New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-04
Kenyon Tells investigators 80
ciaI" Lobbying JuStlfleS
Wilson's Assertions.
ACCUSES EX-SENAT0RS, TOO
Committee, However, Makes
Little Progress Toward Any
thing Definite in Examina-
ton Of Colleagues.
from The Tribune Bureau. ]

from a Senator to-day. when Senator
kenyon Of Iowa. was examined by the
special Senate investigating committee
The Iowa Senator told the committee
he believed social lobbying at the capI-
tai justified every word the President had
uttered Then he explained that he be-
lieved the most "insidious" and powerful
lobbying possible was the practice Of fat
terlng Senators by having them out TO
dinners. 10 theatres and on automobile
rides ingrarating the host with the dis
tingiished guests.
Pointing 10 the sworn testimony OF Ed
ward Hines. a lumber king, IN the
Lorirer election Investigation. that he
entertained Senators at a local hotel AZ
dinners at time when the lumber SEIZED
Ule in the Paync-Alcrfch bill was before
the Senate. Senator Kenyon declared that
It was MS belief that Senators were being
entertained in this 'insidous' way at
present
Mr. Kenyon also denounced ex-Scnators
for capitalizing thor privilege OF the floor
by using il 10 lobby Referring TO one
ex-senator representing many railroads
in Washington and often seen on the
floor OF the Senate. ne advocated the en-
actmcnt Of legislation 10 prohibit an ex-
senator from being a lobbyist
After Home Market Club.
Senator Reed. Of the committee, fol-
lowed the trail OF T. o. Marvin, secre-
tary Of the Home Market Club Of Boston.
and cross-examircd Senators Penrose ard
Lippitt persistently 10 disclose organized
activity Of one kind or another which
might III the definition Of "insidious lob
by" but the results were negligible.
A bit Of evidence which brought
chuckles from the legislators was given
by Senator Hughes. n member Of the
Finance Committee There. was SUBJ
mitted 70 the Subcommittee Of which
am a member" he said. "a piece Of soap,
a razor and a hat, which fitted me-"
This is the first evidence. said Senator
Cummns. "of. any real lobbying ,hat has
been obtained by the committee
Senator Hughes. on cross-eXaminauon.
indicated that life as a majority member
az the Finance Committee had It's tribu-
lations 81 had very happy time in the
House" he said. 81 belonged 20 the
minority party and there was not much
for me 10 do J made a speech. and then
went of 70 the basebaA game. But now
its a very serious business. ] have been
besieged with people protesting about the
tariff ! haven't time 70 open my mail
any more. and I haven't written letter
for the last six weeks
'"rhere was only one time when I was
improperly approached. For obvious
reasons ] will not give the committee the
name. The clerk at the Driscol Hotel
one morning inadvertently told man
the number Of my room. and when ]
awoke 7 found him sitting on my bed.
ready to argue that mathematical error
had been made in the tariff bill. ! con-
slider that sort Of thing hardly within
the proprieties.'
Not Getting Anywhere.
But We don't seem 10 be getting any
where" interjected Senator Cummins.
1.-THE President has charged that there is
a lobby at work. DO YOU know what he
meant
NO. said Senator Hughes. who is
supposed to have the confidence Of the
President u don't know what he
meant but ! don't think that he meant
there was anything corrupt going on"
Senator James. another member OF the
Finance Committee. commended by
President Wilson for his leadership in the
preliminary tariff skirmishes, was equally
unenlightening, and apparently found the
work Of revising the tariff quite as
troublesome as Mr. Hughes
Il have talked TO three or four hun
dred persons within the last three or four
weeks" said Mr. James Every day my
Office would be full OF EN-. and I'd meet
EN- in the hall. There has been very
determined effort TO bring about changes
in the tariff bill. IT seems to me that
various Industries affected by a schedule
have acted in concert"
Senator Penrose. who submitted TO the
investigating committee a list OF rs per-
sons who had called on him TO protest
against certain items in the bill, and Sen
ator Lippitt. who confessed Ia the owner
ship Of one-fourth OF the stock OF the
. Manville cotton mill. in Providence. CAPT
talized at $s,2S0.0O0. and a $4,000 .refriger-
ating plant. were closely questioned. The
cross-examination yielded little bearing on
the main purpose Of the investigation.
Senator Penrose said he had few shares
of stock in the Garden city Sugar and
Land Company, which. he added, had
never paid any dividends and was in the
hands OF a receiver. or would be In few
DAVIS" Senator Pippitt admitted that he
had acted as an expert adviser to the
Finance Committee. at the request OF
Senator Aldrich. when the Payne tarin
a.ffi ,,yae ,tpdar cOu sidpraflOn.
Would Bar Lobbying.
Senator Hitchcock. or Nebraska, eX-
messed the opinion that lobbying of any
kind should not be permitted and that
members of Congress should. be left en-
tireiy unhampered in forming their own
ideas on legislation.
On the other hand, Senator Nelson, OF
Minnesota. declared that the information
received from the various sources is OF
the utmost importance and usually Is
belnful 10 a member Of Congress In de-
terroining what is best for the country
He nointed out several instances 10 prove
MS contention, one being the appearance
~ a delegation Of Southern women before
a committee of the Senate 10 tell OF the
ravaees OF the liquor evil in the South.
senator Lodge asserted that lobbying
was a recognized business in England
and he strongly intimated that there
should be some regulation OF the activities
~ the lobbyists In Washington. lie sara
that ne was interested in several concerns
in the New England states, which might
..l<.s-r r.f.n