Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1923-01-02


the Last election.
Applicants FOR divorce also had an
interest. some years ago. I'm the mon
sent to the Legislature. for that body
granted divorces. Each house had its
divorce committee and much time was
spent by that committee i'm hearing
divorce cases. which were always
heard behind closed doors. Now the
Legislature has nothing to do with
divorces.
Another big Item in legislative at
fairs formerly was the matter Of
granting charters TO corporations.
Applications for charters werc always /
the subject Of hearings. and at times /
these hearings consumed several days. |
When the General Corporation law /
was passed the Legislature delegated |
Its charter granting power and now
this 4, n matter about which It need
have no concern.
Strike bills aud snakes.
The unini,iated legislator will, IL he |
doesn't watch carefully. become the
victim ~ authors of strike bills and
snake bills. Strike billie are those aimed
purpose Of which il obvious. They are
usually proposed by unprincipled per
sons and some legislator IN uncon-
sciouHly made the goat. Snake bills.
which are real "crawlcrs," with hid
den purpose, are I'm the same category.
So Il will he we'll for every member
before introducing a hill. To know just
what IL IL and who 10 back OF e. other
wise some may find themselves In
unpleasant situations at times.
Mecca For Lobby lists.
The members Of the Legislature not
only have To deal with the public but
with the lobbyist "a well and he Is
legion. Sometimes he is n pest; some
/ times he is not. IA a matter of fact.
each lobbyist must be Judged on his
or her merits. His Job IL TO try To OBJ
tain or prevent some specific legisls-
ton. He or she may be aCtuated by a
good rurpose-msy he working In the
interest OF the public; but oftener they
are sctuated by a selfish purpose
which Is not FOR the public good. or
IL there because lie or she IL being
paid To- be- Their. ty some interests that
want something done or want To pre-
vent something being done. Nearly
every bill that In ~ any consequence
has lobby lists lined mp ON both sides
Of the issue. Bills making public laws
are Usually proposed by officials. who
are working for the public good. While
theee officials are lobbyists. very often.
they are justified on lobbying How
ever. the members will have to he very
Keen or II viii he difficult al time. 10
determine who is working IN the in
terest Of the people and who Is not.
some years ago. the writer recalls
one OF the most successful lobbyists
who ever influenced delaware legisla
ton, was always on the job. but he
, wsr seldom In the state House. lie is
, said To have drifted into the building
once IN a Ions time. lie did his lobby
ling at the hotels and on the street
corners. His home was not in Dover
; but he lived there at a hotCl-durins
. all 81 every legislative session for a
, number 0f years lie was in the pay
- OF a large corporation that was chiefly
interested In opposing bills ~ did not
] Ike. IL seldom had any bills OF ij'
, own. bu; 81 had TO be alert FOR tn,
moves OF enemies Hence this partiC
ulsr lobbyist who was known Tor IN,
q successful manner in which he handle,
his calling. Pleasant. amiablc and de
cidcdly friendly with everybody. hc ha,
no trouble in getting into tho goo,
graces ot Legislators. no matter wha
their politics might be. lie happene,
10 10 be a Republican. but was fox
= enough 20 avoid participation IN an,
?. partisan matter that might be unde'
. consideration In Dover As a resul
70 he had as MANY Democratic friend
e In the Legislature as he had Repuhli
z can friends. and he could get as muCl
Z out or the Democrats as he could GU
q OF the Republicans. As the saying wen
Z he had them all eating cut 81 hl
. hands Whatever he wanted done wa
. done az a friendly turn-so 81 was he
Z liey.d. lie was one OF the most sue
= cessful bill killers" that ever visite
8 Dover. That was his chief sob
q After attending several sessions q
e the Legislature and noticing this ma
in Dover each time. though he was
J; nonresident and did not frequen; IN
d legislative halls. the writer. who ha
y become we'll acquainted with him. bu
a Was not just sure OF his errand. teste
him out one day in this fashion:
n Mr.. -. zee you are IN Dove
= again. what brings you here
= We'll. son." he replied. Il Jus
n drove herd Of cattle IN and az
y here watching them"
y The inference was plain. though y
n. did no; explsin further. II Is actual
~ true that IN those years when Lesis
ie lstures were selected by the bosstl
- instead Of by the people. as a: pre-.
n ent. influential lobbyists controlled N
ie Legislature almost absolutely on q
q bills IN which the bosses were cor
Z. cerned Incide ntally. the bosses wer
re usually linked up with the big Inter
~ ests and in many insts noes the lobby
% lsts were doing the bidding % th
T. same bosses who had picked the LEI
islators
n This Il a bit Of history that man
e persons now living remember. and
to IL likely 20 repeat itself n the Peep
az ever withdraw their interest in n
selection Of Legislatures and let II
bosses again get control. The preseI
Legislature twas selected. In the mai
by the people. without the aid OF u
bosses. Therefore IL is safe 10 predi
- that any shady lobbyists who happs
% bob up m Dover this winter "
~ not be cheerfully received.
Al The Educational Problem.
~ one OF tho chief items OF busine
n 20 come before the present Legisli
" 1ure concerns public education. Son
H. important changes in the school Law
n are proposed by the school author