The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-17
THE LOBBY.
occasion.


A great howl goes up in the State
Capitol against 1.-THE lobby" Resolu-
lions are offered to drive them out
but they fail for lack of votes. The
lobbyists are said to be more PERM
ciously active than ever before Mem
bers make speeches referring to them
and pointing them out. The stencil
corruption is dreadful.
What could you expect of a cam
paign that cost 100000 but conse-
quent rottenness and demoraliza ton?
And that 10000 plurality plainly said,
-''Go in, my children, and steal. You
cannot do anything that will turn the
stomach Of this credulous and confid-
ing people. Feed them on ipecac and
they will swear it is honey"
Hence nearly every bill in the in
terest Of the people is slaughtered.
1t is so all over the land. Read
this:
Jefferson City, Mo-, April 3.-Gov.
Stone today issued call for a special
session of the state legislature, to
meet April %, for the following pur-
poses. To properly define the rela-
tions between the different classes Of
employees of railroad corporations: to
provide such legislative enactments
as may be necessary and eXpedient to
prevent the maintenance of an organ
lied lobby at the capital of the state.
TO enact such laws as may be neces-
sary and expedient to prevent fraud
against the elective franchise, and to
secure honest elections in all cities
having 100000 inhabitants. In his
call the governor says:
For a number Of years the state
has been disgraced by an organize
and salaried lobby, maintained by spe-
cial interests at the capital during
the sessions of the general assembly,
for the purpose of influencing legisla-
tive action. Encouraging by SEEM
ing lack Of public sentiment, and en-
boldened by repeated successes, these
lobbyists have from year to year in
creased in numbers. influence and
audacity, until they have become an
almost dominating force in legisla-
tion. So confident have they grown
in their strength, and SO potent in in
f1uence, that they now ply their vo-
cation almost without disguise, in de-
tiance of public authority and in ut
ter contempt Of public opinion. 1t
mas come to pass that almost every
important measure Of legislation
must undergo the scrutiny of the lob
Dy before its fate can be determined.
What 1T approves is not without hope,
but what it condemns is lost.
cit is clear to me the time for mild
protest is past. We are confronted by
the question whether the people or
the lobby shall rule in Missouri.
The public safety and the honor of
the state are at stake. Every sena-
tor, member, public official and citi-
zen familiar with the truth knows
that these words are justified by the
situation at Jefferson City,"
This is a terrible indictment, and
yet it applies in every respect to this
state of Minnesota; and will probably
apply to most of the states Of the
Union.
Is this generation to witness the
death of republican institutions in
this country? We hope not; and yet
the prospect is dark. And will it
eventuate in violence, despotism, or
anarchy; or in universal awful, por-
Gus. sinking, soulless, hopeless, un-
protesting rottenness? Is the giant
republic to sink in the filth of Ser
bonian bog, in which everything noble
and generous in human nature shall
perish?
Is there anything we can doo
Let us crush the corrupt old parties
which have led us into these horrors;