The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-06-10
RIDICULOUS LOBBY QUEST.

Eastern papers arc having a good
deal of fun over the foolish hunt Of the
lobby, ikening it to the hunt of the
shark in "Alice of Wonderland, -
where the hunt was preceded by brass
band in order to rouse the shark from
his lair. An Eastern contemporary is
Of the opinion that "any Senator who
has been approached by an insidious
lobbyist and waits until he is grilled
on the stand TO disclose it. will show
a political incapacity hardly TO be ex-
pected Of statesman of that rank. -
More than that, he will show an utter
imbecihty that would indicate that if
he is caught ont any night after dark
he ought to have guide and pro-
tector.
a Senator who does not know when
he is corruptly approached is not play
ing the game. He is good deal like
the New York bankrupt who was un-
der examination the other day in New
York, and the suggestion was made
that his bankruptcy was caused in part
by his attempts at poker playing. One
Of the lawyers, seizing this as clue,
asked the bankrupt: "What is a
straight flush9" The bankrupt an
swered: "I do not know Then came
the question: "Does flush beat a
straight" To which the answer was,
Il
snapped: "No wonder poker ruined
you!" Well, we should think very
likely. Still, those questions disclose
very plainly that the bankrupt had
been playing a game that he did not
know much about. And so Senators
who are not able to understand when
they are improperly approached on any
question of legislation surely are too
innocent to remain in the Senatorial
body.
The truth is that every member Of
Congress ought to be easily accessible
to any citizen Of the United States;
and any citizen of the United States
who has information of any Importance
TO give to a member Of Congress ought
to have the unquestioned right to i'm.
part that information at such conven-
lent time and in such convenient man.
uer as may arise. We haven t the
slightest sympathy with the notion that
either Senators or Representatives
ought TO be penned up in some inacces.
siblc close. TO be guarded from approach
by the citizenship of the United States.
Members of Congress are simply men
like the rest Of MS, and unless they can
get information by contact with the
practical people of this country, they
will be even more woefuly lacking
than they usually show themselves in
the information necessary for the
proper transaction Of the business that
comes before them,
The whole matter Of undertaking to
search out a lobby, when it is a clear
case that Senator Penrose was quite
right when he says that the days of
the lobbyist, as such, have gone out.
and when it is a clear case that the
only persons who now seek to influence
members Of Congress are plain citizens
OF the United States, business men who
wish 10 impart to members Of Congress
that ought to be welcomed
by those members as throwing light
upon subjects upon which legislation is
sought The easiest possible way to
get good practical information is to
get it from those who know by expe.
rience through the management of their
own business the conditions of that
business, and Of other connected bust
nesses throughout the country. In no
other way possible can the direct In
formation needed be had. and members
Of Congress. in place Of being either
or ayerse to receiving that
information ought to welcome il
heartily, with open minds.