get here
There is never anything on earth to jus
ti:y lobbying or mitigate ITS ofense,' said
Senator Allen. at is an injustice to the
people at large that ary man or class Of men
should seek to influence representatives in
Congress. and it is an intolerablc nuisance to
men in Congress. l have no. been here long.
hut these LOBBYISTS are ike pet birds; they
hop about at will. aui it doesn't take them
long TO grow familiar. Unquestionably, the
moral tone OF Washington is not what it
should be. Conditions aud practices prevail
here which would not b. tolerated anywhere
else in the country. Here, as nowhere else,
the man who eau sec mus. see that without IL
radical change in the existing orie- of fed
eral Affairs there is no escape from one Of
two evil iates before us. monarchy or an
oii,archy. No. the discouracements l have
found here have not i'll any way affected my
ideals. Because | End the enemy in a mud
puddle. that's nothing to hinder my reaching
down and stransling him"
As Senator Allen sJolse. towering above me
big and strong. / OWNED the future. His
muscles. no less than mis- mind. makes a
woman feel so decidedly OF the weaker SEX"
Miss Columbia can I stand out against Popu-
list reforms long. So, however peculiar our
Washington morals may lie now, .every
day'll be Sunday by and by
BECKY SHARP.
4 Granite Mirror.