The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-03-05


In IL question that will demand serious
consideration nt the hands of tho next
CongreBn, styles In lobbying have
have changed greatly In tho past forty
years. At the time OF tho land grant
railroads. when whisksy ring. star
route. Louisiana iottor" and other
craft with rich poofy. Tho lobby wis
equipped with money and entertained
iavishly, Wine women and song"
were utilized freely. though. truth TO
toll not mucn stress was lavinhed on
song" Stocks and bonds and tips on
tho market were passed around freely
ana In some instances real money ac-
tualiy changed hands, nut things arc
different now. and tho oil atyla OF lob
bying In disappearing. The old fash
toned lobbyist is gone. The last Of the
great ones disappeared when Mckay
died. or course there In still some
entertaining done. Perry Belmont.
Henry r. Oxnard and several others
keep up establishments here. Mr..
Belmont can scarcely be called lob
bicst, In the usual aceeption OF tao
term. for the only bill before Congress
In which he IL apparently Interested is
one 10 provide publicity for all nat
ional campaign contributions. There
was no beet sugar legislation before
Congress this winter further than tho
deceased PHILIPPINE Tariff bill. 40 Mr..
Oxnard has not been much In evidence
These gentlemen, and others. however.
utilize entertaining for lobbying pur-
poses different from the old lobbyists.
for they are not employed as lobbyists
but are only concerned with matters
Of personal interest, Most Of the en-
tcrtalning. except by paid lobbyists
IN nj the hotels. and takes the form of
recherche dinner parties.
iHe BEhuhAl FliIllHail'H VI kaluDhllk
In CongreHHional circles has also a
bearing on the situation. Formerly
lobbyists sometimes thought It aivan-
gcous 90 lose money nj the card table
to Senators and members. or the latter
being pressed for funds at cards. faro
or roulette. would borrow" from the
accommodating lobbyist But the reg
ulnr gambling houses are all closed.
and faro and roulette are dead. only
one sucn establishment Is within the
reach OF the city. and that Ia run very
quietly In an out OF the way place. At
the same time there are several poker
clubs frcquented more or less by some
members OF Congress. or these the
one having the largest Congressional
clientele In opposite the Arlington no |
tel They are all table stake" games
as n rule. but So and S. or even $40
limit are often played. Some Con-
grcssmon who have houses or adequate
rooms give poker parties, at which the
play runs high. But, as a rule, such |
games are confined principally to the
Congressional circle, and when lob
byist" gets In he generally plays hard |
to win. Probably the last attempt to
pass money in this manner was when
Charley Clark was playing In a game
with n Senator on the Committee con-
sidering his fathers case. The Sena-
tor dropped to his game and declined
to win, so that Clark's money went to
others, A semi professional gambler
in that game got ahead $4,000 that
night,
But the large games were practice
ally stopped when John Chamberlain
died. In those days winning or To-
sing OF 5000 or $4,000 attracted little
attention and Senators and Members
frequently met at Chamberlain's to
play for high stakes. Many years ago
In the latter '7Os and early as sos, It
was common sight to see Senators
and Members at the public gaming
tables, the gambling houses being wide
open then.
But has been said, the style has
changed. There are too many people
on the watch-tower. II lobbyist
should blow in here with even a beg
carly ten thousand dollars to spend.
in these days. the news would be all
over town and ne would be approached
by hundred professionals. The ex-
penditure of a hundred thousand
would make noise like the bursting
OF the treasury vaults. Subsequently
other methods are in vogue. The first
thing a wise man or corporation In