Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-06-02
VOL. XVII
RAILROADS IN POLITICS.
THEIR METHODS OF INFLUENC-
ING LEGISLATION ARE VARIED.
It iS the Policy OF the Political COrrup.
tiOn Committee Of Corporations to As
certa n the Weakness and Wants of
Every Member r whose Vote they Need.

portance of controlling the legislative
branch of the government. By pre-
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 n constitutional question which
they may find it necessary to raise in
order to nullify a 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 unscrupulous members
of legislative bodies; third, the en-
ployment of professional and incident
n lobbyists and the subsidizing 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 number who are in some
way connected with railroad corpora
tions. No doubt, a 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 account of the pres
ence of railroad representatives in leg
islatiYe bodies, but, as many 9th err in
terests seek favorable legislation, rail-
road men are often enabled to gain
support for their cause by n 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
cretion 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-
queutly even gain their ends through
the most unscrupulous combinations
If their votes, together with such sup
port as they obtain by making trades
are not sufficient to carry out or defeat
measure which the railroad interests
may favor or oppose, even more ques-
tionable means are employed to gair
a sufficient number of votes to com
Inand majority.
Outright bribery is probably th,
means least often employed by corpo
rations to carry their measures. Will,
it may be true that the vote of every
weak and INSCRIPTIONS legislator il
subject of barter, money is not Otter
the compensation for which it is oh
tanned. 1t is the policy of the politica
corruption committee of corpora tion
TO ascertain the weakness and wants
of every man whose services they ar
likely to need, and to attack him il
his weakest point Men with politica
ambition are encouraged to aspire t.
prefermeut and are assured of corpo
rate support to bring it about. Brief
less lawyers are promised corporal,
business or salaried attorneyships
Those in financial straights are accom-
modated with loans. Vain men ar
hattered and given newspaper noto
riety. Others are given advantages il
rates over their competitors; in fact
every legislator disposed to barter hi
vote away receives for it compensation
which combines the maximum of de
STABILITY with the minimum of vic
lence to his self respect.
Those who attempt to influence o
control legislative bodies In behalf @
interested parties are collectively call
ed the lobby. AS rule, the lobb
consists of prominent politicians likel
to have influence with their own pal
ties; Of men of good address and cas-
conscience, familiar alike with tn
subject under consideration and legit
lative procedure, and last, but nc
least, of confidential agents authorize
and prepared to enter into secret negC
tiations with venal members. Th
lobby which represents the railroad q
Legislative sessions are usually th
largest, the most sagacious and mo:
INSCRIPTIONS of all. Its work is sy,
tematic and thorough, its methods ar
unscrupulous and its resources grea
Yet all the members of a legislatiy
body can not be bribed, either b
money, or position, or fayors. Som
of them will not vote for any propose
measure unless they can be convince
that IL is for the public welfare. Thes
legislators, If their votes are neede,
are turned over to the persuasive elC
quence of those members of the lobt
- n. 4 Al