The Topeka state journal., 1906-02-17
EAEaUBIIUUU INGuN %
For the First Time There Is No
Railway Lobby at " Washington.
Attorneys Leave Congress Sc
yerely Alone This Year.
UNUSUAL CONDITION.
Afraid Their Presence Might Be
Misinterpreted.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in railroad Circles.

ordinary aspect of the legislative sit
uation in Washington. so far as it
concerns rate legislation, is the alb
sence Of representatives OF railroads
Not one of the great systems has a
lobbyist at the capital They have re-
Trained even from sending their coun-
sell Every day or two railroad
lawyer comes to town to transact
professional business at the depart
ments or before the interstate COM
merce commission and his greatest
anxiety is to escape public notice. He
is afraid that if his presence in Wash
ington is discovered it will be asso-
ciared in an unpleasant and undesir-
able manner with railroad rate legis-
lation. Last winter the railroad law
yers came to Washington in COM
panies and battalions. The game was
new then and their presence here was
as much due to the hysteria which
followed the publication of President
Roosevelt's message as to any thought
or belief they may have entertained
that they could do themselves or their
clients any good.
This year they resolved to stay away
and leave congress unrestrained and
unhamp pered TO pass a rate bill. The
railroads wisely suppressed the nu-
merous news bureaus and agencies
that were organized or retained un-
der the apprehension that they
could furnish material to the news
papers which would change the cur
rents of public opinion. They have
muzzled as many of their injudicious
friends here and elsewhere as they
could reach and, as a consequence,
there is not even a surface indication
of railroad activity in washington.
Last winter several distinguished
railroad lawyers who came to Wash
ingtOn because they felt it was their
duty to be here were savagely and un-
Warrantably aSsailed by irresponsible
newspaper writer's who tried to make
It appear that their mere presence in
the national capital was prima facie
evidence of an attempt to Obstruct
Fthe channels of legislation. It did
not require much of d sacrifice for
these gentlemen to remain at home.
While they may have reason to regret
hereafter that somebody with an en-
Hghtened knowledge of railroad affairs
was not on the ground 10 give direc-
tiOn to the work of some of the COM
mittees of congress, they will at least
| have the satisfaction OF contemplating
their immunity from baseless news
paper assaults.
Perhaps no great scheme of legislation.
/ involving as it does the integrity pros
perfty and perhaps the sOlvency of every
railroad corporation in the United States
was ever before permitted 10 90 forward
in the manner that railroad rate legisla-
| tiOn has progressed during the present
session of congress. Interests whether
/ they be great or small have never here
/ tOfOre hesitated to demand recognition
! from congressional committees having in
| charge legislation affecting their affairs.
/ Washington during the session of con
gress is always crowded with lobbyists,
who come from every state in the union.
/ Scarcely a bill is introduced in either
house that does not attract to the national
capital the representatives of some in
/ terestS or business enterprise which would
be affected by its passage. The present
session has perhaps witnessed great ter
1 invasion Of lobbyists of every character
Z and description than has been seen in
/ Washington for many years past. but the
T railroads alone of all the great enter
prises that are threatened by adverse leg
islation are unreDresented-
The assistant general counsel of a west
i ern railroad explained the absence Of rep
resentatiVes of the railroads the other
dav when he said. w e are keeping away
from Washington because a deliberate at
/ tempt has been made to create the i'm
/ preston that the presence of railroad at
! torneys in this city was conclusive proof
of a determination on the part of the rail-
roads to defeat the viii of the president
/ and of congress. Nothing could be fur
ther from the truth. We undoubtedly have
! a right to be here in the interest Of our
stockholders and see to it that the bill
which will eventually become law con
/ tafns nothing that IS likely to destroy
their investments. 1t has been deemed
better. however that we stay away, ano
as a consequence the railroads have nc
REPRESENTATIVES at a time when their mosi
important interests are at stake