Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-27
DANISH Tgr CoRpoRArC LoBBY.

ANISH X LOBBf
The great majority Of the men elected
TO Nebraska legislatures start out with
good Intentions. They enter the legls-
lative halls with the audabIe ambition
to make a record for themselves that
will not only meet the approval of their
constituents, but will enable them to
point back with pride TO the measures
enacted by their help for the promotion
when with uplifted hand they solemnly
swear that they will not accept or re-
ceive directly or indirectly any money
or any valuable thing from any corpora
ton, company or person, or any promise
of office for any official act or influence
or for any vote they may give or with
hold on any bill, resolution or appro-
priation," they mean to live up to their
obligations in good faith.
No sooner is the session opened, or
even before II begins, the members Of
the Legislature are beset by a gang Of
scoundrels paid by corporations to do
the criminal work Of wholesale and re-
tail bribery and corruption. These
shameless political courtesans beset
them at every step. They tempt them
into violating their oaths with railroad
passes, telephone passes, telegraph
franks, theater tickets and debauch
them with wines and liquors until their
consciences become paralyzed and their
self-respect is completely lost. When
they think the lawmakers have reached
that condition the paid corporation cor
r~uptionists begin their despicable work
of bunco steering by befogging and be-
clouding the minds of the legislators
with fine spun sophistry and plausible
excuses for the betrayal of the people.
This is the condition In which the Ne
braska legislature finds itself at this
moment.
While a majority of the members Of
both houses are doubtless sincerely de-
sirous to formulate and enact laws that
will eQualize the burdens of taxation
by compelling railroads and other cor
porate interests to bear their just pro-
portion OF the expenses of government,
state, county and municipal, they are
being logged at every step by the cor
poration lobby and corporation lawyers,
who persist In poisoning their minds
with bad advice and seek to induce
that would Illustrate every attempt at
tax reform and stave off the relief for
which the people have been praying
these many years and to which the
dominant party is committed.
These smooth bunco steerers persist in
chaperoning the legislature over crooked
paths In defiance of all decency and
law. Unlike the road agents who dyna
mite express safes. loot mail pouches
and hold up passengers with their faces
masked, the legislative brigands ply
their infamous vocations unblushingly
in hotel corridors, in the cloak rooms a
the capitol and even on the floors of the
legislature under pretext of assisting
and advising the members how to vote
and how not to vote, what bill to sup
port and what bill to defeat.
1t is high time that the honest mel
in h Legislature Danish the unbidde1
%intruders from the capitol and givt
them a wide berth wherever and when
ever they are approached. These slim!
reptiles have a right to be heard befor,
committees sitting in public and actin,
for the public. They have a right t
demonstrate against any attempt to d,
them injustice or any attempt to sub
1ect them to unjust taxation or unrea
sOnable regulation, but they have N
right to invade the legislative hall
with paid corruptionists, and they hav
} no right to keep paid emissaries at tn
l capital to debauch the lawmakers unde
I the pretense Of social entertainment.
A great deal Of mischief has undoubt
eddy already been lone that cannot b
undOne, but the worst features of tn
foul associations and corrupt interior
ence can be averted If the legislator
would expel the corporation lobby fror
the capitol and make it as disgracefr
for any member to be found in thei
company as it would be for them to b
Il linked in with the chain gang.