The Washington herald., 1913-06-04
TWO REPUBLICANS alone
agree With PRESIDENT

to cause a man to come to washington
during tariff times.
The Senator appeared to consider the
term lobbyist somewhat a term OF re-
proach, for he did not care to mention
names. but he turned in list OF those
who had appeared before his subcom-
mittee, with additional names Of people
who had talked to him personally.
Lobby Pernicious, Say. Kenyon.
Senator Kenyon was thu first witness
to express the view that a pernicious
After explaining that he was not inter-
ested personally in any of the schedules
of the tariff bill. and that his two NOM
inal law partners at Fort Dodge, Iowa.
were not interested either. Senator Ken
yon went on to say that, although he
did not believe money was being directly
used to influence votes for or against
measures pefding in Congress. neverthe-
less fiattery and social advancement, So
cial entertainments, dinners. banquets,
theater parties, motor drives, and yacht
ing excursions were being made use Of
by people having axes to grind before
Congress
Another thing that I notice here"
said Senator Kenyon, (which should be
stopped, and stopped promptly. is the
capitalization of the privileges OF the
floor of the House and Senate by former
Senators and Representatives who have
interests in pending legislation They
exercise an influence which is insidious
and indefinable. They exercise this in
fiuence in such a way that the men sub
Jected to 1t do not know that they have
been influenced.
II believe" continued Senator Kenyon,
that powerful lobby or Hobbies do ex-
ist>in Washington. and that President
Wilson knew exactly what he was talk
ing about when he made the charge"
Senator La Toilette. of Wisconsin. fol-
lowed Senator Kenyon. The Wisconsin
leader is of the opinion that in so far as
lobbying is concerned the term should
be accepted broadly. To the committee
he said:
Il apply the term lobbyist 10 all
men attempting to influence legisla-
ton in whatever way they do II,
whether by fair means or by under
handed methods. with no law to pre-
vent it. l do not think that men who
have interests at stake when a tar
should be deprived OF their right to
contentious.
Il do think, however, that there
should be a law. as there Is in many
of the States. providing for the regis
tration of every man who serves an
interest or an organization. business
organization. commercial organtza-
ton, or a labor organization. for pay"
Senator La Toilette is optimistic
with regard to the changes that have
come over the spirit of the country
with regard to artificial hindrances or
incentives to legislative processes.
Still there are Hobbies active in Wash.
ington today.
Il find that out from my connec-
ton with the Committee on Indian az
fairs The Indians present an attrac-
tive field, productive of many claims
and huge fees The Indian lobby Is
scandalously large"
Senator La Toilette expressed the view
that the bargain and sale system OF IN
terference with legislation had gone out
of fashion a score of years ago.
They came latterly 10 elect directly to
the Senate and House the men who look
to the interest of big business more from
the inside. but l see in the tendency at
present evidence in both branches OF
Congress and in public life generally that
the OulS-eleCIeO REPRESENTATIVES, VI lAic
special interests are beginning to disap-
pear from public life. The conditions
have very materially improved in the last
twenty-five years"
Senator Jones of Washington and Sem
ator Johnston of Alabama gave perfume
tory testimony to the effect that they
had not been approached by lobbyists.
nor had they noted the exercise of any
improper methods on the part of the men
interested in tariff legislation
The Senators who appeared before the
committee at the night session were:
Martin of Virginia. Lodge of Massachu-
sets, Johnson of Maine. Myers of Mon
tana, Hitchcock OF Nebraska, Hollis Of
sofa.
Senator Martin said that in the sixteen
years he has been in Congress he had
not been troubled by lobbyists.
Senator Lodge, who has served six
years in the House and twenty in the
Senate, said he had not noticed any more
tariff lobbyists around the Capitol this
year than in previous years when there
had beeen revisions Of the tariff.
None of the Senators who testified
knew of money having been used in at
tempts to influence pending legislation.
Senator johnson admitted to owning
IWenIN-SlN SHARES III COllOh
is capitalized at sl,Sa,O00. The remain
ing witnesses had not direct interests in
any sections of the tariff bill.
Senator Nelson Of Minnesota a MEM
Der Of the investigating committee, said
he owned several small farms, with
some timber on them, but nothing more
that might be affected at all by the
tariff revision. Hn declared that he had
met many so-called lobbyists in his large
experience here and elsewhere. but he
had derived invaluable aid from them.
The best lobby I have ever met" said
he. was a delegation of Southern wom-
en- who went before a committee to tell
what they knew about the liquor ques-
ton in their section. / do not think
persons who employ legitimate means
and methods to enlighten our committee
or individuals should be excluded rron
the CAPITOL
Subpoenas were issued hast night under