The Washington herald., 1906-12-30
Wisconsin Has Unique Leg
islative Officer.
GATHERS FACTS AND FIGURES
Lobbyists Find Their Occupation
Gone, for Every Legislator Has a
Well Equipped Bureau OF InfOrma-
tiOn AT His Communication Charles
Mccarthy saves the state.

there is an operation in the capitol, At
Madison, one of the smoothest working.
most economical machines for the protec-
ton of the interests Of the public in the
actual making of laws that was ever
devised, says the Chicago Record Herald.
The engineer in charge is Charles Nc
CaTthy, and he is a figure more worthy
of study than his unpre:enuous. modest
salaried place would lead one at first TO
believe. He runs what is called the legis-
lative reference department. That doesn't
mean anything until you analyze it. Then
you find that it has saved the State Of
Wisconsin millions of dollars directly
that it has benefited tens Of thousands of
citizens of the commonwealth to an in
caIculable amount that il has practically
put the lobbyist out of business at Madi-
son, and that for all these good things
the taxpayers have paid less than 5000
year, and that for a very few years.
McCarthy-his iutimates call him
Charlie the legislators call him Mae. "
and the few who know that he may wear
a "Ph. D" after his name if he please,
call him Doctors the personal factor
in an unusually happy combination Of
scientifically political information bureau,
a politically scientific legislative depart
ment, and a modest, well-informed, hard
headed Irishman, which has worked
wonders. He doesn't like 10 be called a
lobbyist" and he isn't, in the commonly
accepted meaning Of the term. and yet IT
viii be seen that he performs for the
people. in a judicial non-partisan, disin-
Of hat
prosperous and persuasive attorneys per
form for interests which seek TO mold
legislation for private profits. Mac" is
the guide philosopher, and friend of the
rural legislator He IS the man behind
the searchlight, when il is desired by
true public servant TO have uIumined the
legislative by-Ways that have been be
logged by the real lobbyist OF his more
dangerous, because hidden counterpart
the legislator who serves special inter
ests II is he who furnishes by the bale
facts and figures to refute specious argu-
ments in favor Of bad bill OF TO trundle
over imaginary obstacles raised before
good bill by the same selfish agents.
How the Office Originated.
It is by a story, perhaps. that the meth
DDS of Mr. Mccarthy and their effect
may be best illustrated. An affiUent and
anublc man went TO Madison last winter
while the legislature was in session,
bought much refreshment told the leg
isIators that thirty-fve other States had
contributed large sums of money 10 "a
certain patriotic purpose. bought more
refreshments, and expressed the opinion
about 100000. He buttou-hoIed several
members of the legislature. and was ear
nestly setting forth his case when Nc
Carthy happened to be passing by.
What's this2" he said innocently.
The afluent and affable man looked at
him indiferently.
This, nay son. said he. is a bin to
make bedbugs stay on their own side uG
the bed"
Mccarthy blushed. and, realizing that
the laugh was on him, went about his
business.
That night the legislative reference de-
partmen+ telegraphed to thirty-fve State
capitals When the legislature met next
day the answers TO those kilograms had
been received and placed before the law
makers, who had asked for information
about their subject matter They were
about as different from the affiuent and
affable strangers representations as d
Wisconsin white pine tree is from "a
burberry bush. The legislature smelt an
Ethiopian in the woodpiIe, and that bin
for the appropriation of $4,000 for
certain patriotic purpose was not heard
from thereafter. The still afTluent but
no longer aIable stranger scowled at
Mccarthy. But Mac seemed TO be
absorbed in an chronological dispute
with one Of his assistants about the mi
gratory habits of a weli-known insect.
Method of Operation.
McCarthys methods are very simple
He begins the work of preparation for a
session Of the legislature several months
before the date of its meeting. He sends
out to all the members letters asking
what particular subjects of legislation
they VIII be most interested in and the
subject and nature of bills they intend 20
introduce. Then he sets himself 10 the
task of gathering Information
When Hon. John Jones. Of Tomah
comes to take up his duties as a law
maker the chances are he will call
promptly on Mae" His political life
may depend on the prospective action
Of the legislature on a good-rUads meas
ure OF the motive Of his interest in the
subject may be more lofty and public
spirited. All kinds go TO see Mae He
viii be directed TO "a shelf in the Iegfsla-
tive reference department There he VIII
find all neatly arranged and accurately |
indexed, complete information as to what /
States have passed goOd-roads laws. !
where bills for similar laws are under
consideration. what bills on highway i'm
prOvemeut have been introduced in the
Wisconsin legislature in the last eight
or ten years. and what laws have been
passed by IT, There he VIII md copies
and digests Of the statutes of other States
on good roads, leading cases involving
the validity Of any feature of these laws
that have been the subject Of litigation,
the opinions of public men and experts
as TO the working Of these laws or upon
their defects, technical or theoretical. In
short. he VIII nnd the fruits Of an ex-
hausuve study Of the subject ready to
hand, a budget Of information that he
probably could not duplicate if he gave
10 IL the whole time of his legislative |
term. He can go straight to any particu- /
lar point as TO which he is in doubt.
This is a glimpse Of McCarthy's activ- /
ity in its most commonplace phase The /
same principle works out admirably i'm /
has complex piece Of legislation IN sub /
jects involving enormous interests, such 1
as waterways and railroads, insurance, /
primaries, pure food, the affairs OF NUM- |
cipaltles. the relations OF capital and /
labor or the conserving Of the States rfcb 4
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