Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-02-04
PUBLICITY CURE
FOR LOBBYING
Names in Print Would Have
Subduing Effect on
Proving Evil
tBy Worth :. Ray

] W. '''' '.H
lslature whether or not be needed
THE protecting shield OF an anti-lobbj
Law 10 enable bin 20 vote right on
ANY question be- would grow lustlj
Indignant. but IL o. an acknowledge
fact that BE- requires money and lot'
I0f u 10 pay the expenses as well az
the salaries Of those men who. dur
ling the sessions OF the legislature
spend the major portion OF theii
time In Austin mingllng with mem
beers OF both the House and th'
Senate Certainly II any particular
business interests OF this State have
in past happened 10 be now employ
ling men 10 represent them here
while the Legislature In session they
have done u and are nov paying
them for the uOltay naturally in-
'curred. The thoughtful citizens must
.hera pause 20 consider then. how %
.Is. If members OF the LEGISLATURE arc
uuf Influenced nE tle lobbyist "hY
comes f0 Austin to m.ngIe HiIh chem
fIat t.. particular .lHYr.r worth.
.uI . Ir.'
What i- Lobbyist
500. Thirteenth Lor'sagr. passed.
What ia known as an auU- lob.y.aW.
fhe Gr.t section which reads as .o.-
'loR
200 any person having any direct
interest or tho president or any 9TH
,sr officer Of any corporation having
any direct interest in any measure
ncuding before. or thereafter 10 be-
introduced in either branch OF the
legislature OF this state shall at any
place IN this state. In any manner,
privately. attempt 10 Influence the
action of any member Of the legis-
.laturo OF this state during his term
OF office concerning such measure.
except by pleading 10 mis- reason. he
shall boz deemed guilty II lobbying
sometimes u thc hasiy passage OF
laws. designed primarily 10 benefit
The public good and iu response 10
popular clamor. clauses are insert
ed iu tho b,n That makes % subse-
1ueutly to aIl Iufcnts ana purpose "a
dead letter to the statue books
such clauses arc called lockers an,
ordinarily they are ascrlbcd 20 an
nadverienco but perhaps more often
they are the result Of meditated de
sign on the part OF some member who
~ opposed 10 the law There is an
apt and striking illustration OF. 1he
Legislative Joker" w the above fn0t-
ed section of the anti-lobby law EN-
hraced into words except by APP
pealing 10 his reason
Talk 10 members Of the legislature
ili you want 10 Indulge In all OF
she sophistry and deception at your
command Accept princely salary
from the Standard oil Trust or the
lumber and coal combines. IL such
things should exist. and come 20
Austin and install yourself In suite
of rooms at tho finest hotel and proc
coed 10 buttnnholc and tlatter mem-
beers of both fhr House and senate
fo sour hearts content You viii
br guilty of mo- offonso under the
1W While an lawyers NAV not agree
thar this 's proper construction OF
fhe act still as long as one may safe
~ appeal 10 the reason OF a mem
her of The LEGISLATURE. Il would seem
that % would bee hard 10 convict. At
Amy rate there are a great many men
.iu Austin today decidedly and admit
eddy interested In legislation now
.pcudIng. They are either payin
their own expense or somebody
Is paying them for them They dis
cuss pending legislation in the pres
.eucc of the legislators both in and
.out of the cOWmitto rooms and even
.on 'hc floor of the House OF the Sen
ate when those bodies are not act
gIly BOO session DO they influence
their vote Well. that Is a matter
for conjecture Are they violating
the auu-lohhy lave That is mat
ter for the attention Of the proper
authorities and for the serious con
slderation OF the people
Section % 9 of the Bill of Rights OF
the Constitution OF this State reads as
follows The citizens shall have the
right. In a peaceablc manner. to as
semble together for their common
good. and 20 apply TO those invested
with the powers OF government for
redress OF grievances OF other pur-
poses. by petition, address or remon-
STRANGE"
Is a lobbist a citizen Most as
suredly. whether ne Is a good cit
lien is another question. but that
some OF the ablest and most highly
respected members OF the bar prac-
tice before committees and mem bers
OF the Legislature sometimes seek
OF the legislature for their clientele
can not be denied. That members
reliable information on technical
points Is evident. II would appear
therefore. that some OF these men
are beneficial instead OF detrimental
TO the legislator Many OF THEM
have had long legislative experience.
Many OF them are broad minded and
.considerate Of views OF others. but
some OF them we'll. the onlooker