South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-11
South Bend La,Uyer Hurls Def
At RepubEco-Den1o Detractors
of States Ne,O Anti-Lobby La,O
w. A. MCInerny Declares Reg
iStratiOn LegaIizeS High
Class Law Practice and
Makes Legislative Work Re-
spectacle.
Special to The News-Times.

Special TO The News-T Times
INDIANAPOLIS. Feb. 11.-WilIiam
A. McInerny, South Bend attorney.
registered with Sec'y of State Cook
today as the legislative counsel Of the
Northern Indiana Gas and Electric
Co.. under the recently enacted anti
lobby law. McInerny is for the law.
and asserts that as democratic
measure it is one OF the most pro
gressive that has been placed upon
the statute books in years
Il know of no reason why | should
decline TO enter my appearance in this
branch of law practice, any more than
would when employed to represent
a client in court" McInerny declares.
and ] cannot see that the Legislature
has heaped insult upon itself by pass
ing the law. any more than the judge
of the court does when he requires
an attorney to enter his appearance
in case before attempting to try it."
According to the Northern Indiana
Gas and Electric Co, application for
registration of Mr.. McInerny, ne is to
represent it "as legislative counsel.
with power to appeal before commit
tees, question witnesses at hearings,
and advise with memb bers of the legis-
assembly that affect the operation or
management of public utilities" 1t is
one of the first registrations of inn
pOrtance to appear on the books
Il am not a lobbyist said Mr.. Nc
Inerpy when queried with regard to
the possible stigma that his registra-
ton might bring upon him. There
is no such thing as lobbying since the
passage of this anti-lObby law, save by
the man who clandestinely seeks 20 In
fuence legislation contrary to the let
ter and spirit OF the measure II
never have done that kind of lobbying
and TO separate myself from those
who would do it. L am glad to have
the opportunity to enter my appear
ance have my work legitimatized and
be able to look everybody in the face
and insist that what / am doing is
just as respectable as that of any man
in either branch OF the assembly. or
of any lawyer who appears before the
state supreme court"
Opposition L. Claptrap.
McInerny threw a bomb into an ag-
gregation of old-time lobbyists, mainly
republican, which he found in the
corridor of the statehouse. bewailing
the passage of the law. and prophecy
ing calamity for the democratic party
as q consequence.
IT believe you are q republican"
was the South Bend mans customary
thrust. when critics Of the law would
get in his way. Generally they boast
ed that they were. We'll" he would
say with variations, $50 was Jim Wat
son. He too. was the prize lobbyist
involved in the Mulhall affair" Sob
bers who pretended to be democrats,
were told that they ought to he re-
publicans in order to have "a more
agreeable political society.
II. 3. l. IL
job needs to be ashamed Of the re-
quirements of that anti-lobby BILL"
was Mr.. McInerny's repeated defense.
and what is hurting you republicans
is that the democrats passed the law,
and when the next campaign comes
around you viii have that fact staring
you in the face as among the big
achievements of the present session in
the advancement of good govern
ment."
Mr.. McInerny called attention 10
the manner in which the republicans
last fall sought to make campaign ma
terial out Of the lobbyists that infested
the statehouse during the 1913 ses-
sion of the assembly, just as though
II had been their first appearance.
Campaign orators and republican
newspapers called loud and vigorous
for an anti-lobby bill, but just as
soon "a the governor had recommend
ed such law. and a bill had been in
troduced. republican lobbyists swoop-
ed down upon the statehouse like so
many hungry hen-hawks, 10 lobby
against its passage and to assure dem
oCrats in both houses of their great
interest in future democratic prosper
ity. Had the democrats failed to pass
the law. an anti-lobby plank would
have been in the next republican state
platform. in the Judgment of Mr.. Nc
Inerny. and these same men who lob
bied against the bill would be out on
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