New-York tribune., 1904-10-30
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for OCTOBER 80. 1904
Origin Of Political Term
By r. o b ert G. Aud

ol d ldNofltc son LOT III I1Nt1 pdIlantc
ii is simply an appliance stretched
across the stream as a dam TO hold the
floating logs accumulated behind it. AT
first it would hardly appear o contain
much political force within its acriform
wrapper but. lkening the accumulated
logs to hard-won votes. and the boom to
the capacity of the candidate to hold
them together until election day. we
surely get pretty close 10 the heart-sense
of il. Supposing the boom across the
river (and of the candidatt) Was To- break
Tor burst what scattering of logs (and
votesl there would bel
In river parlancc, also the candidate
who is enjoying boom must he careful
not 10 indulge too much in log-rolling
else he may strike a snag from which
he NAV have difficulty IN extracting
himself When we leave the river We vir-
tr:ally take to the stump, and we are. in
this term. transported al once 10 primi-
tive. pioneering times when the stump
Was the platform upon which the candl-
date stood. 1t was the rOstrum from
W hich the local orator hurled his shafts;
and the word savors of the days of the
hardy and hearty frontiersman. 1t MAS
to take sometime ere the logs in the river
would be manufactured into the planks
used in modern political platform.
At length the candidate having got
all his supporters on the right side of the
fence. and his barr1 having been suffi-
cicntlv furnished for the fight, and
having pcen luiy elected, he prepares
himself for making himself acquainted
with the manner of legislation in the halls
of Congress On his arrival at the
Capitol he finds the avenues of approach
to political achievement generally To be
found in what is sometimes called the
Third House the lobby. This is IN
deed the place where apparently MEM
beers meet. or walk up and down. with
their constituents and others interested
in affairs of state.
In telling its story the word hobby
projects us backward into the most
primitive periods of our historv-into the
davs. indeed of our true arborcal exist
cnce. In those days there were groves
deeply secluded in the forests. wherein
were hid the affairs of the gods then wOr
shipped To gain access 10 these groves
avenues of approach were hewn through
the forest and out of the thick urnbragc
surrounding These avenues were OF
course open above. but We're shaded
overhead by the close foliage or LEAKAGE OF
the lining trees 1t is from this leafy
shade that the word lobby is derived:
il meant the lcafy or lobe-y lane. This
lane then Was the first lobby. AS the
arts developed, the word was used tor
other lanes or loanings, especially th' st
that led TO the courts through and II to
which the COWS were driven ~ the
primitive cowboys or herds, TO be MIXED
bv the daughters Of the house or home
stead Reaching the courts, the lad met
his lass, and it was within these circles,
thus charmed with the feminine influence.
that it first made itself felt in 'courting.
Next the word lobby WAS applied to
the approach to the house, and at last
was included in the house-plan itself as
an incorporate part of the home II
Was the place general TO the public;
where strangers were received. and where
they waited until conducted To- the inner
sanctuaries and hospitalities OF the fam
ilv. Another name for lobby WAS hall
and this word came To apply to the home
b,,,s.. ,-,I ~ any v,l:,r,. a which