The Washington times., 1906-01-07
The Lobby's Offspring.

In the current newspaper discus
sion of lobbying-a discussion which
has found it's way into the more
sedate pages of the magazines ana
reviews-there is occasional evil
dence of a purpose TO justify or ex-
euse the practices Of the lobbyists
on the ground that their activities
are mere measures of self-protectioa
on the part of the corporations they
represent. The plea is specious, is
frequently advanced with force and
apt illustration--but it is wholly dis
ingenious
The argument whereby lobbying
is generally defended rests upon the
introduction of what is known as
'hold-up bills" in the State Legisla-
lures and the National Congress.
These are measures their authors
never intend to have adopted, out
which are welded as a club over the
heads of corporations they would
restrict and whose profits they
threaten to curtail. When the cor
poration which has been 'held-up
is sufficiently shaken down" the
bills disappear from the calendar, OF
else are referred to a complaisant
committee and suffered to die
natural death
/ A lobbyist justifying his activities
on any such ground presents pic
/ ture really engaging. Were a burg
/ lar to announce the necessity OF his
continuance in the practice OF his
profession, because otherwise a toe
Jealous apprentice OF his instructing
would prey TOO energetically upon
society. he would occasion laugh
+ The two cases. however, are not es-
sentially different The 'hold-uI
legislator" is as much the pupil anc
disciple of the lobbyist as the ap-
prentice burglar is of his more
hardened and experienced master il
crime.
Indeed. instances have been fFe
quent, where the professional lobby
list has caused the Introduction o
bills inimical to the interests he rep
resents, for the very purpose o
alarming his client and pocketing hi
fee The lobbyist taught the hold
up legislator" his business-showe'
him how easy il was to make none.
by a perverting Of his trust. Whel
the lobbyist hides behind this crea
ture of his own handiwork and de
clares that all he seeks is justice
he displays a sublimated impudenc
almost sublime.
a writer in Blackwood's Magazine
sums up the situation in a nutshell
Discussing the broad question o
b American morality and reaching
number of sane and temperate con
clusions, he describes thus the origil
and growth of the lobby;
\ certain amount OF corruption ther
always has been. II IL inherent IN leg
iislative and municipal machinery Whicl
can Just as easily be used for priVat
ends AS for the public good. Owners o
property, especially corporate owners
iare continually being brought into con
tact with the State and the municips
authorities in two ways-nrst, as sole
iiJoFs for special privileges, and, second
ily, as objects of special attack. Tn
more they got the more they Wante
and the more they had 10 defend. Year
Iago they adopted the unwise and un
| fortunate course of watching iegisla
. tor" as they called it, For this purpos
they employed agents. who in course @
: time blossomed into professional lobby
lists. These lobbyists became at las
their Frankenstein. When business va
: dull they and their legislative confet
crates got up bogus bills. aimed AT som
railway or insurance or finance CON
, Ipany. which Immediately took fright an
gave them carte blanche 10 kill IT.
If bin is really inequitable-
really designed to milk corporation
of their earnings, for the impropt
enrichment of its author-it can
killed without corruption in an
legislature even moderately homes
A statement of the facts by an az
credited representative of the inte
ests affected viii usually suftlee.
> the legislature is made up of boodlel
il is because boodlers have found
profitable 10 come-and the lobbyis
and their masters have made II
trade worth while.
In ethics it is usually accepted
: a sound principle that 1.-TWO wronI
: will not make a right" When OF
g of the wrongs is the father of Il
It other it is tiresoDle to hear the eau
v Justify itself by pointing to the G
Y feet. 1t is foolish talk, also intend'
to mislead. and they are weak al
s foolish men who give il credence.
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