The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-08-13
&C LoseNsr,s vlEw eoINr.
Corruption Of Legislatures as An cN.
lahoma Agent Saw It.


lahoma Agent Saw IT,
The testimony OF Colonel w. H
Phelps before the grand jury at JET
forson City, Mo, wherein he said that
III It were not for the sandbaggers
who we're sent to Jefferson City, II
would not be necessary to maintain a
lobby there" recalled to a number OF
persons who witnessed the proceed
ings OF the last Oklahoma legislature
the words Of a widely known lobbyist
who attended that session. This man
has lobbied for years In the legisla
lures Of many western states. buys
legislators like cattle when necessary,
always keeps his promises, and de-
spises his business and the men who
take his money. He said last winter:
"There are two sides to all this talk
of corruption in the legislature. The
man who pays money is guilty of vio-
lating the law. but the man who sells
his vote or his influence Is no less
guilty. The experienced lobbyist who
represents legitimate business en-
terprise would rejoice at the election
of only honest men to the legislature.
He does not fear the honest members;
Il Is the corrupt member who keeps
him in trouble Where there Is one
honest man debauched and corrupted
by the lobby, there are half a dozen
knaves who come to the legislature
prepared to rob and plunder every en-
terprise from which money can be ex-
torted. The legislative sandbagger
begins by introducing a bill with such
vicious provisions that its passage
would cause the ruin Of the interests
affected. He champions his measure
with specious, but alluring, arguments,
appealing often to the honest, mex
perienced rural member, whose pref
udice he arouses and whose support
he secures. If this sandbagger is not
paid = al, probability he will pass
his bill. to convince the lobby that he
cannot be tri1ed with and that he is
power in the legislature. What can
the lobbyist do? Nothing, except buy
the scoundrel for the least possible
sum of money Next time, certain
legitimate legislation, honest from
every standpoint, is required of the
legislature. A bill is introduced. The
sandbagger is lying in wait, with his
forces organized. He begins a fighi
on the bill and, If necessary, will dc
his utmost to defeat the measure, tc
convince his supporters that he mus
be reckoned with Then it becomes
necessary to use money to promote
the enactment Of a good law. AS {
rule. the sandbaggers are organized
and have a business agent who deali
with the lobby and agrees upon thu
price OF dishonor. There are times, o
course, when corrupt bills for corrup
purposes are railroaded through th'
legislature. Should there be two o
more bidders for the benefits OF thi
legislation the sandbagger is IA clover
as he Is open to bids from all sides
and the last bid usually gets his sur
port. The fact that he will sell ou
repeatedly may discredit him in tn
lobby, but II he is a powerful ma
the lobby can't ignore him"
This lobbyist had seen corruption 4
all its nakedness in many legislatures
and had preserved in black and whit
the records Of scores OF public mel
He continued;
"In all sincerity. fell that no pc
son is more thankful than myself
finding a truly honest man in publ
office. There are times when on
grows heartsick with the secr'
knowledge that Smith ami Jones an
Brown. all honorable in reputation, al
actually thieves and sandbagger
When l find an honest man, and
have found many, l like TO look
him and admire him and wonder no
he maintains his fine intuitive distin
ton between right and wrong"