The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-05-31
MAY INVESTIGATE
LOBBY OPERATIONS.
Congressman Tavenner Introduces
Resolution to Appoint Committee
of Five for That Purpose
POWERFUL L0BBIEs MAINTAINED
lntimates That Newspapers are Be-
ing Paid to Print Tariff
Opinions.
TO REDUCE HIGH COST OF LIVING
Says People Elected Members to
Revise Tariff Downward and
It Must Be Done.
By Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.


By Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner'
Washington, May 31.-In the cleo
ton last fall the people elected mem
bers of Congress to- revise the tariff
on sugar and other necessaries, down
ward, as one step toward the reduc-
ton of the ever increasing cost of
living.
Powerful Hobbies are now in Wash
ington endeavoring to persuade these
members to break their pledges to the
people and betray the consumers of
the land, to the end that few men,
already rich beyond the dreams of
avarice, may add to their swollen
fortunes.
It was to place before the public
this state of affairs that President
Wilson used his now famous state
ment, in which, referring to these
Hobbies, he said;
"Washington has seldom seen so
numerous, so industrious, or so in
siduous lobby. There is every
evidence that money without limit
is being spent to sustain this lobby
and to create an appearance of a
pressure of public opinion antagOni-
site to some of the chief items of the
tariff BILL"
In order that the public may know
all of the facts about the condition
alluded to by President Wilson, l
have introduced resolution provid-
ing for the appointment of a COM
mittee of five members of the House
of Representatives to Investigate the
subject.
This resolution reads as follows:
"Whereas, 1t has been charged by
the President of the United States,
and there is reason to believe that a
powerful and insiduous lobby, rep
resenting interests hostile to the
passage of the pending tariff bill in
the form adopted by the House of
Representatives, is in existence IN
Washington; and
Whereas, Newspapers are being
filled with paid advertisements cal
culated to create an artificial public
opinion against certain items of the
Tariff Bill; and
Whereas, 1t is charged and there
is reason to believe that unlimited
funds have been placed at the dis
posal of this lobby for the purpose
of overcoming the interests of the
public for the private profit of the in
terests which they represent; and
Whereas, the public maintains
no lobby and is powerless to reply to
the paid advertisements of any
lobby representing financial inter-
ests; and
Whereas, Bills are pending in Con-
gress to regulate and control the op-
Grafton of Hobbies at the National
Capitol, and it is advisable to gather
any and all facts bearing on the
aforesaid conditions and charges or
in any way relating thereto, as
basis for remedial purposes; there
fore be it
Resolved, That special COM
mittee of five members be appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives to sit during the sessions
of the House and during the recess
of congress for the purpose of in
vestigating and reporting to congress
the facts in connection with the oper-
alton of any lobby or lobbies in Wash
ineton: said committee shall inquire
into the sources whence any such
lobby or Hobbies are supplied with
funds. and the amount of funds so
contributed; and shall also ascer-
tain where and how these funds are
extended and for what immediate
and ultimate purpose; and shall go
into a general inquiry to learn the
methods by which any lobby seeks
to influence legislation in Congress.