The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-07-15
THE PETITION INDUSTRY.
A Well-K nOwn Business in WashiA8.
ton Which Gives One Man
q Good Living.

The petition industry is booming. In
the indeXing of the Congressional Rec
ord for the season just closed one man
is handling nothing but the petitions.
Day after day he sits at his desk max
ing up the catalogue of prayers of the
people. If he finishes his stint by the
time the rest of the index is ready for
the printer he will realize expectations.
Most men in congress formally recog-
nize expression of 1.-The right of petit
ton" If they receive petitions they in
troduce them. Some years ago, when
he was in the senate, Mr.. Sherman pre-
scented a petition. The request con-
veyed therein was so at variance with
the senator's known convictions hat a
newspaper man asked him what he
meant.
Nothing" was the reply; nothing
at all. l recognize the right of petition
and l put in the request without regard
to my opinion on the subject. l do not
consider myself in any way committed
by such action"
Back of the right OF petition is Po-
litical history and evolution of govern
ment. The first amendment to the con
stitution of the United States declared
the right OF petition. But the present
petition industry was not contemplated
in the long contest between rulers and
people which ended in acknowledgment
OF the right of petition.
Within the memory of present Off
cials of congress petitions have multi
piled one hundredfold. Where there
were ten petitions 20 years ago there are
Il thousand now. Petitions have ceased
to represent the voluntary exercise of
the right. They are now a product of
American manufacture. The rapidity
with which, the product is increasing
makes it only a question of time when
congress will adopt measures to dis
courage if it cannot repress the eXer-
else. Mere printing of the petitions by
title has become a serious item of eX-
perse. The house no longer wastes
time with the public presentation of
these petitions, but provides a box
into which they are dropped. On the
back pages of the Record the briefest
possible daily list of the contents of the
box appears. The senate still permits
the introduction of these petitions. but
will hardly do S o much longer. Last
session the reading of the petitions by
titles consumed much time and many
columns of the proceedings.
The manufacture of petitions is a
matter of pride and profit with those
who conduct it. There is one man in
Washington who writes Rev" before
his name and ID. D." after. who earns
an income equal TO hat paid many pas
tors of metropolitan churches by the
manufacture of petitions. He seeks for
subjects for reform, prepares the blank
petitions addressed to congress. and
sends the printed forms in bundles TO
use of church and benevolent organi-
cations. The petitions are passed
around, signed and mailed back to the
senators and representatives, to be pre-
scented to congress. This goes on year
after year. From Washington public
Stltiiiicut' which HHuS tNpItsSlon III
petition signing. is worked up, and the
petitions come by the mailbagful, for
supposed influence on legislation. The
man who does all this creates in the
minds of good people a confidence in his
usefulness, which prompts them to
contribute through their organizations
a handsome salary for his support
Washington Cor. st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.