Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-27
RAILROADS In POLITICS.
THEIR METHODS or INFLUENCE
ING LEGISLATION ARE VARIED.
1t Is the Policy Of tho Political COrrup.
tion COmmittee OF Corporations to AS
certA the Weakness and Wauts Of
Every Member whose Vote they Need.

While railroad managers rely upon
serVile courts as last resort to defeat
the will of the sovereign people, they
are far from loseing sight OF the inn
portance of controlling the legislative
branch Of the government BY PREF
venting what they are pleased TO call
unfriendlV Legislation they are more
likely to prevent friction with public
opinion, and they avoid at The same
time the risk Of permanently prejudic-
ing their cause by adverse opinion up-
on a constitutional question which
they may find it necessary to raise in
order to nullify legislative act. There
are three distinct means employed By
them to control legislative action,
First, the election to legislative Offices
of men who are, for some personal
reason adherents of railroad cause;
second, the delusion, or even corrup-
ton, Of weak or interruptions members
of legislative bodies; third, the en-
ployment of professional and incident
al lobbyists and the substituting Of
newspapers, or their representatives,
for the purpose of influencing members
of legislative bodies and their constit-
uencies.
There are probably in every legisla-
tive body a number who are in some
way connected with railroad corpora
tions. No doubt, majority of these
are personally irreproachable and even
so high-minded as always to postpone
private for public interest; yet there
are also those whose political railroad
managers for the purpose of having in
the legislative body servile members
who can always be relied upon to serve
their corporate masters. Nevertheless,
were railroad interests restricted to the
votes of these men for their support,
the public would probably have no
cause for alarm on accounted the pres
ence of railroad representatives in leg
islatiye bodies, but, as many 9th er in
terests seek favorable legislation, rail
road men are often enabled to gain
support for their cause by a corrupt
bargain for votes, and it is thus poss-
ible for them to double, triple and even
quadruple, their original strength, BY
policy of reciprocity.
AS in congress and state legislatures
so these Representatives of the rail
roads may be found in our city coun-
ellis The leaders of the railroads in
congress and In the legislatures of the
various states usually rely upon dis
erection for obtaining their end, but
railroad aldermen with but few excep-
tions seek to demonstrate their loyalty
to the cause to which they are com
mitted by jealous advocacy Of ex'
treme measures, and will not unfre-
quently even gain their ends through
the most inscriptions combinations.
If their votes, together with such sup
port as they obtain by making trades,
are not sufficient to carry out OF defeat
a measure which the railroad interests
may favor or oppose, even more ques-
tionable means are employed to gain
q sufficient number of votes to com
nand a majority.
Outright bribery is probably the
means least often employed by corpo.
rations to carry their measures. While
it may be true that the vote of every
weak and INSCRIPTIONS legislator is
q subject of barter, money is not often
the compensation for which it is OBJ
tanned. 1t is the policy Of the political
corruption committee of corporations
to ascertain the weakness and wants
of every man whose services they are
likely to need, and to attack him in
his weakest point Men with political
ambition are encouraged to aspire to
preferment and are assured of corpo-
rate support to bring it about. Brief
less lawyers are promised corporate
business or salaried attorneyships
Those in financial straights are accom-
modated with loans. Vain men are
fiattered and given newspaper noto-
riety. Others are given advantages in
rates over their competitors; in fact,
every legislator disposed to barter his
vote away receives for it compensation
which combines the maximum of de-.
STABILITY with the minimum of vio-
lence to his self respect.
Those who attempt to influence or
control Legislative bodies in behalf of
interested parties are collectively call
ed the lobby. AS a rule, the lobby
consists of prominent politicians likely
to have influence with their own par
ties; of men of good address and easy
conscience, familiar alike with the
subject under consideration and legis-
latiYe procedure, and last, but not
least, of confidential agents authorized
and prepared to enter into secret nego.
tiations with venal members. The
lobby which represents the railroad at
legislative sessions are usually the