Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-21
GOSSIP OF THE LEGISLATURE
Burlington Lobbyl.t Frank Young

Burlington LObbylHt Frank Young
Penetrates to House Chamber.
! LINCOLN. Feb 20.-(Speclal1 -Burlink-
ton Lobbyist Frank Young is getting holder
in his old age, and today he even had the
audacity to come to the lobby of the house
and peer over the railing for moment
But II was only for moment He saw
one of his understudies. whispered a word
to him. and then departed. The appear
aRce of this INSTRUCTOR of just legislation
is very liable to result in the adoption of
very radical anti-lobby resolution by the
house, and some of the members are be-
ginning to discuss the practicablllty of
| such a move.
! Mrs. Hoxie is not so sure she wants to
] have her old claim cut down about seven
eighths, and she is not going to without
giving these legislators q run for their
money Today the little woman. who has
been content to sit around and watch Ed
szer do the lobbying, buckled- on her
armor and went after the men worse than
woman suffrage advocate. She cornered
them in all parts of the chamber and IT is
probable only the lucky ones escaped.
Except that IL is working more under
cover the lobby at the state capital this
winter is not different from that which
preyed upon members of previous legisla-
lures. A legislator commented on the
lobby. follows: In the old days the un-
suspecting legislator has been swerved
from his path OF duty by a simple process
OF blackmail. II he could be Influenced
h. the rustic of a skirt or liquor these
were readily furnished him Directly, they
were not from the lobbyists. so far as the
/
came too independent In his voting he was
soon informed that the lobbyist knew
I wherein he had erred. He was threatened
with exposure. A mere threat was gen.
orally sufficient to scare the obstreperous
member into lhe to do the bidding of the
lobby II is very evident the same schemes
are being worked this legislature. but
| 1t is doubtful IL il will be successful in
| many instances. because the members of
4 the legislature are men who know the
world, and II any one of them has gone
wrong and Is In the clutches of one of
these human vultures, he knows or could
ascertain that the lobbyist is in the same
| boat. and for the lobbyist to threaten him
/ with exposure is case of blackmail,
| punishable by term in the state peni-
tertiary. Besides that. there are men in
4 Lincoln, probably. who know the records
/ OF the lobbyists, which Will also serve as
| check on them trying 10 influence any
member by holding over his head a threat
of exposure.
| There are a number of women hanging
around Lincoln, who have no reason, so
| far as the public knows. for being here,
/ and some OF the wise members OF the
/ legislature are of the opinion they make
reports to those members OF the lobby who
influence legislation by blackmail, That
such lobbying win not bear fruit at this
session seems certain. because the MEM
bers have shown themselves to be more
Independent than the usual legislator. and
the moral standing OF the individual mem
/ bers has been commented on very favor
! ably by visitors to Lincoln. In the past,
as now, the lobby which practices this
J kind of vulture work Is composed of those
| who have in. contemplation the introduction
of holdup bills or those who are willing
/ 10 sell the vote OF the members on whom
4 they have their clutches for a stipulated
price to some one who needs IL.
Now that the heat OF the conflict has
died out and the members OF the legis-
lature have begun 10 study the 2-cent fiat
rate bills passed by the senate and recon-
mended for passage In the house, the real
Worth Of the bill is being looked into The
senate bill provides that any railroad vio-