The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-08
washington. D. e., SEPT. q

Wde0lu6tous -. <C's ~
American citizens who come to
Washington in the government ser
vice, whether to elective Offices.
such az those Of senator and rep
resentative In congress. or to APP
pointive Offices, learn q great deal
about practical business methods
and finance. The government Is so
closely allied with business that
the servants Of the government are
thrown into close contact with the
great business machine.
These officials may be divided
into two groups, differentiated by
the things which they learn con-
corning national business affairs.
One group is-~that which learns
from. the tipsters an lobbyists. This
groups members may be sub-dt-
vided into those who go home
broke and those who 60 home rich,
the former sadder but wiser men,
the latter often with occasional
pricks from their consciences. The
other general group is composed Of
those who apply themselves to a
scientific study Of the information
which their functions legitimately
bring before them. These usually
stay out of business entirely or go
into it in a manner SO cautious that
they are successful.
In every group Of men, whether
they are ditch-diggers or states
men, there will be found some sus-
ceptible to the Wallingford call of
get rich quick. The halls Of con-
gress and the ante-rooms of execu-
tive Offices of the government will
have just as many lobbyists and
sure-thing men In them as feel they
will find a welcome. The number
of both elective and appointive Of
ficials who do welcome such para
sites has been growing fewer and
fewer every year, but there are
some left.
The lobbyist who seeks to curry
favor with a member of either
house or senate frequently will
give him tips on the stock market.
Not infrequently these statesmen
act upon such information. Some
times the tips are good. More often
they are not. But it is q part of
human frailty that the gambling
temperament never loses hope and
SO tips continue to be taken and
acted upon. There have been not
a few instances of country lawyers,
doctors, store keepers, or farmers
who have come to Washington and
been beguiled by the lobbyists and
the smooth confidence men. Most
of them go home like shorn lambs.
What Wise Ones Can DO.
The other group is the careful
and conservative One-the scien-
tific students of economic affairs.
Probably there is no place in the
world where so much information
is available concerning the eco
nomic status not only of this ma
ton but of the nations of all the
world, as in Washington. This in
formation is available to everyone,
but the men who come to Washing
ton have it thrust under their very
noses, while those absent must
send for it. I
The wise ones at Washington
study these data. They can obtain
reports of utmost value from the
of commerce, the treas
ury department, federal reserve
board, department of agriculture,
interstate commerce commission,
federal trade commission and many
other sources. This information is
open to anyone.
A good case in point may be
cited. A year ago reports received
and made public by the depart
mnt Of agriculture showed what
the indications would be for crops
Of cotton. not only in this country
but in the whole world, for the
coming year. Reports of the census
bureau showed the rate of Ameri-
can consumption and reports to
the bureau of foreign and domes-
tic commerce showed the rate of
consumption in the textile mills of
Belgium, England. France, Ger
many. and the orient, as we'll as
in all other countries. No single
report would mean a great deal.
But the man who took all these re-