Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-02

mechanics. landlords, etc, or the law pro-
yiding that no property shall be exempt from
execution for wages due house servant or
common laborer: Are not the statutes repiete
with so-called ..class legislation" Why
should there be any especial sensifireness on
that subject at this particular juncture:
Railroads, as / have said. are semipublic
corporations In this respect they are diff
ferent from almost all other corporations
They are clothed by law with peculiar and
extraordinary powers. rights and privileges
They are employed in the public business,
and deal daily with the people Of the state.
There are strong reasons. founded in pub
lie policy. aside from any abstract question Of
right. why the servants Of such corporations
should receive the recognition they ask. These
reasons have Influenced legislative thought in
England and In many American states. where
laws OF this kind specially applicable to rail-
way employees have been enacted. In my opin-
ion the various objections urged against the
proposed legislation are wholly untcnable So
firmly am Of this opinion, that am unwtil-
ing to believe that Missouri general assem-
bly, will refuse to pass liberal law on the
lines proposed. when opportunity is given for
fair consideration of the subject
III.
ask TIE general assembly to enact Law to
sustain, and, il possible, to suppress the prac-
tice OF lobbying. which has grown into an
pass that certain railroads maintain an
organized lobby at the state capital during the
sessions OF the general assembly. This prac-
tice has prevailed for a number of years Il Is
maintained ostensiply for the purpose OF PRO
tecting" the interests OF railroads against the
assaults Of the peoples representatives.
In the prosecution of this service the lobby
agents OF these corporations have assumed
that every measure which looks to the regula-
ton or control of railroads. or by which they
Co. 49, fhayv hi 10
is an insult to the people of the state, for it
sumeS that they are viciously disposed. and
that they are incapable Of administering, or
unwilling to administer, public affairs in the
spirit of right honor and justice. and that it is
necessary for the railroads TO resort to extra
ordinary agencies to protect themselves against
the hostility of the very sovereignty which
created them.
Because the people OF the state do now and
them deem it wise and provident to enact
ter government OF such corporations. they
are regarded as enemies. and every proposal
to enact such Z law is resented a declara-
ton of war. And SO to protect" themselves
against the people who created and support
them, the corporations organize band OF
crafty diplomats a coterie OF skiilful ma
nipuiators in the art Of lobbying, and maintain
them at the capital Of the state These cor
porate agents employed to influence public Of
fcials, have grown in numbers and audacity
until they have become a positive nuisance,
menace and disgrace to the state.
Not only do they interfere in legisla-
ton which refers exclusively to rail-
roads, but they do not hesitate to thrust
themselves oficiously into important measures
which relate wholly to other subjects The
bad and long-continued example of the railroad
lobby has become infectious Others have
fallen under its pernicious influence. until now
the agents of more than one special interest
are kept at the capital to protect" their en-
ployes against the representatives of the peo-
pie. About the streets and hotels they are
ubiquitous; they swarm in the corrido rs of the
capitol; they frequent committee rooms and
public ofdces. and are almost as familiar to the
halls OF legislation those entitled to seats
by virtue Of their commissions.
This practice is demoraliziug in tn extreme,
if nothing more, and every consideration of
honor decency ana good government requires
that it should be stopped The railroads them
selves should be the first to put an end to this
miserable practice OF organized, professional
lobbying, which they inaugura,ed, and for the
growth and continuance of which they are
chiefly responsible. protest that they should
not persist in practice that brings only re-
proach upon the state. The people are not
hostile to railroads, but quite the contrary.
Whatever prejudice may exist is chiefly the re-
suit Of iniudicious policies adopted and per-
sisted in by the roads themselves Railroads
necessary to the well-being OF the state
They are great enterprises, requiring large in
yestments Of capital. and in the successful
operation OF which the highest intelligence and
the most exacting attention demanded
ANY causeless prejudice against them is stupid
and contemplate; any unreasonable hostility
toward them would be the height of folly.
II railroads will simply attend to their legit-
innate business and do right, have the utmost
confidence in the belief that they would
have nothing to fear It seems clear to me
tions can be best promoted by methods that
tend to elevate, not to lower, the
standard of public administration. They
ought to be the very last to introduce practices
that exercise a corrupting or demoraGZing in
fuence on public affairs But in any event, the
arrogance of the lobby should be restrained by
putting some severe check upon its constant
impertinent interference in legislation.
The right OF any citizen to be heard in q
proper way before committee of the legis-
latCre, or before any executive officer or body,
is one that can not and ought not to be denied
A fair and intelligent presentation OF
the views Of those interests a: stake.
SO far from being forbidden. should
be invited. But band Of lobbyists. organized
and maintained as a permanent institution, to
hang about public Offices and the halls of leg
islarion. with the sole object of interfering
with public affairs, and with authority to use
any means, however. questionable. to promote
their ends. is altogether another thing. That
kind Of thing is wrong. wholly and irretrieva-
bly, wrong. The evil Of professional lobbying
has invaded other states as well as Missouri.
and scandals Of the moStdisgraceful character
have frequently occurred
The necessity OF exercising public authority
to lessen. and il possible to suppress, the evil,
has been very generally recognized Particu-
larly have the old commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts and Virginia, representing the besk
types OF the Puritan and the cavalier. struck
blow at this vice which Missouri
would do well to initiate. It is un-
necessary that I should say more at
this time. The subject does not require further
elaboration, for the evil to which 1 direct at
tention is so patent. so glaring so pronounced
and has been so generally observed and COM
mented upon that nothing 1 could say could
make palmer or more Imperative the necessity
OF devising some adequate means OF Kidding
the state Of its debasing influence.
To these several subjects have the honor to
invite the careful and considerable attention of
the general assembly, and since two OF them
have been already considered at great length
and exhaustiveiy discussed. both in committee
and in the house and senate, I indulge in the
hope that you may be able to reach agree.
ment without serious difficulty much delay
VIM j. STONE.
JAPAN'S AMBITION
In So Advance In the Path of ProYreas and