The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-09

Where Guilt Can be EstabIished--
Measures Considered to Outlaw
|; LObbies.
Washington, July 6.-When Presi-
dent Wilson issued his statement about
an ''insidious lobby" which was work
ing against the Administration tariff
bill, he had no doubt that plenty OF
material would be found to justify his
remarks before the public and to
checkmate those interests which were
working through the lobby.
! Congress and most Of Washington
outside Of the White House was con-
fident that, while the Presidents
bombshell would accomplish It's pur-
pose of weakening the attack on the
tariff bill, little Of a really sensational
nature would be revealed. Certain
Republican Senator'S thought that
they were very clever in pushing
lobby-investigating resolution in or
der to embarrass their Democratic
colleagues; and it is fact that some
of the support the resolution obtained
was given in the belief that the Pres
ident himself would be Inundated by
the small substantiation discover
able for his assertions.
I The ramifcations Of the lobby in
quiry have startled Congress more
than they have startled the President,
but they have unquestionably pro-
ceeded farther than the information
or even conjecture Of the Chief Exc
cutive extended at the time the charge
was made. This has been admitted by
Mr.. Wilson in his talks with the
newspaper men.
But the attitude of the President
towards the Sensational developments
which are following each other So rap
: idly in the lobby chase is that of n
man who rejoices in having beSn in
strumental in turning the light of
7
and who sees in each new revelation
an additional assurance that the
American people and their Represen-
tatives at Washington are going to be
relieved Of n fearful burden, a gOodly
portion Of which they have been car
rying without knowing it,
! In Congress the prevailing spirit in
which the revelations are met is one
of amaZement, tempered with humilia-
ton that such a state of things should
have existed. Demonstration of the
ease With which well-meaning Con-
gressmen and Senators have been inn
posed upon and fooled by the direct or
indirect operations Of such -sharpers
as "the Wolf Of Wall street." is more
disturbing than the suggestions OF
downright corruption, because it is
generally admitted that the majority
OF Cop'ressmen are beyond deliberate
betrayal of their trust.
Following the publication of the
Mulhall confession" as to the alleged
improper activities of the National
Association of Manufacturers as well
as the braZen admission Of David
Lamar that he had been imperson-
ating Congressman over the telephone
in conversation with Wall street brok-
ers, it was inevitable that the House
OF Representatives should arise from
its lethargy with a yell of pain and get
into the lobby hunt itself. And il is
patent truth that members of Con-
gress ought to have protection against
such methods as those of "The Wolf"
and also some way of knowing that a
lobbyist is n lobbyist.
Where did you get it?" applies
now to an idea which a Congressman
or Senator champions as much as TO
wealth which he amasses. Senator
Cummins, for instance, expresses sur
prise and chargin when he learns
that he has been unwttingly the Con-
- '''''ipi'ii iltillnl lOT me lue;CS and
schemes of David Lamar, while Repre-
sentative Stanley of steel Trust inves-
tigating fame, is not little disturbed
by the testimony of Henry Il. Martin.
secretary of the "Ant.-Trust League"
that the resolution for the investiga-
ton of the steel Corporation was
Wordcd by Lamar. 1t is well known
mere that the so-callcd money trust
probe, which was conducted by a
committee of the last Congress. owed
It's inspiration to Samuel Untermycr. q
man who is regarded as far above the
wolf of Wall street" typ, but who
Is by no means free from the suspicion
whether just or unjust, of having the
stock market somewhat on his mind
80, what was begun as n mere for