Plentywood herald., 1936-04-16

NiihiBo WiiiSii ODSNlN diitA liiC Noii-
clusions which l drew concerning lob
bying at the last session. / wish fur
ther to give you the facts as they were
presented by the House Investigating
Committee on Lobbying.
Is lobbying detrimental to legisla-
ion? Yes and no; mostly yes. The rea-
son for answering in the affirmative is
that public utilities, big corporations,
and large concerns will always have
an advantage over the less fortunate,
which is the majority of the people.
The same thing pertains to the coun-
ties. The heavy populated ones, locat-
ed close to the capitol, with as many
as ten representatives, are able to take
better care of their interests and get
legislation through which is beneficial
to them than counties four or five
hundred miles away and without
funds for lobbying and have only one
or two representatives.
Answering the question in the mega
tive, lobbying is justified by the reas-
on that the practice of legitimate lob
bying and the legitimate presentation
of the virtues or dement's of any ques-
ton before legislative committees
should be the privilege of every cit
izen or groups of citizens.
The investigation last session ex-
posed a powerful means by which UNI
due and destructive influence was
welded to defeat public interest.
Now then, if lobbying cannot be ell
minated it should be controlled. The
States of Wisconsin and Massachusetts,
now have laws on the statute books
which require lobbyists to register,
make known those interests which
they serve, their compensation for
such services, and a filing of expense
accounts showing the money expended
for various purposes. An attempt was
made last session to pass similar law
in Montana, but it failed.
During the first weeks of the last
session everyone was admitted into
the hail. 1t soon became SO crowded
that there was hardly room for the
members, so we had to pass resolu-
ton to exclude everybody Except
those having the privilege to attend by
law while the House was in session.
That was quite a relief One of the
members wrote the following:
THE lobbyists sure did poster me,
We're always round my neck,
With joy l heard the motion read
To Danish them, by heck"
On February IL, 1885, Committee
was appointed in the House of Repre-
sentatives which was instructed and
authorized to inquire into political and
lobbying activities of public utilities,
other corporations, and persons.
l am going to quote a part of this
committees report as it was reported
back to the House after the investiga-
ton was closed However, l am going
to omit all names of persons.
"The probing of the witnesses ex-
amined, and what the disclosures OF
their testimony reveals, serves to
prove beyond any question of doubt
a primary evil in the State of Mon
tana which is a major reason why
Legislatures fail to carry out the will
of the people.
The testimony of the witnesses re-
veals an efficiently organized plan,
participated in by some of the great
corporations and certain important
public utilities, not only to elect to
public offices candidates favorable to
their interest, but to warp the purpose
of legislators and to destroy in large
measure the usefulness of Montana's
Legislative Assembly.
THE testimony also reveals the
facts that headquarters are maintained
in Helena (where complete records Of
all legislation proposed and apparent
ly the records of the legislators them
selves are kept where the lobbyists
gather daily while the Legislature is
in session and confer frequently dur
ing the interim"
An interesting feature of the various
hearings is the fact that eight of the
witnesses called to testify stated that
they had retained as counsel one Mr.
X, Chief Counsel for the Anaconda
Copper Mining Company and counsel
for the Montana Power Company, as
personal attorney to represent them at
the hearing
The contempt in which the Legisla-
ture is held by attorney X in the guise
of counsel for the eight witnesses be-
fore the Committee is illustrated by
his own testimony, portion of which
runs as follows:
c. Do your activities at the Legis-
lature consists of approaching the var
ious members of the Senate and
House on measures you desire to put
through or oppose?
A. That is the way l dol act
as anybody else does in the inter-
est of legislation they are interest
ed in, whether they represent one
organization or another have
been doing it for years and ! am
going to continue to do it and
make no apologies for it to any
body.
c. you would oppose legislation that
would render it impossible or stop you
from doing that?
A. wouldn't necessarily oppose
it. l would say that this Legisla-
ture hasn't any power to enact
any legislation denying me or any
other citizen the right to oppose
legislation.
@. If the legislature did pass such a
law, you would feel it was unconstit-
utional?
A. l would disregard it, think
Various witnesses testified also to
the effective use of liquor as the means
of gaining the good will and friendly
contact with the Legislators. 1t would
appear from the testimonies that a
very large majority of the members
of the Legislature have partaken of
the intoxicants thus prepared and
served.
That the thirst of Montana's Legis-
lators is difficult to slake is brought
l.