The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-06-17

public officials of every kind to aeeepi
special fayors in the way of passes and
franks. And, strange as itsmay seem,
members of legislatures would weleoue
such a law if they were allowed actual
mileage twice a week between their
homes and the state capital.
A law making illegal the issuance OF
passes to or on behalf of assemblymen
/ would relieve the legislator from the
incessant demands for free railroad
transportation made by his constitu-
ents. And any man who has served in a
general assembly will tell you that his
hardest task is to write letters to rail-
road companies for passes for his peo-
pie.
/ 1t is the popular idea that the "cor-
porations' are the only interests which
/ seek to influence legislation illegally.
| But blackmail, take it, is as unlawful
| as bribery. and every session Of a legis-
lature sees farmers, labor unions and
| business mems associations endeavo-
| ing to pass or kill legislation by the
use of blacl1mail; the blackmail of
threats The members of these great
classes have no passes to give away
and no money to distribute, but they
have votes and organization. They de-
| mand compliance with their wishes
| coupled with threats of defeat al. the
next election for the member who does
| not vote their way
Perhaps no body of citizens are SO I'M
| reasonable in their demands on the
legislature as the farmers The honest
tlller OF the soil apparently does not
care how much his bill may injure the
state as a whole; it will help him or his
community, and he minces no words in
telling his member of the legislature
that If he does not vote for it he need
not expect to be reelected There is a
constant warfare between the labor
unions and retail business men over the
matter of the amount of exemption in
gafnishee suits, and each class threat
ems political humiliation to any mem
Der who does not vote right That is
why almost every law which relates to
suits for collection of debts is Gem
promise satisfactory to no one.
Now politicians can stand almost any,
thing but defeat. Threats have more in
iuence with them than money. brides.
The skilled manipulators Of the public
service corporations know that and on
one occasion. when | was speaker,
adfoitly used the weapon of fear to
kill a bill which could not have been
defeated with money.
An amendment to the revenue law
came out of house committee. It twas
designed to compel railroad, street car
and telegraph companies to pay more
taxes. The railroad lobbyists scented
danger and sent hurried word TO their
principals. At once the customary
methods were put into effect to block
the bills passage, but public sentiment
in favor of it was strong and it locked
as if it would go through.
Some trifing error in phraseology
sent the bill back to the committee,
and when it reappeared a fewwords had
been inserted, apparently with the de-
sign Of making it stronger. The addi-
ton had been made by member of
the committee at the instigation of a
railroad attorney.
The seemingly trivial change. how
ever, made the application of the bill
more general than the original meas
ure. Where before it had affected only |
the big corporations, it now reached
every one. But no one seemed to notice
the difference and the railroad attor- |
neys at the capitol, who were acting for I
all the public service corporations, per
mitted the bill to pass one house. Then
they got busy
The country press, fed by the corpora
tons, showed how this once popular t
measure hit the farmer, and letters by I
the thousands poured into the state
house from angry agrieulturists. The
presidents and secretaries Of business
mems and manufacturers associations
received letters, inclosing copies of the
bill, which directed their attention 10
the fact that if it became q law their
axes would be larger. The associa-
lions were called together at once; dele
cations were rushed to the capitol, and
IN a few days the members Of the Iegis-
Iature were listening not to arguments.
but to wrathful threats.
The railroad attorneys, all this while,
we're out of sight stirring up the farm
IT'S, business men and manufactures.
And where before passes, franks and
even money had failed to stop what
vas really meritorious measure, the
threats of men who were not willing to
AXE the dose which they wanted to force
Town the threats Of the corporations /
we're effective. The bill was defeated
md not by the railroads.