Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-09
ANTI-LOBBY BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
BY A LARGE VOTE
Representative Hall, of Bibb,
Said Members of Both
Branches Had Been In
fIuenced by Lobbyists In
fIuenced in the Past
NOT so SINCE 1906, He
DECLARED IN SPEECH

The house of representatives passed the
Wright anti-lobbyist bill Monday morn
ing by vote Of 11S to 8. after opposition
by two members Of the Chatham county
delegation-Messrs. Anderson and Law
renee.
During the course of the debate Mr..
Hall Of Bib, an advocate OF the guber>
material candidacy of Gov. Joseph NJ
Brown, stated to the house that the leg
islature was overrun with lobbyists until
1906, when complete change was EVIL
dent. He congratulated the present house
on its freedom from improper influences.
Mr.. Anderson Of Chatham spoke against
the bill and offered an amendment strik-
ing that part of 1t directed against paid
agents. The amendment was lost
LAWRENCE RECORDS PROTEST..
Mr.. Lawrence Of Chatham recorded on
the house journal his protest against the
bill. Later he opposed the unanimous
consent asked to transmit the bill imme-
diately to the senate. A motion to that
effect was then carried overwhelmingly.
Mr.. Fullbright, the representative from
Burke, spoke against the measure on tho
ground that 1t could not constitutionaIly
be made into law in the three days re-
naming Of the session. Mr.. Wright of
Floyd and Mr.. Hall of Bib attacked this
position, stating that the constitution was
changed in convention to permit just the
very thing that Mr.. FuIIbright said could
not be done, and that the precedent of
the house supported the precedent
Three separate motions to table the bill
two by Mr.. Boyd OF Spalding and one by
Mr.. wahlwender OF Muscogee-were lost.
There were more than three opponents OF
the bill. Only three, however, voted
no." the others apparently contsnting
themselves with refusing to vote aye"
The bill had Is votes more than IT needed
Representative Barry Wright of Floyd.
author OF the bill, made an argument
for it. explaining it's purposes. Mr..
wright's argument was full OF logic. but
the speeches of Messrs. Hall of Bib and
Alexander of DeKaIb veteran members
of the house,. who followed him in sup
port of the bill, were little short of SEN
sational as well.
Mr. Hall said the members OF the pres
ent house would hardly appreciate the
great need for a law OF this kind because
their session had been so free from lob
bying.
HAD SEEN INFLUENCE.
ct have seen representatives of spe-
cial interests, hired agents, sit on the
floor of this house while votes were be-
ing taken on measures they were inter
ested in,' no said. Mr. Hall denied that
the bill recognized and legalized lobby
ing. He stated. in answer to question:
that he had known members TO be In
fluenced by lobbyists.
They have been influenced and con-
trolled by paid men sent here to work
on Them he said. There Is no use de-
nying that. I've seen 1t done. nave
seen both branches OF this Legislature
controlled absolutely by these people.
I'm THE DAYS GONE BY. BEFORE
1876, THEIR INFLUENCE WAS pow
ERFUL HERE"
This reference by Mr.. Hall, an advocate
of Governor Brown, to the effect which
Hoke Smiths denunciations, in 1906 dur
ing his campaign for governor, had on
the lobbyists, their objects, was COM
mented upon later by the friends of Mr..
Smith in the house Of representatives as
one of the most significant things Of the
session. They recalled that Mr.. Smith in
his campaign speeches attacked the lob
twists by name, and construed Mr.. Halls
statement as a direct admission that the
position of the former governor was SO
pronounced that even without the enact
ment of a law the partial suppress Of
lobbying resulted.
Mr. Anderson of Chatham spoke
against the bill, arguing his amend
ment which struck the paragraph
against paid agents.
The men who are paid to come here
before committees are high class men,
he said, no better men in Georgia
Mr. Alexander of DeKalb said that
the grandfather Of the author of the bill
(Mr. Wrigh) tried to get paragraph
in the constitution worded as follows:
Lobbying is declared to be crime
and ne general assembly shall enforce
this provision.
Mr. Alexander said that for years
the father OF the author of the bill had
tried to get the law enacted.
Five years ago." said Mr.. Alexan-
der, this lobbying evil had grown to
such magnitude here that 1t was a pub
lie disgrace. Members were ABSOLUTE
LY BULLDOZED IN THE HOUSE AND
IN THE LOBBIES."
lis to THE VOTE.
The vote on the bill was 118 for to
against Mr.. Fullbright of Burke with
drew his opposition upon the statement of
Mr. Wright of Floyd that the bill had
been read the third time Saturday.
The bill went Immediately to the SEN
ate.
The bill requires that any person repre-
senting a person, firm or corporation for
or against any legislation shall, before
he can argue his point, register his name,
that of his employer, and the designation
of the bill he is interested in. Violation
of this is made felony.
1t further requires the employer Of such
paid agents to file, at the end of the
session, a statement of their expenses
and of the legislation in which they have
been interested.
The law relates only to paid agents.