The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-02-13
Mr.. FOLSOM SPEAKS ON
ANT|.LObbY BILL
People should Watch Action On This
Matter

It is understood there Is plenty of
opposition, on the quiet, at Augusta.
to the anti-lobby bills, introduced by
Senator Folsom of Norridgewock and
Representative Smith of Skowhegan.
1t is hardly to be supposed that a Leg
islator, in the light of present day SEN
timent. will have the hardihood to vote
against them but the public should be
watchful The test vote will surely
be ayes and Nays" and We should
all note carefully how the Senator's
and Representatives stand on the
question. The following. from a rr-
cent issue of the lewiston Journal.
gives what transpired al the commit
tee hearing:
Augusta, Jan. 80 tSpecian Why
Maine should have lobby regulat-
| ing bill was explained to the judici-
airy committee Wednesday afternoon
! by Senator Folsom of Somerset Coun-
ty, who introduced a measure of this
nature There are two such bills be
fore the Legislature. The second was
| introduced by Representative Smith OF
| Skowhegan. II differs from that of
Senator Folsom's but little. The main
point of difference is that the Smith
bill requires registration of all leg
islative agents, even those who visit
| legislators s-elect before they go 10
| Augusta.
Senator Folsom was the only person
to appear either for or against these
measures. Representative Smith was
| in attendance at the hearing
"As | looked around here at this
water hearing this afternoon" said
Senator Folsom. Il was reminded of
duce this bill. Two years ago | saw the
water power lobby here. You, gentle
men, will recall that lobby, its activi-
tv and the results. After that exhibi-
ton upon my return home. | vowed
that if fortunate enough to be elected
to the Legislature this year, | should
do what | could to make change
II have no quarrel with the Legis-
lative agents-the lobby rs so many
prefer to tern them, but the great
mass of our people have no under
standing OF how they work; they do
not know as 10 You and |. the meth
DDS of these gentlemen. They do not
know .as we do. that the Legislative
agent is necessity and a benefit.
True. there are times when he is a
detriment. when his activities are not
what they conld be. but still, | feel
that he is. on the whole, a good thing.
Here we are in Augusta. the cap
ftal city of Maine, yet | venture to
assert that not 80 voters of Kennebec
county enter this State House during
session to see how laws are made.
will 20 further and make this asscr-
ton: Not more than one in each of
100 of the people of Maine have any
idea of how lnRs are made in the leg
islature When these people read in
their papers TINT there is great lob
by here at the legislature working
this or that bill. is it not natural that
they should gel an idea that this
means fraud? You and ! understand
il. but those people do not. bill
such as this will do much. | believe,
to correct this situation. The people
Will know the members of the lobby
and this will have a reasuring effect;
II will make clelr that no nnderhand
work can be done
TIE Somerset senator declared that
he did not believe any person could
offer a logical reason why this bill or
one Of the two before the legislature
should not be enacted into law. The
bill. he told the committee. was pat
termed after the Massachusetts, lobby
registration law
II suppose" said Representative
Barnes Of Honlton, that YOU will ad-
nit there are good lobbies. senator"
ayes. indeed was the answer, 81
know there ore good lobhies. am
not an enemy of the lobby II there
is any one this hill aims to hit, 1t is
the man who comes here without a
client and tries hold-up game on any
member of the legislature.
you're after foxy game -
"Yes; possibly" said Senator Fol
som, and those present Joined the
committee In the laugh which follow
ed