The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-06-09

a law. Thus so4 anxious people will
be disappointed. But the claim
agents, attorneys and lobbyists, who
have a Is. per cent. interest in tho
claims, will be the most unhappy Of
all.
Now about lobbyists. Usually the
people regard lobbyists as corruption
lists; and they used to be. But that
is practically a thing of the past. The
lobbyists of the present day Chat is,
those who are successfully are rep
utable gentlemen who act as attor-
neys for claimants before congress.
They usually charge IS per cent. for
their services. For example. if you
have a claim Of 81. 900 against the gov
eminent, you must pay $3.50 to your
attorney, provided he gets an appro-
priation for you. That seems extor-
ton, but it is not. There were $1,000
bills introduced in this congress-, and
less than 200 have become laws. The
lobbyists. or attorneys. who persist
emily insist upon consideration of bills.
and secure recognition. are obliged to
live somewhat extravagantly, in or
der to maintain a proper standing on
Capitol hill. and $3.50 is not much to
pay a man who can secure $3.50 for
you, when, otherwise, you would get
nothing and receive no consideration
whatever. If your claim happens to
be S1O0,O0O the lobbyist, or attorney,
xrartA cot cog mo-. ond chat eaa-,. ILL.,
a big fee. But without some one rep
resenting you diligently and faithful
ly you might get nothing. whereas. by
his efforts, You get the sum of $4,000.
Of curse, if all congressman would
attend faithfully to their duties, there
melt of attorneys in claims cases. But
congressman are not perfect men; far
from it. The parliament of Great
Britain for many years has authorized
and recognized lobbyists. and they are
attorneys of record.
In matters of national legislation
lobbyists are sometimes %corruptly en-
ployed, although they are properly en-
ployed in private legislation. When
corporations desire contracts for naval
ornaments, for military supplies. and
for river and harbor improvements,
they give large fees to individuals who
seem to be able to influence certain
congressman occupying commanding
positions. By this means it frequent
ly, almost annually, happens that many
thousands of dollars are appropriated
which ought not. to be appropriated.
One lobbyist last year showed NE n
check for S17.5O for his services two
weeks after the naval appropriation
bill has been passed. 1t is within my
personal knowledge that he was for
merly n lobbyist partner with a man
who is now a prominent member OF
and it is a w~ell-founded sus-
picion that the congressman corrupt
ly used his official position to secure a
appropriation in the naval bill,
brought forth hat large fee;
which, of course. the lobbyist divided
the congressman.
There is national legislation. and
there is special legislation. National
occupies the attention of
the congress to the exclusion of private
The principal work of the
congress in national legislation is to
provide ways and means for raising
revenues for the expenses of the gov-
and that work is primarily
Gone by the house committee on ways
and means and the senate committee
on finance; and. secondly. for the dis
bursement Of the government moneys,
and that work devolves upon the SEN
ate and house committees on approria-
tions. The reports of those commit
tees receive consideration in prece-
dence over all other committees. and
their work constitutes the most impor-
tant that the congress annually tran
sacts for the general welfare.
Although there are constantly dis
cernible persistent efforts on the part
of self-seeking persons to pluck the
public treasury. it may be truthfully
that national legislation is
practically clean and honorable. and
that private legislation receives care
full and critical attention. In short.
the vast majority of public men ara
honest and honorable. TIE shysters
and corrup,ionists are the exception
rather than the rule.
SMITH d FRI.