The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-04
THE PEOPLES LOBBY.
One Mans Plan to Secure Legisla-
ton for the People.
FIRST ABOLISH THE LEGISLATURE

Then Let LegisIation BE Carried on
by Board or Bureau of Forty HEM
bers with a Peoples Lobby to Sec
That There is No MOnkeying.
al don't see any use of having legis-
Iature." said a prominent Topeka man to-
dav. at assemblies every two years,
costs vast amount of money, consumes
fifty days in wrangling and in talk, which
is valuable only because money 10 ex-
pended to get it, and finally adJourns,
leaving the state worse of than II 1t had
never met
"The legislature as rule is stage for
the exhibition of stultiloquence, coward
ice, demagoguery and venality. The Leg
islators are the players and the people
swell the receipts at the box office only
to be duped and Disguised by the show.
In the average legislature there are not
more than twenty-five or thirty thorough
IL able and competent men. Why thens
should the people be willing to pay large
sums for the unnecessary dead weight"
"Aren't you too hard on legislatures?
Most people don't look at them in that
light, and even think it privilege to see
them in session"
s.No. I don't think l am. 1t is a strange
thing, but true, that bodies which are
supposed to be representative and ought
to equal the average of intelligence and
competency do not Why can't states
like corporations conduct their affairs on
a business basis?"
'If you would have legislatures abol-
ished you must have something to take
their place. Perhaps you have some
plan?"
"Well 1 haven't thought a scheme
in the frat nlacA I
wouldn't have two houses. They are
worse than pouring water into a sieve.
1t is like a blind woman knitting hard
away at a stocking which the baby on
her lap is raveling out just as fast at the
other end When one house passes
good measure the other kills it. A bill
has to be exceedingly mild and stupid
and harmless to get through even one
house but to-get it through both houses
requires a degree of rapidity and tenuity
which destroys its last vestige of
efficiency"
Its plain you don't like the idea of
two branches. What else would you do?"
"My plan would be something like
this. Have fifteen or twenty men called
a board of directors elected by the people
for six years, one-third to go out every
two years in the manner of the United
States senate, so there would always be
L
every year, pass the necessary appropria-
tions, listen to the wants of counties and
enact such laws as it was apparent the
people wanted.
"In order for the people to secure what
they wanted it would be necessary to have
one more officer. He would be elected
FOR life or during good behavior, and if
convicted of the latter should be shot.
The title of this officer would be Lobby,
and he should have power to appoint as
many assistants as he deemed necessary.
AT the first of the session he would come
to the capital and get acquainted with
the members. He would be in direct
communication with the people and
know exactly what they desired. He
would move socially about among the
members, give them cigars, invite them
to his room to have a glass and occa-
sionally lose to them in a poker game.
Incidentally he would mention what his
people wanted and intimate if they got
II, the favors the members of the board
were receiving in the matter of salaries
would be- continued and perhaps In
creased, but if not they would be stop
ped
''If perchance any bill should be in
troduced which the people didn't like, it
would be the duty of The Lobby to see
the member introducing it and those
supporting it, and tell them that the Peo-
pie Company was an immense institution
giving employment in this state to about
million and half souls, paying the
largest part of the taxes, and if this hos
tile legislation were enacted it would
drive the People Company, with its i'm
mense interests and 100000 employees
clear out of the state. Besides this it
would be the duty of The Lobby to take
the members just mentioned, after they
had seen the reasonableness of the
claims of the People AID give them a
nice banquet The favors at the plate of
each member would be printed at the
National Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, and be in denominations COM
mensurate with the benefit the People
had received. In this manner the Peo-
pie would get just what they desired"
"But what about the other lobbes?"
SHAT would be easily managed. They
wouldn't have a show at all. After The
Lobby had seem mem Der he would ap-
point deputy to stay with him all the
time-day and night If he left him he
should forfeit his Office and paw. Then
when vote was being taken The Lobby
would sit in the chamber and watch
every member as he answered to his
name. If he didn't vote right note
would be sent to the treasurer, and he
would refuse to honor the members SAL
airy voucher. This would force him into
line or compel him to resign
"If any member of the board at its
annual session talked loudly of gross
abuses in certain quarters and demanded
an investigation, the president of the