The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-07
uow HAS THE LOBBY FALLEN!
mas LOST DIGNITY AND CASTE IN
WASHINGTON.

hands They NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VI
dov Prefer to BE Called "Lesis-
alive Attorneys."- known
the New king of the Lobby"
o.ber Prominent Figures of the
Lobby.
washington, April 6.-During the re-
.+ debate in the House and Senate on
~. porto Rican bill and kindred mea-
IS there has been frequent illusions
trusts and "lobbies' to be benefited
w. the proposed legislation.
an illusions in Congress to the lobby
.., usually made in a spirit of contempt
"a Consequently the social standing of
ali known characters about the capitol
u.ho are recognised as professional lob
,,.ists is not rated very high.
,,+boupb there has been a great deal
% talk about lobbyists during the pre-
can't session it is said that the profits or
'.,or,ss of these gentlemen who are sup
sosod 10 constitute "the lobby have not
icon large or encouraging to their pecu-
u,r line of business. One of the veteran
,obbvists who has eked out precarious
ovfseence around the capitol for the past
onarter of century remarked to the
writer a few days ago.
.r-bere is no money for us in all this
.,r,n5 tanning about Porto Rico and the
p,nionjnes. The talk about the consti-
,nton following the flag and expressions
II sympathy for poverty stricken races
4, nor nus any money in the pockets of
occasional Legislative attorneys "a
admitted term applied TO members of the
.orr business" continued the veteran,
oequrishes when there is a hot fight on
in congress over important financial leg
station. railroad franchises, steamship
srhsidies and new tariff bills On those
OCCASIONS thousands and thousands of
d7uars are in circulation in Washington
in the interest of these various schemes
and members Of the lobby who have val
rqble congressional acQuaintances, man
ace TO earn a snug income when such
measures are being agitated in Congress
The Lobby as 1t Used to BE.
1.-THE lobby" is not as well organized,
NOR is II as dignified or influential as it
was in years gone by. 1t will be remem-
bsrei that during the credit mobilier
scandal which resulted in the impeach-
nent of several prominent members OF
Congress. the lobby maintained at the
Capto an almost perfect organization.
There were various grades of lobbyists,
beginning with leading railroad and bank
presidents and extending down through
the various grades to commercial and po-
luoal society down to the most degraded
anil uns rupllous type of hanger on
around the National Legislature. In those
DAYS HE late Sam Ward was the recog-
aized king Of the lobby" He will be re-
msmbered as a man of medium hight a
ful les dresser, a well-rounded and
carefully groomed form, an eXquisitely
shaped head with a shining bald pate,
with a little fringe of silvery white hair
extending from his temples to the base
Of his rite and active brain. He wore a
carefully KEEP, white moustache and an
imperial goltea 50 that his general
appearance rendered him a striking
character IN any assembly of men or wo-
men. Pleasant, fable, gallant shrewd
and ever on the alert to subordinate bust
ness for pleasure, Sam Ward ruled 'the
loby' for many years with an iron hand,
and left behind him a record of success
which has never been surpassed. He es-
tabllshcd his throne in the room then oc-
cuqied by the House Committee on APP
preparations and his reign remained undis-
turbed day in and day out except when he
occasionally abdicated in order that the
regular meetings of the Appropriation Com
mitee might be held to consider the legiti-
mate public business.
regular scale of prices which he and his
asociates charged for certain kinds of
legislative work to be done. There was
high rates for the high toned and low
rates for the low toned seekers for con-
eIesional influence and Sam Ward usually
managed 90 size up his victims and regu-
late his fees according to the amount of
cash or other consideration they were
likely TO part with.
The Lobby of To-day.
To-day the lobby is a free-for-all in
sjitu'on composed largely of former sem
ators former representativ lawyers ana
promoters of various degrees of profess
slondl and social standing Representa-
uNes of the great trusts, combina tons,
and corporations vitality interested in con-
EIesSlonal legislation resent being called
49'o|lsts, preferring to be known as
attorneys for the various interests they
tepfsen Although the representatives
~ congress are supposed to come to
washington specially to guard and pro-
leej inc interests of their several constit-
uhc.es' il has nevertheless grown to he
we custom of the times to maintain at
washington a corps of men and women
'S'7iu'y trained and equipped to look
Hi'ef special interests whenever said in
's'e'ts ore subject of congressional ac-
D'h These attorneys" or lobbyists"
CNlNale in various ways the acquaint
9-r ar influential men in the Senate and
mouse ana directly or indirectly strive
tee2 their employers advised in ad-
.'''f of all contemplated action relative
10 certain measures.
sumo Of The lobbyists are more extrava-
e'' On their expenditures than others in
'Wo'lng legislation and sometimes
,''1'ahds and thousands of dollars are ex-
"aed by great corporations without OBJ
''Ius ANYTHING tangible in return for the
quay Women, conspicuous in the high
grades of society, are sometimes en-
F0E'I 10 foster and encourage legislation
.'NAiessional influence in behalf of GER
'alh measures.
o The other hand disreputable char
are employed to blackmail and CO.
honestly inclined statesmen Certain
- ana measures require a certain
"fe oil treatment therefore it would re-
NV many columns of reading matter 10
'''' details on that subject
New King of the Lobby.
N present the most conspicuous figure
vho we so-called lobby" is Mr. Oxnar1
NJ Iepresents the beet sugar Industry.
CAM, o%fhaId is familiar figure about the
ps54ool whenever there is any legislation