Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-08
GOVERNMENT
of the People, By the People, for the PeopEe'

publicans alike. A grave danger lies in
the tendency Of the legislator to fail
to represent his constituents as a whole,
and to be merely the tool and spokes-
man for certain group. The Bloc"
Is something new in Congress. 1t com
prehends legislative program, offensive
and defensive. 1t is not confided to a
single measure such as a public build
ing or a river or harbor bill, and should
not therefore be confused with log roll
ing" The viciousness of the bloc" lies
in the failure of its members to realize
that fundamentally the interests of all
the citizens are alike and that it is i'm
possible to provide favorable legislation
for one class of people without injur-
ing all the rest. It's tendency is to cause
the legislator to forget that his obliga-
ton is to safeguard the common interests
of all the people He begins to feel re-
sponsible only to that faction or bloc"
of which he is a member, accepts or
ders only from the leader of che "bloc"
and attains a narrow viewpoint which
sees only one side Of the problem. The
only allegiance Of the bloc" is to the
interests Of the faction it represents; 1t
holds itself responsible to none and fol-
lows not the dictates of conscience, but
the orders Of the leader.
a LOBBY"
Query-What is meant by the term
lobby"
Answer-The term lobby is applied to
any group or groups Of either organized
or unorganized citizens, entirely outside
of Congress, which is formed for either
offensive or defensive action against pro-
posed legislation. 1t endeavOrs to reach
the individual legislator, argue its case.
and secure his influence. The name was
derived from the fact that lobbyists are
by law compelled to remain outside of
the legislative chambers during active
sessions. Because Of its methods of
working, a lobby or groups OF lobby
lists are sometimes Jokingly referred to
as the third house"
In defining a lobby the new Inter
national Encyclopedia says:
zone of the leading causes of the lob
by in the United States is the method
Of legislation by committees, bills being
first discussed by small committees and
frequently approved by the Legislature
after little or no public debate 1t may
thus happen that a measure Of i'm.
portance to an individual or a corpora
r
lature without arousing the consideration
which its real nature demands. This
method enables powerful interests to
bring pressure to bear upon the legis-
lative committee to induce a favorable
report which could not be exerted ef-
fectively upon the legislative body as a
whole. Corporate interests habitually
maintain experienced and influential lob
byists at American Legislatures.
A lobby may be for good or for evil.
dependent entirely upon its purpose 1t
has always existed in a more or less
degree, but in late years has reached
Its height in organization and efficiency.
II Is different from the bloc" IN that
It is entirely outside the membership
OF legislative bodies and is therefore
less insidlous as a whole
The danger Of a lobby lies in the ten
dency Of people blindly to follow, with
out proper personal Investigation, doc
tored reports manipulated to cleverly
camoufage the real purpose or intent
of the measure proposed. In practice the
citizen often subscrbes TO the support
Of lobby which promises relief from
obnoxious measures, as a last desperate
resort. And IN this manner one may
lend his moral and financial assistance
to an influence which perverts and dis
torts In its eager desire to attain its
end.
The purpose Of an honest lobby is also
to give to the legislator correct informa-
tiOn and figures and thus enable him in
telligently to understand either the good
or the danger Of q proposed bill No one
man can be thoroughly familiar with all
Of the varied subjects brought up for
consideration, and Legislators are, there
fore, In some measure, dependent upon
the lobbyist for information. Taking sd
vantage OF the situation. the lobbyist
may be a good or evil adviser.
The wise founders Of the American
Government foresaw the need for pro
lection Of the individual citizen The
provided ways and means for him to pro-
tect himself against inside influence upon
the legislators by the bloc and outside
activities Of the lobby" They realized
the right and the necessity Of voice in
the administration Of the Government
and in the making Of laws. Accordingly,
they Incorporated the first amendment to
the Constitution, or as 1t Is frequently
called Article | Of the Bill Of Rights.
This amendment provides:
Congress shall make no law respect
ing an establishment Of religion. or FRO
hibiting the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom Of speech or of
the press; or the right Of the people
peac ably to assemble and to petition
the Government for redress Of griey-
ances.'
Under this wise provision, each person
has the constitutional right peacefully TO
protest against any undcslred legislation.
This protest may be registered in almost
any lawful manner, personally, by letter,
or through an organization, also by his
vote. by voice or meeting. 1t is a sacred
privilege Of citizenship upon which Iib-
erty depends. 1t should be wisely but
continually used, and forever safeguard
ed. When 1t may not be so used liberty
will cease. It gives to every citizen the
right and power, lawfully, to make HIM
self heard and needed in the admlnistra-
ton of his government. The cOnstitu-
tional government is not super body of
rulers, dominating and controlling citi-
zens. It is q grant by the people to their
representatives. for common good, OF the
right to administer certain powers, with
in well defined limitations. These must
ever be for liberty loving, Independent
nation-a government "of the people, by
the people. for the people"