Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-06-25
e PRESIDENT JUSTIFIED IN
HIS ATTACK UPON THE

HIS ATTACK UPON THE
LOBBY.
.owa Democratic Congressman Get
Good Committee Assignment.
(By the Democrats Washington Core
spondent.)
1t was not necessary for President
Wilson to prove his charges that a
powerful lobby backed with unlimit-
ed funds, was at work in Washing
ton in attempts to defeat certain
provisions of the Democratic tariff
bill the lobbyists themselves prov
ed the charges. For instance there
was the testimony of former GOV.
Carter Of Hawaii, who admitted that
Hawaiian sugar factories maintained
headquarters in Washington in charge
of a man paid $4,000 year and had
spent 100000 in attempting to in
said the organization was willing to
spend 100000 if needed to defeat
free sugar. a.., ~ 81.
This sworn testimony alone justi-
&c the Presidents charges.
1t has been a matter of common:
knowledge for years that the large
protected interests maintained head
quarters in Washington in charge OF
high salaried men and spent millions
in efforts to influence public opinion
by advertising and publicity cam
paigns. President Wilson called at
tention to these abuses and declared
that the same agencies now were at
work in Washington attempting
through the use of unlimited funds
at their command to create by mis-
leading statements and false rep
reservations a false public opinion.
The President believed that the peo-
pie, who were not represented by a
highly paid lobby and from whose
pockets were taken the money which
was being used wrongfully to mold
public opinion, should know the
true state of affairs.
The disclosures in the senate
committee have been such as toI
bring the lobbyists out in the open
and to defeat their attempt to in
fluence the character of the tariff
legislation. Not only this, but the
practice which has grown in. recent
years Of members Of congress re-
turning after their defeat for office
to lobby for interests by which they
were employed, and to capitalize the
privileges OF the floor their former
membership gave them for their prl-
vate gain, will be made unpopular
as result Of the lobby investiga- |
ton.
Former Senator Faulkner Of West
Virginia told the committee he rep |
resented twenty-five of the big rail-
roads of the country as legislative
agent.
Former Congressman Hull Of Iowa
said he represented an association
Of Corn Products manufacturers in
which fourteen concerns We're inter |
ested in connection with the tariff
bill He also represented an asso-
manufacturer, the Government Of |
Ecuador and a District of Columbia |
telephone company.
Former Representative Bennett of
New York represented diamond i'm
porters.
Former Congressman Lands rep
resented the Du Pont Powder COM
pany.
Other former members Of Con-
gress gave similar testimony, but
the practices they have followed
will not be permitted if bills since
introduced in congress denying for
mer members the privilege of the
floor for purposes of lobbying are
passed.
An effort to discredit the lobby in
vestigation was made by Senator
Townsend of Michigan when he
charged that the president was in
effect lobbying for the tariff bill
by withholding patronage as al ''big
stick" over members of congress.
President Wilson said he considered
these charges unworthy of notice.
It was pointed out by the presidents
friends, however, that an enlighten-
ed public opinion would sustain the
president even in this step if it
were to be shown that he used a
big stick in the interests OF the
people to defeat an attempt by
financial interests to prevent the en-
actment of legislation designed in
the interests Of the whole people.
The record, however, disproves the
charge that there has been any
withholding Of patronage, as big
federal appointments were made a
few days before ToWnsend's speech
in the districts Of Kansas and Neva-
da senators who were not supporting
he sugar and wool provisions Of
he tariff bill
No Democratic member of congress
.yill complain that there has been any
withholding OF appointments, for
there have been hundreds Of nom
I,.lIIl -. q =
administration is admitted. There
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