Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-27
(Ry Ora Williaus.l

(By Ora Williams.)
Des Moines, March 27-In addition to
being confession that q legislative
body is incapable of performing its
legislative functions in the way
contemplated by the the founders of
the state, the appointment of sitting
committee is also clever device for
fooling the members OF the legislature
and trying to fool most of the people.
The present legislature having started
out to make a record for having been
compelled to resort longer to sift-
ing committee than any other in his
tory, it is worth while to recall that
never before has there been q sitting
committee until a situation has arisen
calling for an extraordinary method Of
getting results. either the approach OF
adjournment with danger OF q a!i5&s-
ter or hopeless deadlock on import
ant bills. An illustration of the way
it is worked with a sitting committee
was given the other day. When the
house committee was named the uni
form text book bill and been acted on
favorably by the house committee. But
the chairman was absent and did not
report. 1t was supposed the sitting
committee would get everything at
once. But the speaker backed up be-
cause Of certain things and the sifters
were held off for a day. Had the sup
position been right as TO when the sift-
ers were to take hold, the text book bill
that is being fought by big and well
pail lobby would have gone to the sift-
ers. and thence to its doom. A miscal-
culation saved it. And what ha/oened
here, will happen as to very many bills.
In fact among the well-informed leg
islators there is no concealment OF the
fact that one Of the chief purposes OF a
sitting committee is to furnish con-
venient graveyard for many OF the bills
that the leaders desire shall be buried
but which ii is desirable not to have
record on. In other years the assertion
has often been made that sitting COM
mittees are appointed with special ref
erence to defeat Of certain kinds Of
legislation, such as temperance meas
ures, but this is not the fact; for near
~ always these committees fairly rep
resent the body over whose delibera-
tons they have control, and they are
made up to consider great variety OF
interests. There are dozens of bills
before the legislature right now that
will never get out of the hands of
the sifters.
The passage of a bill to undertake to
regulate lobbying recalls some history
in this connection. As well undertake
to regulate free speech, or curb pub
Lefty or to abolish the right Of petition.
In the old days the lobby worked dill
ferently. 1t was customary to get the
various interests together and to work
in unison. The railroad lobby was al
ways the backbone. The state institu-
tons maintained Hobbies. Then the
insurance interests, saloon interests
and others were on hand. The cnlel
persuasive argument was the free rail-
road pass. Next to that was free
drinks Inscriptions women with al
Turing smiles were made use OF. A
poker game and a cold bottle in no.
tel room until the small hours. was not
unc ommon as an incident. The lobby
lists pooled issues. They got together
as a matter Of necessity and helped
each other. Much Of this passed as
public sentiment demanded change.
Delegation was long ago contemplated,
but always those who hal the final de-
cision saw plainly that no legislation
can ever very much affect the situa-
ton. It was when A. B. Cummins be-
came governor and in his inaugural
address excoriated the soN''isis aiia
called upon the people 20 drive them
out. that for the first time there was
a slump In the lobby business. But
that took off only that which was very
raw. Lobbying continues and always
will. There is more of it this session
than for some time. Some Of 1t is
pernicious and most Of it offensive and
useless. There is a group Of second
rate lawyers who are employed to
work for or against certain bills and
they are bold In their methods.
SSsGs = fseif Tos;
But 4 very large part ot the outside
infuehce bnDught tn bear. on legislat-
ors-an Of which must be classed AZ
lobbying-is entirely legitimate. For
instance, the other day when the bills
affecting county officiai saJsftes were
befors the senAt It locked like 2 con-
vention OF county officials. a dozen
senators had sitting at the side OF each
one Or more county oHictaiss Take tho
legislation affecting farm interests and
frequently large delegations Of farm
ers will be on hand to offer advice and
suggestions The seceetAry Of the state
bankers association In n constant 1T.