The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-11-29
riE FLEXIBLE TARIFF Invites GRAFT LOBBY
atn IS Lobbyist Not Lobbyist? Arc Not HeubeT and Senators
Supposed to Be Lobbyists For The People?
By tom EVERRITT

the most pdious.
"A lawyer or expert who comes
here to represent special interest
upon legitimate employment, where
he. uses no improper methods, uses
only legitimate argument either be-
| fore committee or before indivi-
viduals, is not lobbyist"
Senator BOrah's Definition
He divided them into three distinct
groups, the "occasional," the "pro-
fessional" and the "legitimate."
Senator Borah, Progressive Repub-
lican, of Idaho, is much in the public
eye at this time, and his definition
should be of special interest. He
said: 81 suppose, in popular parlance
we mean by lobbyist man who is
employed, paid professionally to in
t1uence legislation concerning a mat
ter, not because he is interested in
the matter, not necessarily because
he thinks it right, but because he de-
sires to earn his salary, and is paid
like lawyer sometimes to argue a
bad case, to do the best he can in the
situation. That is my idea Of a lob
byist."
Borah generally goes to the point
clearly and succinctly, and he seems
not to have dcviated from that habit
here.
Senator Brandegce, Old Guard Re-
publican, has been in the Senate
nearly 20 years, and probably has had
considerable experience in various
ways, so that his viewpoint ought to
be worth something. It was this:
II think the word lobby is a word
that is rather loosely used. If 10
qualifying phrase or phrases are use
ed, 1T would mean retained, hired
set of mon who were soldiers of for
tune and whose profession it was to
try to Influence legislation.
but think the word is frequently
used to mean man who is favorng
measure, OF man opposing a mea-
sure, who gets his friends to come
down and interview legislators. I
should call that n lobby, too, although
not paid one. I do not think there
is any exact definition of it,"
Brandcgee seemed to lean to the
idea that the old-fashioned legislative
adventurer, whom he terms "sol-
der of fortune" is still doing bus:
ness around Washington. There are
few of his sort left. He is almost de-
funct. He has been replaced by the
more skilled manipulator-th special
ist or expert.
One only has to scrutinize the di.
rcctory of tenants Of the Office build
ings in Washington to become. con-
vinced of the great change that has
taken place in the business of lobby
ing. We find listed the "Ameriran
Society" of this and of that; the
"Amcrican Institute" of this and uf
that; the National Association" of
thi sand of that industry, besides a
vcritablc army of individual lobby
lists.
Thus has the old "solder of for
tune" given way to the highly organ
lied group of specially trained men
and women fitted to handle the leg
islative affairs of the particular N
dustry in whatever way may seem
best for the good Of the cause
Senator Cummins, erstwhile, Pro-
gressivc Republican, Of Iowa, had this
to- say: II observe that there is the
widest difference of opinion about.
what lobbyist is. I think that, no
matter what the word formerly meant
no matter what is derivation might
have been, lobbyist, according to
the public understanding now, is dis
reputable creature, who is pursuing
either an avocation or method that
the ethics Of the people condemn. I
think lobbyist is one who attempts
to influence Legislation by other con-
sideration than an appeal to reason,
right or justice. There are thousands
of ways in which these things can be
DONE"
Let us leave the Senate for mo-
mcnt and go over to the Department