The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-30

The LOBBY SCORED
The Rev. Dir. Scudder De-
nounCed the Members
Of the Third
House.
SAYS THEY BUY LAWMAKERS
The Rev. Dr.. Brett breaches on
Political Corruption-services
in Other Churches.

The Rev. John +. Scudder, at the Tab
~ernacle, last night, preached the second
Of his sermons on the coming municipal
election. He called 1t Political Bribery
Can the Lobby Be Bought?"
Every American Legislature is com
posed of three houses he began, 1.-THE
Senate, the Assembly and the lobby.
The latter is unauthorized by the Con-
stftution, but it exists, nevertheless, and
is a potent factor in the formation of
law. This Illegal body is frequently a
source Of discomfort and injustice to the
people, but from the standpoint of State
and municipal politics nowadays, the
people are a secondary consideration. d
power OF the lobby consists principals
in its ability to bride lawmakers, and 50
persuasive are it's methods that in many
places legislation is bought and sold like
potatoes in the market
The trading, of course. is lone in Sc
cret. There is no shouting, as in the
Stock Exchange. Votes are quietly Sc
cured by these diplomatic agents, mem
bers are liked and ~iniquitous bills are
regularly enacted. In this age bribery
has become a fine art. The work is ac-
complsshed with adroitness and despatch
by smooth tongued individuals, who I'M
derstand their business and never betray
the statesmen whom they nave captured
through their fondness for filthy lucre.
ssBoth briber and bride taker are GRIM
inals, but they are perfectly safe. for
neither will inform Upon the other, best
he should impicate himself These snil-
ing, oleaginells lobbyists may be seen fit
ting about the corridors of the State
House, and not infrequently they swarm
over the floor of Senate and Assembly
Chambers, prospecting, cajoliflg or die
tatsng to LEGISLATORS, according to the de-
gree of their impertinence or ~depravity.
Less than a month ago newspapers
Informed US that in the Senate of New
Jersey a railroad agent SO interrupted
making an address that the latter turn
ed toward the Chair and exclaimed in
anger. Mr.. President, | ask that the
floor be cleared of the lobbyists that
I the practical politician. who be-
lieves in politics for revenue only and
regards the public as legitimate plumber.
this state of affairs is eminently salts
swelis his income. He cares not a cop
per for the people, for in his creed self
interest always takes precedence of pub
he good. A prominent Assemblyman of
rhis county once frankly informed me
that he sold his vote. as a matter of
course, but nevertheless protested that
he was an honest man and surpassed his
associates in the Legislature. i~nasfnuch
as he sold his vote for a fair. honest
| price, whereas the rest of them charged
-outrageously high.
II am willing to admit that there are
| yet men in public life who are irreproach
able and remain poor in spite of the
| Overwhelming temptations to which they
are subjected, but they are refreshing
litical corruption. The average politician
faiths an easy prey to the cunning lob
byist, who. knowing the weakness of hu-
n nature and the Wordrous fascina-
ton of a roll of bills. waves the latter
before the Eyes of the peoples represent
alive. hypndtizes him into servile com
pliance and puts his conscience to sleep.
I'VE have in America a pernicious and
tates against the rights and liberties OF
the people, and l affirm that the peopEs
will be vietimized SO long as the present
| system of unrestrained representation en-.
dunes. While men contiue to be weak
and selfish and corporations have nc
souls. there is absolutely no hope OF
betterment unless we change tine sys-
tenn and make bribery imperative and
useless.
ITO suppress the evil we must remove
the cause. There is only one way to de.
| stroy venal Legislation for themselves by
means of the referendum whenever they
| think themselves aggrieved. Direct leg
islation gives the deathblow to bribery,
| for there is no use to bride the lawmak
CHS IL ttc pSOpfc Cdi 6l airy liIile Upset
vicious legislation by an appeal to the
ballot box. The bride money would pro-
/ duce no ecect. 1t wou be absolutely
thrown away. Politicians would get nc
Doodle because they would not be ablt
to deliver the goods. 4
According to our present system OF
irresponsible representation, we pu a pre-
MUM on ~treachery. The people tie their
own hands and thus encourage the poll.
ticians to sell them out. This is the sub.
Unity Of folly, but when they once get 9
square look at 1T they will assert Their
nights and smash the they have
placed in the ha of the politicians
When they see how bribery has become
obsolete in Switzerland through the ac.
tion Of the initiative and referendum
they will have no more of their legisla-
tive nonsense.
Sat present they Xare powerless, fol
| ante-election pledges are ruthlessly bro.
ken and corruption lis contagious; but
when they. possess a. prompt veto power
as supplied by direct legislation, bribery
Will be impossible, unless the entire PEG
pie are bribed, in which case the money