The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-01
LOBBYISTS
MENACE TO
LEGISLATION
Is Opinion Expressed by Gov
ernor Ferguson.
INTEREST OF PEOPLE
Bill Should be Passed Making
Lobbying a Felony.

making lobbying a felony" said Cover
pcr Ferguson today. Lobbyists are a
menace TO good legislation. Any legisla-
ture such as the present one will take
care Of the peoples interests providing
the members are let alone by the lobby
lists. Some good measure may be intro
-duced that meets the appreciation of the
members, but before the bill comes up
for final passage, amendments that are
usually inspired by lobbyists are tackled
on, destroying the intent of the original
measure.
The anti-Iobbying legislation should
Include the educational institution APP
preparation lobby" continued the gov
ernor. Every two years the lobby APP
pears, asking for eXravagant appropria-
sions from the legislature. If left alone
the legislature would provide well for
all educational institutions. 1t seems
that a member of the legislature might
be compared to the white man who is
forced to run the Indian gauntlet, only
IN this case the gauntlet is made by ed
vocational institution lobbyists. We have
schools in Oklahoma that are the out
growth Of legislative deals. In almost
every case these deals fell through, but
the institutions were provided for and
must be taken care of now. Just think
what it would mean to the taxpayers of
this territory if all appropriations asked
for were granted. The people would
have the bills to pay, and many of them
would not receive any benefit from the
Increased taxation. 1t is time to call a
halt on extravaganza in Oklahoma, Let
the institutions travel with the people.
The Institutions will be taken care Of
by the people without question
Legislators will go slow on appropria-
ton matters since the governor gave it
out cold that the university equipment
bill giving the Norman institution $4,000
would not receive his signature. Cow
ernor Ferguson did not hesitate to give
his reasons for vetoing the measure. His
attitude may cause ill-feeling and cha
grin among lobbyists, but there will be
no extraordinary appropriations as long
as the governor is watching the Inner
vault of the territorial treasury.
The above statements, made to the
Eagle representative by Governor Fergu-
son, may be taken as a hint that the
Edmond lobby may as well pay its hotel
bill, secure transportation and go home.
II is a doubtful question whether the
$4,000 appropriation bill fof new build
ings will ever get through the legisla-
ture. Even if it does pass. it is reason
able to expect that the measure will
meet the same fate that befell the uni
versity appropriation bill. James had
hard task to get his bill through the
house, and Blakeney a harder task to
secure the bills passage in the council
Il will be even harder for the Edmond
Normal bill to get through, regardless
of what the needs of the institution may
be.
Members of the educational institution
lobby are mighty bold nowadays" said
a member of the house today They do
not hesitate to ask for what they want
regardless of what it may mean to the
taxpayers of this territory 1 am in
favor of meeting reasonable demands
for educational purposes. but this thing
is being carried too far. am glad that
the governor is watching these things
and / am satisfied that he will never let
extravaganza appropriations go through"
James joint resolution to investigate
the expenditures Of the board of regents
for the past two years may not result
as favorably as is hoped for. 1t is ru-
mored that there may be some changes
IN the university board. Nothing definite
Is known about this. however, but it is
the talk Of the hotels
1t Is understood that drastic anti
trust measure is being prepared to be
introduced in the legislature next week
II is intended to reach a corporation com.
bination that may be perfected soon.
Wrinkles antitrust bill was defeated in
the council. but it ia believed that the
new measure can be forced through.
There is an inclination now among the
members of the council to amend Mat
thew's guarantee bin and send it down
&c the house insead Of taking up the
substitute bill reported by the committee.
The amendments proposed viii make the
Mathews bin similar to the substitute
measure, excluding the Usage nation from
Quarantine allowing cattle to be shipped
into oil mill feed yards under auaran-
tine and no open season. The Mathews
bill has created Juror in both branches
OF the legislature and the end has not
yet arrived
I'm all OF my experience OF four terms.
never saw SO many things up TO defeat
a measure IS was the case with nv
quarantine bill" said Uncle Jimmy Mat
hews last night 1t was rnisprinted
twice; misplaced or the calendar once
and then persons wanted amendments
promising TO vote for the blI If the
amendments were accepted. When this
was Strengthened out. one man Of the
fourteen required 10 pass the bill was
tied up. delaying the passage OF the
bill six days. Now in the council there
are two reports on my measure and 1
do not know what viii happen next. Yoa
cannot tell what IS coming in a legisla-
ture." said the venerable representative
rs he sighed and walked YEARLY out ~
the representative hall
Another text book biz is said 70 be
coming soon. It is a free text book
hill. providing that the books are TO
b. printed by the ;erritory's plant The
house is laying for the measure. but
IN the meantime. has been considering
an optional free text book bill. recon-
nlending that the same pass
4 beer inspection law is ore OF the
measures introduced by Mathews OF
Paine II is the Missouri law and has
been favorably reported by the commit
tee on liquor traffic. The law has been
tried" said Mr. Mathews. and II the
bill passes, We VIII know that We have