The Cordova daily times., 1921-01-31
VARIETY OF LOBBYISTS IN
 WASHINGTON
BY COL. WINFIELD JONES

vent of the Harding administration Washington is again swarming with lobbyists. There is every variety of lobbyist under the sun now gathered at the national capital.
 Senator Thomas, of Colorado, in the senate, stated that he knew of 125 different kinds of lobbyists now oper- ! ating in Washington. These lobbyists are political, racial, social, industrial, labor, women's, farmers, military, pa cifist reformers and what not. Every interest that amounts to anything in the United States seems to have it's lobbyists operating in Washington. These people, declared Senator Thom- as, are determined to accomplish their missions, and they use threats, per suasion, entreaty, and various other methods on members of house and Colorado senator and other senators, care nothing for the general welfare | legislation of the country, but are sell fishly and solely out to get what they want from congress in the way of par ticular bills, or to defeat legislation that they believe hostile to the "in- terests" they represent at the national capital. Many of these lobby groups have 8 community of interest" and work either against and for legisla- tion of various kinds. Some of them are the most persistent and active persons in Washington, and few are as pestiferous as the proverbial fly. | Woe to a senator or a member of the house who is without a vigorous and ! able private secretary to hold off the lobbyists, otherwise a congressman's life would be made a misery by day and by night. The lobbyist would pes ter him nearly to death, and take up all the limited time that the congress- man usually has at his disposal after attending to his official duties. Some senators and representatives have
  taries that they are "never in" when the lobbyist calls. If members of con- ! gross saw regularly all the lobbyists that infest the capital they would ac- tually have no time to attend to either their personal or private business.
 The Washington lobbyist of today is quite a different person from the old time lobbyist. The old-time lobby ist was person of finance and usual ly worked alone. He depended much on wining and dining members of congress and the approaches he made to accomplish his plans for or against Legislation were usually more insid- ious than forceful. He always worked alone, or with fascinating woman companion and often made great sue. cess in his business.
 The modern lobbyist usually works in packs-that is there is nearly al. ways committee" of three or four of the lobbyists bound on the same Legislative errand and all working to- gether for common cause.
 In addition to personal calls on con- eressmen the lobbyists keep the mails to the congressman flooded with writ ten arguments and appeals for and against legislation. The congressman have become so familiar with this kind of propaganda that they are able to in many instances to detect it on sight without opening the letters, and throw 1t into the wastbasket with out further ado
 There Is vast difference between the communications and views of bus mess and professional men, in person and by mail, and the effusions of the lobbyists. Congressmen are glad to get the viewpoint, of business and pro- fessional men on pending or pro- posed legislation at all times. Tn fact senators and representatives solicit such information. When tariff and tax legislation is on, for example. members of the senate finance com- mittee and house ways and means committee are always glad to hear the views, both on the stand and in pri- vate, of business, manufacturing banking and farming interests.
 But the lobbyist, per SC, is taboo. Congressmen want to see as little of him or her as possible. There are plenty of lobbyists in Washington of the fair sex; in fact, same of the most successful of the tribe are women.