South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-11

the stump denOuncing the democratic
legislature for taking their advice.
Principle Is Right.
The anti-lobby bill is not perfect,
but the principle is right" is some
more of Mr. McInerny's comment.
Very few such reform measures are
perfect when they first get onto the
statute books. but it is a blame sight
better than the republicans could have
done, and the democratic party doesn't
need their advice on the kind of laws
necessary for democrats to pass in
order TO promote the welfare Of the
party. AS a general rule. when the
democratic party finds out what re-
publicans want II to do. il wisely does
exactly the opposite and does it just
as quickly as possible. Nothing that
the democrats in the present session
OF the legislature can do, will please
the republicans, and neither will any
thing that they do not do
This was the first open defense, by
any democratic leader. with reference
TO the anti-lobby bill. that has been
heard with the exception of the speech
of Gov Ralston. made to the house
upon the signing Of the measure.
Democrats. although they had voted
for the law, have stood literally as if
over-awed by the babble Of tongues
put on by republican lobbyists against
the measure. many OF whom are now
believed TO have been sent TO the
statehouse by the republican state ma
chine Legislators really appeared
dumbfOunded by the assurance dealt
out to them by these pretensive repub-
lican saviors of the democratic party,
that if the bill passed. and other good
legislation was enacted, the party
would be doomed.
Some of the lobby methods employ
ed against the bill were low enough
TO justify the measure, if there were
no other excuse under the sun. Per-
hans no law ever suggested to the
legislature has been more deliberately
lied about as to the tenor of its pro-
visions than this one. nor had more
vicious motives imputed to it's pro-
moters To head off the enactment
legislators were told that the bill
meant that they could not talk with
anyone about pending legislation UNI
less that anyone" carried lobbyist
card Truth of the matter is. only
employed lobbyists are required TO
have a card, and then they are not
lobbyists but legislative counsel or
agents. Another bit of buncOmbe ran
to the effect that officials in the state
house had Conspifed VITA the governor
to monopolize the lobbying game, and
occasionally a democratic scion who
wanted to assert himself as against
the machine" also fell for that.
BrOwbeating the SOlOnS.
Another gag of the lobbyists against
the anti-lobby bill was TO tell the
legislators that TO vote for the meas
ure meant that they were a bunch of
weak sister," and afraid to meet the
representatives Of outside interests
lest they might be bribed. II was an
appeal 10 the legislators self-esteem,
but apparently enough of them
answered. at least in their own minds,
that it was not so much a fear of
being bribed. as it was of being misled
by Misrepresentation and fraud. per
petrated upon them by men, who pre-
tended one thing and were really
working for something else. THAT is
where the Jaw comes in as being a
good thing" says Mr.. McInerny.
There will be less misrepresenta-
ton and fraud perpetrated upon men,
beTs Of the legislature by the register
ed legislative counsel or agent with
publicity shining on him. and a repu-
tation for honesty and ethical dealing
TO maintain. than there was by the
old insidous lobby"
1t took Mr.. McInerny just about
three minutes TO disperSe that group
of republicans posing S lamenling the
fate of the democrat that had been
combination 10 defeat the law. The
plan that the group appeared TO have
in mind was 10 boycott registration.
and then chip in on a test case should
il happen that someone got arrested.
incidentally figuring that there would
be no arrests. this on the assumption
that enough influence could be brought
TO bear to prevent such proceeding
II was 10 be a deliberate defiance OF the
law with dependence upon party ma
chine manipulations to ward of legal
resentment.
Mr.. McInerny's registration ap-
pears TO have broken the ice. and
the manner in which he defended his
registration. melted il into thin-air
Lam Blasting the anti-lObby law prom
ises TO become more and more un-
popular and registration mo-e and
more popular. as with a few more
such defenses. the old "stand-pat"-
never change-prejudices. meet their
WaterloOs.