The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-21
LOBBYING.

From a perusal of the bill that has
been drafted by the members of the
joint committee of the house of rep
resentatives and the senate which
seeks to regulate the practice of lob
bying before the legislature, it would
seem that it is just about as drastic
measure of this sort as could pos
sibly be drawn. It certainly ought to
be effective if any legislative act can
be, in putting a stop to lobbying of the
pernicious sort
In all probability there is a gener-
ally mistaken idea in some corners of
the public mind on this subject of
lobbying and lobbyists. Some persons
seem to have the idea that any and
every person who is properly styled as
a lobbyist is an undesirable citizen to
a greater or less extent. This Is far
from being the case. 1t is quite as
legitimate and possible to do honest
lobbying as it is to indulge in any 9TH
er pursuit There is no good reason
why corporation, a railroad COM
pany, or one Of any other sort, should
not take an interest in legislation that
is aimed at it or that it desires. There
is no good reason why such corpor-
alton should not send an agent or
agents to legislative centers for the
purpose of presenting to the members
of the legislature its side of the case.
Nor is there any reason why individ-
uals or sets of them should not have
the same privilege in regard to mat
ters of legislation in which they are
interested. This is conceded in the bill
that has been drawn as it rightly
should be, for the wider and fuller dis
cussion that is obtained from all quar-
tiers, and especially from those that are
most deeply concerned, on legislative
topics, the more effectuaIly should the
legislature be able to handle them in
a manner best suited to all of the in
terests involved. 1t is presumed, also,
that no lobbyist of the legiticate sort
can have any serious objection to reg
istering or complying with such other
reasonable rules and regulations con-
corning his activities as a legislature
may deem to be wise.
But it must be kept in mind that
any and all legislation that might be
passed for the regulation and control
of lobbyists will not possibly prohibit
corrupt lobbyists, those of the bride
giving sort, from carrying on their
trade II they see Mt and IL the OppOr-
tunity is afforded to them. A man
who will bride a legislator will not
stop at committing perjury when it
comes to filing an account of his lob
bying expenses at the close of a legis-
Iative session. The common laws
against bribery and conspiracy have
ever been in force against this class of
lobbyists, but seldom if ever has an
effort been made in these parts to en-
force them. There is only one thing
that will prevent a tainted lobbyist
from disseminating his faint and that
is an honest and unapproaoha-ble in
tegrity on the part of the individual
m embers of the legislature. No anti
lobby bill can be drawn which will
legislate honesty into a corrupter of
legislators if he is able to discern any
legislator who is susceptible to his adj
The regulation of legitimate
lobbying is all right but the extinc-
ton of the corrupt lobbyist rests with
the personal and private attitude of
the members of the legislature. And
Kansans have no reason to fear at
this time that any of their representa-
tives in the present legislature will be
found wanting in this regard.