The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-12
ON LOBBYING
SUBMITTED TO HOUSE BY INvEsTI-
eating COMMITTEE.
BUT TWO CASES FOUND.
THESE WE'RE THE EFFORTS TO
BRIDE MILLS OF CHEROKEE.

No recommendation Made on Them
as Agent Is Unknown-COmmitte
Says Citizens Should Be Permitted
to Express Their Views to Legis-
lntOrs on Questions Coming Be-
fore Them-IsOIatiOn and wisdom
Not NecessnrilyA lIied-More DAM
age Done by Ignorance Than
Vfce-Rules DebnrrinG Umauthor-
lied Persons from Floor of House
and senate Wise one.
Atlanta. Aug. 1.-THE report of the
Special Joint Committee to investigate
the charges Of lobbying in the General
Assembly, OF which Senator H. w.
Hopkins OF the Seventh was chairman,
was read to the House of Representa-
tives this afternoon. The Senate was
not in session, but it will be read in
that body tomorrow.
The committee found no evidences of
criminal lobbying outside Of that pre-
scented by Representative w. d. Mills
of Cherokee county. who stated he had
been offered $500 to vote against the
Child Labor bill. but could not name
the party who had made the offer,
This evidence was thoroughly reviewed
by the committee as was also the
statement that Mr.. Mills had been Of
fered 800 to change his vote from,
Morris to Mitchell for Speaker of the
House.
In both cases Mr.. Mills voted as he
originally intended for the Child La
Dor bill and for Morris for speaker,
The committee after reviewing this evil
dence makes no recommendation re-
garding it, because none of the guilty
parties were known.
what Committee Says.
With regard to practices akin to
lobbying or as to undue influence upon
members, the committee says: Much
testimony has been adduced showing
that persons interested in legislation,
both local and general, and agents
and attorneys acting for them, have
urged their causes upon members Of
the General Assembly 1t is further
established that 1t is the custom for
parties not entitled thereto to enjoy
the privileges of the floor OF both SEN
ate and House.
I'm the opinion of your committee
it is an essential right that a citizen
should be permitted without restraint
to express to legislators his opinions
on questions coming before them.
Such a privilege is conducive to good
legislation, and no member of the
General Assembly should ever be deaf
to legitimate arguments or statements
OF facts which might elucidate ques-
tions upon which he must act.
MET with the absolute necessity OF
injuring some interests in nearly all
legislation, 1t is difficult for the hon
est legislator to know what he should
do. In this position, isolation and
wisdom are not necessarily allied. He
needs all the aid he can get, and the
more diligently he searches for light,
the more does he fit himself for the
discharge of his high obligations.
All Knowledge Helps.
The merchant, farmer, railroad man.
lawyer scientist, artisan, may all be
pressed into service, but constantly
with the need that his influence shall
be limited to that justly created by
the strength of his arguments. AS
much, IL not more, damage is done by
ignorance than by vice, and the scope
of legislation being co-extensive with
human activity. the knowledge of those
engaged in II should be commensurate
with the subject"
Following this the committee ex-
pressed the opinion that whatever a
man may do himself. he may do by
attorney or agent. The committee
then takes I'D the Senate and House
rules excluding from the floor all those
not specially entitled to its privileges.
and in this connection makes the only
recommendation contained in it's re-
port.
Subject of Rules.
On this subject the committee says
in part:
I'VE report that in our opinion the
rules are wtee ones The presence
Of strangers upon the floor necessa-
rily creates greater disorder by the
audible conversation invited by them.
and interferes with the clerks in the
performance Of their duties. 1t is not
seernly that parties directly or indirect
ly interested in a measure under dis
cussion should be mingling with those
who must vote.
The eagerness and anxiety of the
visitor naturally manifests itself in ex-
ternal acts which may injuriously af-
feet legislation. The due decorum OF
the legislative body is disturbed and
its dignity lowered in the performance
of its services and solemn duties.
I'VE recommend that these rules, ITO
of the Senate and 173 of the House be
enforced and that so far as practi-
cable all persons interested in instant
questions before either branch of the
General Assembly be excluded pending
their discussion, and disposition
The report was ordered spread on the
minutes and the evidence filed in the
Office of the Secretary of State Mr..
Cam Of Chatham was a member Of
the Committee on the part Of the
House.