The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-04-07

islation by these methods. Your bus
mess is a criminal business, and you
are criminals! More than that, dis
guise it as you may, gloss it over
with whatever name, ii is bribery,
and bribery of a public official is a
betrayal of his constituents. That is
treason TO his constituents and to the
principle upon which government is
founded. 1t matters not how many
millions you represent you, and
those who employ you to undermine
official obligation, destroy official
character, and induce the represen-
tative to betray his trust, are enemies
of the government. You should be
punished as enemies of the govern
ment
II lobbying with the individual is
made an offense it will go far to
prevent any lobbyist from seeing, or
attempting to see, any member alone
II the secret, the private element is
eliminated we shall radically change
the character of the business. Add to
this the requirement that all lobby
lists should publicly register as such,
and legislative members will not be
seen with them under circumstances
calculated TO raise a question con-
corning their integrity.
Gov. LaFollette is republican in
a republican state, but during his
term as governor he has been under
the necessity of fighting the most I'M
scrupulous lobby and the strongest in
fluences in securing certain legisla-
ton which the people demanded and
which he undertook to give them.
On the same question we quote from
/ Speaker Lenroot of the house of rep
resentatives of the Wisconsin legis-
lature in the same issue of the Sat
urday Evening Post from which the
LaFollette extracts are taken. Mr.
Lenroot says of the lobby and the
lobbyists:
One of the most corrupting influ-
ences in American politics today is
the legislative lobby. While
many men belonging to the Third
House would scorn TO use any i'm
proper means to influence votes, it
is, nevertheless, unfortunately true
that the great majority of lobbyists
are tIlIllAdISs "HUSH occupation Is
to destroy the manhood and the in
tegrity of the legislator. They are
paid and maintained at legislative SEES
sion to prey spon the members by
developing their weaknesses and
their vices.
1t is generally admitted | think,
that every cause is entitled 10 be
heard. Arguments before legislative
committees are, therefore, legitimate
whether the cause be good or bad
but license in this matter should
90 no further than this. No man EN-
ployed as agent or counsel for any
interest whatever should be permit
ed to solicit the votes OF individuals
members for or against any bill,
measure or resolution. Right here
is the place TO draw the line. and il
should be drawn with unmistakable
sharpness and firmness. Make the
lobbyist, at the outset, admit that
he is a lobbyist and that he repre-
SCENTS this or that definite interest.
This requires him 10 show his hand
and 10 stand, to all Corners, for pre-
cisely what he is. Let him make his
pleas, present his evidence and do
his work before the proper commit
tees of the assembly, and then quit
He should be compelled, both by law
and public sentiment, TO cease dog
ging the footsteps OF individual mem
bers. In a word, require of the lob
by publicity in all its work. and r.
viii soon cease to be a curse.