The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-09
LOBBY REPORT
SUSTA|NS CHARGE
Special Investigating Commit
tee Gives Clean Bill to
American Labor
Federation.
M'DERMoTT is SCORED
Report Defines Lobby and Upholds
Most Of the Story Told
BY Colonel Null
hall.
M'DERMorr IS SCORED

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-President
Wilson's charges of "insidious lobby
ing" in congress were sustained by
final report today to the house of its
special lobby investigation. Demo
Gratis and republicans Joined in the
report, denouncing lobbying and lob.
byists and largely sustaining the IA
nous Mulhall charges, including those
against the National Association OF
Manufacturers, and affiliated organ
ization. Representative Macdonald,
bull moose committeeman, filed
separate report, more drastic than the
majority findings. That the National
Manufacturers Association was guilty
of improperly preventing and seeking
to prevent legislation, was declared
unanimously. The entire committee
cxonerated the American Federation
! Of Labor from corrupt and illegitimate
lobbying 1t also gave clean bill OF
health to Representatives Bartholdt,
Burke. Calder, Sherley, Webb and
Fairchild, named by Mulhall.
4 Regarding Representative Jas. A..
/ MacDermott, democrat of Illinois, the
committee declared: "We cannot say
he has been corrupt in his votes but
we would shirls duty we owe to the
house and to the country did we not
i say that we are driven much to our
regret to the conclusion that he has
/ been guilty Of acts Of grave fnprc
lpriety unbecoming the dignity of the
distinguished position he occupies.
Representative Macdonald said
McDermott's was case Of individual
venal.ty resulting from the vicious
Z! and corrupting influences which are
:, shown to have been In operation
around the house and "any refusal to
!, recognize the enormity OF such shock
: ing disregard by member, OF MS
solemn duty cannot but tend to weak
! en- the standing of the house. The
disciplinary powers of the house mus
be vigorously and unsparingly ap
piled"
No steps to punish McDermott, p9
Impeachment or otherwise were recon
) mended by the majority. Such pro
ceedings are expected, however. ina
McDermott borrowed money from
Washington pawnbrokers he knew u
lie fighting loan shark legislation, n
borrowed money from Mulha.., CAV
or allowed Mulhall to use his room
+ in capital hall and borrowed from
s Michael chief page, knowing hiT
!, to be employed by the National Asse
citation of Manufacturers through Mu
hall. was the unanimous indictmen
of the committee. Regarding the \
A. M. and the affiliated "Nations
ICouncil for Industrial Defense, TN
majority report declared: we thin
> it offensive and outrageous that ther
, exists paid hirelings in the capita
buttonholing members. "e thin
u they went beyond the limits OF legl
innate efforts and deserve the severes
censor as we'll as a pointed invitatio
and suggestion that they complete'
reform their methods or else renal
away in future.
That the A. f. of j.. maintains
: lobby, but legitimate lobby, was
serted
"We do not find that its lobby ne
. improperly affected or prevented le
- caid
10 There have been no secret met
DDS connected with its work 1T III
! vigorously opposed election OF cane
dates opposed to its policies, but yo'
r. committee has no method of diyiniI
ar the extent to which representative
ir have been Influenced against the
ar better Judgment by fear of its polite
Il power"
ar The report defined a "lobby to D.
ar "a person or body of persons see
ing to influence legislation by co
eress in any manner whatsoever
a That the N. A. NJ was organized
fight labor" was asserted by the co
mittee. That Mulhall made extra
agant" claims and took liberties WI
er. members named, was declared by t
ar committee. 1t denounced his use
ar money for the n. A. M. in proselyt
among laboring men and in congr
sional campaigns, Former Represe
atives James E. Watson, of indial
Is. was criticized for capitalizing up
er fContinued on page a.