The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-16

the curse of gr~ass-hoppers. 1t has not,
except once or twice, assumed much mag
nitude in North Carolina until 1895. Since
that year it has been a scandal hat has
attached more or less to every Legisla-
ture. 1t is time to put q stop TO IT. Rep
utable lawyers who are men OF substance
ought to hold their profession in too high
esteem TO degrade it ty becoming lobby
lists. If there is one thing the Bar Asso-
citation ought TO co more than another X
IS 10 unfrock member who haunt the
capitol and the rooms O. members as
paid lobbyists for or against leg
islatIve measures. There is a line
clearly Acknowledgement a law
yer's going before a committee as before
a court 20 argue in favor OF or against
any measure pending before that commit
tee, and a lawyers lobbying members at
the boarding houses. at the clubs, and on
the floor of the Legislature halls. bring
ing social, political or financial pressure
to bear. The first Is legitimate. The
second is disCraceful and the man who
practices it ought not 10 be permitted to
retain membership in an honorable pro-
fession. If. instead of wasting its time
talking about engrafting the antiquated
absurd and ridiculous custom-a relic OF
king-craft and divine right-of putting
gowns on judges, the Bar Association
would demand an adherence to old time
ethics it would be elevating the great
profession Of the law.
There are already intimations that
a railroad lobby will sweep down
on the North Carolina Legislature
like the wolf on the fold Dur
ing the past week conferences have been
held to devise measures to repeal certain
legislation in the nature of tax laws
which certain railroad magnates do not
want. So far as this State is concerned,
it publicly announced at the Greensboro
Democratic Convention a declaration
Of independence of railroad dictation,
whether relating to candidates or to
platform. 1t turned down the platform
provisions desired by certain taX-dodg-
ing railroads with a dull cold thud. 1t
nominated with enthusiasm the man Ger
tain railroad political ~magnates had
conspired to defeat. These men ought
to nave learned a lesson when the
people by nearly 10000 majority rati-
fed the action Of the Greensboro State
Convention. The Legislature which will
meet in Raleigh on the seventh Of
January is sent here by the peo-
pie to carry out their Will and not to
obey the DEGREES Of tax-dodging, quasi
public corporations. If the men at the
head Of these corporations are wise they
will trust to the Justice and fairness of
the members of the General Assembly,
and not provoke the Indignation which
will follow the presence of a third house,
engaged in the familiar methods SO of
ten employed here and in Georgia and
elsewhere to dictate legislation. In Raj
eigh, they will be made known day by
day and their plans will be published to
the whole State. The people Of North
Val In III An
railroad magnates to exert undue in
fuence. They made ambitious men
afraid to thwart their wishes. That da,
has passed. The year 1902 showed their
impotence to control Democratic conven-
tons and to affect the result at the polls.
It is popularity believed that they think
they can control the State Senate. They
reckon without knowing, for the people
who elected the Senators did not send
men to Raleigh to 90 the bidding of cor
porations, but to legislate for all the
people. They will not fail to be true to
the people who elected them. But the
people will demand that the lobby scan
dal in North Carolina shall not be re-
peated in the General Assembly of 1903.
Since the above editorial was in tyne,
a Senator in the Georgia Legislature,
~"indignant' at what he called the Jour
nails unjust insinuations, replied to the
editorial, denying the presence Of lobby
lists. The Journal replied in vigorous
style from which these extracts are
taken
There are certain individuals who in
fest the capitol from day to day and
from hour to hour that constitute the
lobby. They are there as the paid rep
resentaties of certain interests and they
are always present. They retard bust
ness, embarrass members and disgrace
the legislative halls of the State. They
fasten themselves like harnacles on the
legislative branch of the government,
and however earnestly or honestly leg
islators may seek to discharge the high
responsibilities of office, they find them
selves constantly embarrassed, hindered
and delayed by the presence OF these
people.