Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-30
N. N. MuIhaII, Lobbyist, Reveals
Startling State Of Affairs In Wash.
ington and Accuses National Asso.
eiation Of Rssertina to Foul Means
to Shape Legislation.

tatives. senators and high officials
had been reached or influenced"
that the lobby conducted its operations
from q room in the capitol. paid money
to employees there. and entered politt-
cal campaigns to defeat congressman
who opposed legislation "the lobby
wanted" has thrown congressional
circles into an uproar.
Champ Clark cenfirms MuihaiI.
Consressmen named in the Mulhall
charges are issuing statements. some
Of them dsnouncing the allegations az
malicious lies" Speaker Clark last
night issued . statement confirming
the charge that the 'lobby had worked
for his defeat. Any congressman mem
toned. however. who feel that they
have been brought in without any spe-
cidc charges against them declare they
Will not be satisfied with the senate
committee alone. but insist on select
committee Of the house to sift the
charges.
The senate committee however. in
tends to lose no time. A subpoenea al
ready served on Mulhall Is to be fol-
lowed by others on mon named In the
statement Chairman Ovsrman believes
that when his process servers get thru
they will have spread dragnet to
bring In material for an investigation
covering the last ten years doings at
the capitol at least. II there Is any
doubt Of the authority Of the senate
COMMITTEES to inyeati8ate that TAR.
Chairman Overman intsnds to have tho
senate extend its powers. ~
Much interest centers here In the
CHARGES AGAINST Representatives James
II. McDermott. democrat. Of Chicasc,
whom Mulhall accused OF forging MS
name In the Endorsement Of cheek
siRned by Harold F. Mccormick OF
Chicago. McDermott also was accused
Of having aided Mulhall In many OF
his lobby labors, and Of having been
responsible for other aid given the lat
ter by ]. H. McMichaels, a McDermott
protege.
Mopsrmott Denies, Accusations.
All this Representative McDermott
denied. He insisted he had authority
from Mulhall to indorse the latter's
name on the check In question. He ex-
plained that he had secured q dupH-
cate of the original check because ne
thought It lost, and that the money
really had been sent him by Mr. NC
Cormick. Later. he says, he found Null
hall had cashed the original check, ana
that when the latter refused to repay
the amount he CMcDermott) had to
make good the $3.50.
He charkes Mulhall with trickery.
and deception. and adds general de-
nial OF the accusation against HIM
self.
Altho there is no doubt about the
sensation caused here by tho publSca-
ton of the story. there are many and
various predictions as to the actual re-
suits.
There is no question that it has been
a hard blow for the men who are mem
toned by name, because. even II they
prove tho innocence Of any act In
which they may have figured, the very
association Of their name with "lobby"
charges Of any kind is serious matter
Just now. There has been deluge OF
denials. most OF which VIII be re-
peated before the committee Of the
two houses.
Democrats Rejoice at Situation.
So far as the politics Of the situation
is concerned, the democrats are elated
over the prospect. for they see in It
another opportunity to obtain public
sympathy for their legislative program.
The republicans, also. are doing lot
Of smiling. for the never-ending fiow
Of ''lobby" tales that began with Pres
ident Wilson's charges . month ago 10
helping to complicate the tariff and
currency situation. and may postpone
final action on these items indefinitely.
Moreover, there Is feeling that II
the committees of the two houses go
deeply into the Mulhall charBes that
lobbying figured in the hght against
tariff revision and against the demands
of the labor unions. the opposition lob-
bies also may have to come into court.
The democrats have been fearful for
some time that they may be compelled
to bring into the investigations the
'lobbies' which the unions have main
tained here for their various purposes.
and they may md It impossible to
avoid this embarrassing possibility.
The facts alleged in the Mulhull
story were not laid before Chairman
OvermAn Of the senate lobby investi-
eating committee prior to their publ
cation. He declared, however. that the
story was so circumstantial In its de-
tail that he expected the committee to
go to the bottom Of the allegations and
to uncover any new angle Of "insidious
lobbying" or 'pernicious" political
campaigning that might be disclosed.
9weepinS Investigator; te Fellow.
President Wilson, eiacueeine the
Mulhall charges today with washing-
ton correspondents. said he believed
!. che lobby on tarin legislation had ceas-
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