The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-06-05
MANY moral" BILLS
Reform Measures an ANNOYANCE
to the Congressman.
L0BBIES VERY PERSISTENT
Efficacy Of Those That Work Mainly
Through tho Malls Often Greater
Than That Of Those Which
Beslege Capitol.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

suAb ] iat " iIVo0 VuISl
Beslege Capitol.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington. - Occasionally con-
gress urges that it must be excused
for not doing more legislative work
because time is lost by listening to
active persons who are pressing for
the passage of moral measures" OF
course this plea is more or less pleas
antly humorous, but the country prob
ably has no adequate idea of the i'm
mense number of moral reforms that
congress is asked to bring about by
proper legislation each year.
It is a sad mistake to suppose that
the only Washington lobbyist is the
gentleman who would safeguard the
interests of capital and whose check
book is as conveniently placed as his
handkerchief Organizations closely
allied with the churches have their
lobbyists in the corridors and, while
it may involve statement hard to
be believed by some people, 1t must
be said in truth that as rule their
lobby Is more powerful than the one
which would make for immortality.
There is certain reform bureau
at work so constantly that it's labors
may be said to be continuous, which
at one time had eight bills in con-
gress Of which 1t was urging the pas.
sage, bills, to use the bureaus own
words, which were intended ito make
the laws Of Christ to some degree the.
laws of this world" This one bureau
at one time had endorsed "and COM
mended to churches and reform s0cie'
ties for support" legislative measures
to remove the federal shield in inter.
state commerce from original pack.
ages" imported into the dry" terri.
tory; to prohibit Interstate transmits
sion of race gambling odds and bets;
to prohibit interstate transportation
hibit Sunday toll and traffic in tho
District Of Columbia; to prohibit sa'
looms in Hawaii; to prohibit United
States district attorneys from engag.
ing in private practice; to forbid
liquor in ships and buildings used by
the United States government, and to
restrain traffic in opium.
Fear Reform Movements.
Now here was q reform bureau that
had undertaken q good deal. It was
a power and Is a power. It must be
understood that criticism of all kinds
has been directed at members Of the
organization from time to time, but
criticism does not seem to have af.
fected the spirit or the mental and
bodily activities Of tho reformers:
Congress is always afraid Of reform
movement. Now this does not mean
that congressman are towards, but
there are some reform movements
which congressman simply do not be!
lisve in and which probably they
think that the masses Of the people Of
the country do not believe in, but
they are afraid Of having their posi-.
ton misunderstood. 81
In fact it has been said of members
of congress frequently that they
stand for immortality, and this charge
has been made simply because some
members have felt that the reforms
which were asked were not to be
brought about by laws, but rather by
the teachings Of church and school
and that perhaps really tho reforms
were not reforms at all, being merely
attempts on the part Of certain PEG.
pie to dictate how other people should
live and perhaps bring up their chill.
dren.
Washington correspondents, time
and again in their letters and dis.
patches have said that the best kind
Of a lobby is a lobby which makes it.
self felt in Washington without per.
: sonal appearance. It has been told
frequently how a lobby of letter
writer's has proved many time to
be stronger in it's effect than tho
lobby which sends in calling cards,
asks for personal interviews and en-.
cages in the buttonholing process al
every corner
Lobbies Working by Letters.
The pure food law, generally admit
ted to be fine piece of legislation,
secured its place on the statute books
because people wrote letters to con
gress. The lobby which put thu
measure through did its work from a
distance. The lobby which attempted
to prevent the passage of the meas
IRE did its work largely at the doors
of house and senate