The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-21
HERAILROAD LOBBY.
Who the Clever Men Are That
Compose Tt,
AND HOW THEY GO TO WORK.

Members of the Legislature Called In
One at a Time TO Confer With Rep
reseRtatives Of the Roads.
This legislature has been visited by
lobbies and Hobbies, but the greatest lob
by Of them all is the railroad lobby.
The railroad lobby is something won
derful in the way it works, and in the
strength it possessed
1t is admitted on all sides that the de-
feat of the Cox bill, limiting the number
of special questions in the trial of civil
cases, was accomplished by the railroad
lobby.
Early in the session an iron clad rule
was adopted refusing access to the floor
OF the house to any persons other than
members of the legislature, state officers
and newspaper men, but this rule has
been relieved of its stiffness SO that it is
now practically of no effect
The first break in this rule in the in
terest of the lobby was when the house
adopted a resolution to admit ex-state
officers, and the latest effort along this
line was in a resolution to allow the Wis
ting MasOns the freedom of the floor.
The leading railroad lobbyists, how
ever, do not spend much of their time
about the state house; they leave that to
their local attorneys who are brought
here to use their influence with the mem
bers from their home counties.
A few big railroad lawyers find it nee
essary, however, to call on the members
while the house is in session.
During the last two weeks the speak
er's and chief clerks rooms have been
occupied most of the time by the railroad
Hobbies.
The big railroad lawyer is sometimes
r. KolG Of fhn d., i
sometimes it is Mr.. Richards of the same
road, and it sometimes happens to be
some one else of some other road who
makes himself at home in the speakers
room where he occupies large revolv-
ing chair and directs the page placed at
his call who he wants to see, and the
page brings out the member who is to be
told what the railroad would like to have
or wouldn't
The railroad lawyer doesn't exactly sit
on throne and wear a red velvet cape
trimmed with 'kitty fur" like the lords
in the pictures aud he doesn't hold a
golden scepter in his hand, but he gets
there just the same. Intact these railroad
lawyers are much smarter and cleverer
men than the lords of old.
Representative Cox says the railroa d
lobby is a success, as several prominent
membe who voted and made speeches
in favor of his bill in the committee
voted against it when it came up for
passage in the house.
Mr.. Moore of Saline, in his speech. said
the only opposition to the Cox bill was
| that of the railroads
A western Kansas member who voted
for the Cox bill said: "AlI the railroads
have to do, in order to get anything they
want is to come over here and shake
! themselves"
The Missouri Pacific lobby is headed
by Lawyers Kelso of Atchison and Rich
ards of Fort Scott.
The Rock Island, by Major T. ]. An
derson, who can sing song, crack a joke
or make an ingenious argument; the Mis-
souri,, Kansas q Texas by T. n. Sedg-
wick, of Emporia, and the Santa Fe, by
A. A. Hurd, general attorney for Kansas,
who is one of the brightest lawyers in
the west; the popular Mike Sutton, of
| Dodge City, is also one of the Santa Fe
| lobby.
The Union Pacific officials are doing
some smooth work, as their interests are
| looked after by some of the mem bers on
the floor, while the attorneys for the road
themselves are not seen about the build
ing.
Mr.. Campbell, of Stafford, a member
of the railroad committee, says the COM
mittee rooms in the Real Estate building
were fairly overrun by the railroad lobby
ISIS while the railroad. bills were under
| consideration