Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-24
MANY "hELPERs" ABSENT FROM
CAPITAL SINCE ,NvEsrIoA.
TON STARTED.
MAY NOT STOP LOBBYING
BUT WILL HALT PRACTICE
Representatives Of Interests, Eager to
Help Shape Legislation, May Find
Path Less Smooth = Many Petty
Evils May Be Eliminated as Result
Of investis alton.
Especial Correspondence

Washington. July 24.-E1ectS OF the
lobby hunt are already perceptiois
a bout the capitol. Indications are they
will be visible To the naked eye for
GOOD while to GENE.
1, is the oplnuon of most observers
al the capitoi That. wnether there Is
.egisi atlon or not the lobby invests
CATION and the INQUIRY into the Mui-
aall cnaI grS is gong TO accomplish
great oeal. Ii m.H cIear the ar ANU.
me nails of legislation and VIII SERVE
10 center pubic scrutiny on the con
duct OF men in congress more closeiS.
one ef1ect observable already IS that
there has been scattering from Tue
capitol OF a number of the little 1ei-
lows among the lobbyists. Some Ia
miliar faces of men who nave huns
around the capitol for years keeping
sharp eye on legislation are missing
This may mean that they have van
lshed TO keep from being Qulzzed py
the lobby committee or that they nave
permanently taken their retreat
Seek Control Of Committees.
The policy of most of the special IN
terests who have been working mere
Tor years TO shape legislation has oeen
10 a large extent TO Try to shape COM
nittees 10 their liking. For instance,
The National Association OF Manuiac-
1urers was active in trying to get its
friends on the house judiciary commit
rec and on the labor committee. Pro-
tected interests busted themselves
irving to get their friends on the ways
and means and finance committees.
Yr.hn
the interstate commerce committees.
Railroads concerned In man pay anu
handling of the malls have watched
the postoffice committees. interests
concerned with the public domain or
any phase of its resources nave uleo
to get their friends on the puohc lanos
committees and SO 1t has gone.
I, IL not to be supposed this sort OF
thing ID dead. Nor 10 there any monop-
civ OF it within one party. Inc loooy
investigation il not going 10 prevent
it but for the present at least. wien
public feeling aroused. It u going 10
ne mora difficult to put thru schemes
for the leading Of committees 30 a. TO
promote or block legislation. Senator'S
ana members Of the house have been
nut on their guard against the ponu
ca, danger there II in getting exposed
tn the charge Of having yielded to the
lobby of any special interest. Just
now at least the lobbyist or repre-
sentative OF a special interest VINO ID
irving to ply his trade in Washington
has hard shedding.
onposition 20 Petty Crafts.
Another tendency OF the lobby PROBE
in to intensity the opposition to petty
graft at the capitol A good deal OF
extravangance Is being Topped on. as.
for instance, the luxury OF the senate
bath rooms against which Senator
KENYON protested. The inquiry OK the
senate committee on contingent ex-
penses into the telegraph tolls which
senator's are taxing to the public funos
is an indication of the fact that str'ct-
or views of conduct are obtaining ana
are being enforced.
One Of these days the house VIII
be forced to give up that ancient ana
widely condemned system OF graft
whereby It IL made possible FOR
house member to pocket all or part OK
the clerk hire the government allows
him. The system will be established
of putting the clerks on the rolls and
having them, not the congressman.
draw the salary. II will not be made
possible for q member Of the house to
draw the full pay for clerk hire. pocket
par, of It. and pay d nieager salary 20
some young woman or boy to do the
members clerical work. This sort OF
thing has been many times assailed as
one of the pettiest and cheapest forms
| of graft about Washington. 1t still OBJ
tains but. in the general upheaval OF
sentiment against whatever !s Gnes-
| tionable relating to methods about
the national legislature, it is doubtful
| il it can stand up much longer.