The Washington herald., 1908-01-06
By FREDERIC ]. HASKTN.

cent in many instances. Stin the work OF i,
the organization has been limited because
OF the lack of funds If there had been
money enough the card-indeX file Of the
legislative record OF every member Of
Congress would be complete and ready
for inspection now.
The only possible objection to this or
ganization which may be urged with any
degree IF reason is that it undertakes
TO represent the people. and then decides
for Itself what measures are TO be sup
portef. This objection loses much weight
on analysis. Ia the first place, Il is not
the principle business of the Peoples
Lobby 10 support bills, but 10 give pub
licity to Congressional methods. IN the
pure food legislation. for instance, which
had been chloroformed IN every session
of Congress for seventeen years. the
Peoples Lobby turned such a food OF
light on the methods that were being en-
ployed by special interests To defeat or
vitiate the measure that the underground
sappers and miners were defeated. The
pure food BILL in its essence, requires that
foOdstun manufactured for interstate
commerce shall be truthtUlly labeled Ger
tainly no person on earth could have any
objection to that except some one inter
ested in the fraud OF selling an inferior
article under the label of a superior one.
This is an instance which SHOWS what
Congress has to 10 with measures
In which the whole people are Interested
on one side. and in which nobody is ar
rayed on the other except special inter
ests.' These special interests are always
represented before Congressional commit
tees are always listened To respectfully,
and often heeded. 1t is quite different on
the other side. When the meat inspection
bill was before the House Committee on
Agriculture, the representatives Of the
packers WAS accorded most respectful
hearing, while Dr. NeiIl United States
Labor Commissioner. and representa-
tive Of the President was so grossly iR-
suited that two minority members of the
committee were compelled 20 protest in
their behalf So when the Dingley tari1
was being made, man appeared before
the committee. Whom do YOU repre-
sent2' 'The people" he replied. Tile
committeeman roared with laughter. and
then explained that there were so many
representatives Of special interests 10 be
heard that they could give him no time.
1t was huge joke.
At the same time it must not be under
| stood that the people have no representa-
ton in Washington. Many of the MEM
/ bers Of both Houses are honest, consci-
entIous. hard-worlliHg men. Some Of
them are equally hard working, but not
so conscientious. But, granting that they
are all honest-what, then, is the need
/ of a Peoples Lobby. or 4 similar orgaai-
zatiOn? As great as ever. The ordinary
! Congressman can not spare the time To
I look up statistics on every measure. A
| paid publicity bureau may be affected by
/ outside influences The Peoples Lobby
VIII set him right. But let that member
/ Of Congress whose ways have not been
straight and open. beware the caTd-indeE
/ record. which the Peoples Lobby will
/ have open 10 all comers after the first
( day Of February. Light is an excellent
1 thing-let there be light.
TO-mOrrow-The Popular NickeI0-
deOn.