Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-22

consideration of this Legislature. sub
stantially as l take it.
Mr.. SEWALL: Substantially this
bill.
Mr.. HF,SELTON: Now the question
and the senator from Oxford will bear
me out-the question of ATTORNEYS
for railroads coming under the except
ed people, was discussed by us and
examined into as fully as we could do
SO. 1t struck us as a very important
feature of the bill to eliminate attor-
neys from exception under this meas
ere. | cannot understand why they
should not be excluded. We realize, |
think most Of US do, that the lobby
which is SO effective in it's work AZ
every session of the Legislature is made
up of attorneys; and every one Of
those attorneys carries in his pocket
a pass; and that pass is given to him
chiefly for the purpose he renders here
in this Legislature.
Now I have no criticism to offer in
regard to the lobby, as a rule. l think
they furnish US q great deal of infor-
nation, and do q great deal of service
for the Legislature. At the same time,
do believe that, under the guise
of attorneys for the railroads, We
should not provide means o. payment
for a-lobby here at this State House
Mr.. SEWALL. Mr.. President, what
the senator from Kennebec says on
this subject ought to be received by the
Senate with considerable weight; for
he was chairman, think Of the COM
mittee which was appointed by the last
T ecic l ;o1,
cally this bill. But 1 Think think
that had lie been present with the conf
mittee when this subject was discussed.
he would have concluded to include
attorneys. following us l say the
phraseology Of the Interstate COM
merce act.
can assure him that the committee
itself started out with a prejudice
against including attorneys, and only
included them there because they were
satisfied from the force Of the reason
ing that they should be there.
hold no brief for the lobby In this,
or any other matter; and my opinion
DOES not Differ very much from the
opinion Of the senator from Keunsbec
a. regards the lobby about this State
House; but it is unfair to say that the
attorneys representing the railroads
all over the State receive passes be
cause OF services they can perform
under this roof. There are many of our
most reputable lawyers scattered over
the State who have charge Of railroad
business and who have had charge OF
that business for years; and have in
with that. and perhaps with
The services they have to perform for
he road, have passes from those roads.
L think it would be wrong 10 say that
I'll those attorneys receive those pass
rs because of serI ice expected of them
about this State House. At least The
committee were SO impressed They
felt that they received those passes out
side of any consideration of political
influence here-thlt they had had them
for long period of time-tnat when
50 rigid measure as the inter state
commerce act committed the railroads
Of the country to grant passes to men
who had the legal oversight Of the
matters ii the road. that it was goip.:
rather far for rs 90 cut then. out That
was exactly the spirit or our discussion
and of GU" action: and | can assure
him that the committee | think. start
ad out with as much reluctance to IN
,lude attorneys as he has now to then.
with that sense of the great danger |
Of corrupt influence and this State
House which arises from men VINO J
,ome here apparently as private citi- !
ze3S. to work upon their friends and |
leighbors. that this was safe guarded
Jy the clause that every one of Thu; |
class must have his name
On record in book in the office of the |
secretary Of State. free and open to |
he inspection Of the public. Then ic |
'hey choose to come here, with that |
'ecord,-if they should appear, why. the |
public viii be fully on their guard and |
NIL Know in what capacity they are |
ictm%- That really is about as care. |
III an explanation as I can make of It.
Mr.. HESELTON: Mr.. President. one |
word. and then I will let this matter |
AXE its course. I realize what the |
Senator from Sagadahoc has said is
.rue-that there is a difference between
he attorneys who are employed by the |
-ailroads of this State for their bust
hess and the attorneys who have pass
IS in their pockets simply for services
'endered here in the Legislature
I know. and think that every men,
Der of the Senate knows, that there is
/ force of attorneys who have simply
asses i'm their pockets who never in
he world appeared in any court in this
and for any railroad. They never
ried n case, some of them. in any court
n this State and if they have these
'asses, they have them as part pay
nent for their influence which they
Xercise here in this house, for in
tancc. by sitting down in one of
hese baiZe chairs and passing out pc
itiOns in front Of the Senators and
n piling up kilograms in front of
hem to show how a Senator's con-
tituents feel in that section OF the
state. That is what they are here for
nd that is what they carry these
tickets for. Now it was very diff
ult job to distinguish between the
rue, legitimate, legal attorney here
Who is doing business here and over
he State for those railroads. and those
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