Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-20
Lobbying

ted AGRICULTURAL paper Alfred Henry
Lewis. thus discourses: DO you say tAI
if Had yosi been there GSashingtonJ
Won would have seen what would have
100 VIM underSsand what General Han
cc~t meant when he said the tartn was
a local issue A lobby, the IKE
never before witnessed IN washington
was p-esent. There. were iobhies wnen
,he NrECinlev biz and the Wilson Dill
were being tackled together and brices
Terrell (Standard OLD at the snotehsl.'
and Deacon Searles al the arm So s.Oll::
kept open house for sugar II I'm 10
for the so-caIled Aldric.s-Payne Dali 10
cast an and singular those others into
deer convincing shade II aught was 10 Oe
ss5u~aa from signs. tenfold. the money
- spent in fixing the AldTich-Fa yhe
Mn 10 match the shsrkish greed OF tne
interests" than has ever been put OuS
since a time when Sam Ward came oo~L
here on behalf OF the PACING mai 'Su'
sidy). ,oh-
h,-,rg A. the curse OF American legisia-
ton. -. =. ,o.-
,.-s,s,,5 .or,e OF the legislation that came
or In Governor BullocK-s time Nhe1 49, -
Of high reputation signed contracts W..
railroad magnates. TO be PAID 50 Inue. .
-,o,ev for so much work" 10 innueh0e
sIscts5 40 the legisfaturel to vote for rai.-
800 bglls. They were TO get these puone
servants 70 one side or have secret Soh-
vprsations with them or promise men
xvrnort when they were expecting %
run for once again Tor so much rail 80
money perhaps), TO vote aeaihst
~,,.fitueuts II became 10 be such ar
e,.. ,,,,~,,eas in the state OF Georgia,
-, ,ha constitution of 1871 declared lot
49, 10 be a penal offense, 70 De pros
e-uted under the criminal laws OF tne
-t.,a These lobbyists were 10 recelNs
.s-.,..ra. ~ dollars for this service ahc
Sos,hfIess we're paid many thousands tha'
n mention Of was ever seen IN pin1-
When DR.. FELTON, was elected anu w. w.
10 Washington city as nenlOe, Aast
tsth congress. lobbyists were the
s-s..sd and lived most expensiveiy OF
~ Deople TO be seen II was open talA
"a 40 their business Mr.. Jay Goulo
ss-ntsf nan then lived at the National
.ofsi where We boarded. in that city,
WITH his family. and royalty coulo hot
ave beat the display they made l saw
hem every day and they were quartereu
!, tfs most expensive rooms in the house
- Esnt a carriage and SCARED high In
ehslr own sphere. They paid the landlord
- ner month for rooms and board Tor
. small family. and they were recognz-
"a as living on the lobby money paIo
- Tsv could and Huntington. TO fur
her the claims Of the great Pacigc ran
-oad system, before congress They were
sraxsn IN II. but II was more tnan CON
FRESHMAN or senator would care 70 rlsS
. i ~ found sitting in their parlor or De
4 sau~ht whispering together with the man /
n the corridors
remember another family from the
west consisting OF husband. wife ana at
ractfre young lady. who also lived eX-
eeusfvely IN the same locality with no ap-
ssrsnt business that one might locate-
lifting in the general parlor one evening
4 lady friend of mine from the south,
1who had no suspicion OF the business OF
shIs family here mentioned. and who was
"a s1ffleless and as unsuspicious OF EVIL
a. a baby. asked the wife Of this man
Aronn the west the following question
what business does your husband fol-
ow here In Washington
The lady answered with astonishing
frankness. "oh! he Is a lobbyist" l had
rot suspected II before that time. but 1
rouId then remember how the husband
ana the ssSfrf"(D were found continually
n the caultoi and could be seen constant
" talking TO congressman In the corri-
aors and parlors Of the hotel The WIFE
went away, but the father and daughter
sqneld the fort for several winters, but
their reputation steadily went down until
they passed out OF sight
4 have no doubt but that money that
money enough Is paid out each winter In
washington TO these masters Of the lobby
"a keen up a bank, and an never sur
urised TO see repeated exposures uncover
"a In the great capitol city. where con-
Ersss sits. and where unjust legislation Is
encountered am not surprised TO know
that the lobby was out In full force this
year 1t was q fine time to work on
vacfIlatfnx members Of the house and
senate. II was such crisis az occasion
ally happens IN times OF extreme legisla-
tive excitement. ] do not think we had
any southern men who were especially
subjected TO their manipulations, because
they had little or nothing TO do with
framing the tariff bills. They were In q
hopeless minority. and all I blame them
for, was not for their votes. but for their
absence from the voting place. II was the
grandest Of opportunities 10 defy these
eonspirators. who we're ssddling heavy
taxes on the consumers-to I'LL the cof-
fsrs OF the manufacturers. I am but a
woman, have no influence In legislation.
but II I had been sent to congress 10 rep
resent thu people who are thus robbed
under cruel tariff charges-I should have
stood at my post and Numbered these
wrongs into the ears OF the assembled
congress
Senator's. congressman, Legislature mem
bers In Georgia. and elsewhere are paid
q per diem and mileage to stay at their
posts and be ready 70 answer. and es-
pecially TO stand up and fend off inJus-
tIce and evil plots against the prosperity
OF their constituents. II they can't do
that much. then they ought to be re-
placed with more capable or useful men,
and allow the incumbents to go home
and hoe In peace-their own potatoes.