The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-02-01
LEGISLATIVE LOBBY
AT TALLAHASSEE
Many Come 20 Tallahassee to Lobby
For and AGAINST Passage. But
are there not OahersH


and lobbying at Tallahassee during the
legislature, and there is no doubt in
the world that all that has been said on
the subject is timely, and that steps
should be taken to correct the many
abuses that come from professional
lobbying. But during the last session
of the legislature high State, officials
and high ex-State officials were accred-
tied with doing much in the lobbyists
line, to prevent investigation, to have
nassed. and to prevent the passage of
measures, etc Most lobbying is dan
gerous 10 the best interests of the PEG.
| ole, but can the professionals be AS
/ much condemned for it or can IL be
stopped, if the example is set by men
/ who are yet, and men who had just been
| in Office If things were as they were
openly charged and rumUred to be, those
! lobbyists who put in persistent, daily
active work in opposition to asylum and
other investigations during the last SEES
sion of the Florida Legislature were the
most persistent and meanest this state
ever bumped up against, and that class
of lobbying should especially be looked
after next time.
On the subject, we take the following
| from the Pensacola Journal:
The question Of legislative lobby Is
one that should receive the considera-
ton Of the next Florida Legislature
At every session Of our legislature
there are scores OF men who stay IN
Tallahassee during the greater portion
of the session for no other purpose
than 10 lobby in the interest Of, or
against, some measure or measures ne
fore that body. There is no reason
why any citizen of the State should not
90 to Tallahassee in the interests OF
any measure he may be interested in,
and he is at perfect liberty TO talk to
and urge his views upon the members
of the legislature, and a corporation
has the same right in this matter as
any citizen when these privileges are
exercised fairly and openly.
But the trouble has always been that
the work of the kt.sSg both Of he cor
porations and of Individuals, has, for
the most part, been done secretly,
and when a legislator is influenced u
vote for or against measure Tor rea-
SONS made known TO him and which he
could not afford to make public, the
chances are that there were induce.
ments offered % him other than sound
and simple argument.
II a measure is proposed in the legls
lature affecting the interests OF cor
poration outside OF Tallahassee. thai
: corporation has perfect right TO sent
a representative to Tallahassee to looL
after its interests in the pending legis
lation, and this is done in nearly every
D instance. There can be no valid objec
, ton to this 80 long as the representa-
-. e al I0Ultl
! mate means in the interest Of his cor
pOratiOn .,.,-,.
But there is another side to this lObb!
q question. There are men who go u
, Tallahassee every two years for tn
opening of the session, and VINO rem az
y until the closing day. They are clos
: students of the routine work OF m
: two houses and they are, as genera
A rule. more familiar with the official cal
il endars than most members of the legs
:. lature. Just what their business Is Tn
- general punl.c never learn, and yet n
a one believes they would spend tw
months in Tallahassee juet for the ~
D. Of watching the law makers in thel
~ work. These men doubtless rcce.v
,, handsome pay for their work. and yt
,e what they actually receive. and wn
= u rs il, the public OF the members q
m the legislature never know.
" These men, and ali lobbyists of ever
n. Inscription, VINO go 10 Tallahass -
- the interest of any measure, should
made To register their names IN IOoE
To ne kept by the clerks OF bo'
branch, OF the legislature, Tree for II
spection, and also in whose interes
~ they are working. and the consider
VI ton they are to receive.
=. II such a law were passed It wOu
a a. a. least break up the perpetual lobb
o. list, and tend greatly To clarity the q
% mosphere around the capitol buildIT
e during the sessions Of the legislature.
oL There are some legislators, and '
W are sorry TO admit IL, who offer Oi
Vi providing for the curbing of corpor
vi tons, or in other ways against the "a
MI ter's interests. for no other purpo
va than TO force these corporations 20 Sc
LOBBYISTS TO Tallahassee to work again
III the measure, and the general practi
of the corporations has been 70 car
dv their point in these matters regards
IN. Of cost. II a bill regulating the wo
10 and practice of these lobbyists We
,et passed, and the authors Of these part
,ts ular bills referred 20 understood a.
arr when corporation. reprtsentati
h.. came TO Tallahassee he would have
..n do all his work In the open they wO,
have no further interest in the matt
and as a result there would be fewer
these bills introduced and fewer lob