Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, February 09, 1902, Image 23

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    Lobbying Season in Washington Now in Full Force
with such tools as woman'a beauty, ber
wllee or tears; with men's threats or ca
jolery and a "Jolly" or 'two; with favor
ind presents and with promises, of Influ-
(Copyrlght, 190S, by Ollson Willets.) no eyelids worth mentioning, but all busl- subsidized; a large navy, represented by
I OR gain and the glory of self ness. First, she gave a tea. Notice that lobbyists paid to secure contracts for ship
this Is the platform of the In fighting the battle she engaged the builders; government aid In Irrigation,
"third house." "Third bouse" women first. Then she gave a ball. Then represented by westerners who wleh the
Is the name given In the days of she held a reception, everybody Invited thing pushed along: Chinese eicluslon,
Hayes to the assemblage of lob- By this time she bad learned exactly which opposed by Minister Wu and raclBe coast
bylsta which annually meets In Washington geese could batch a golden egg. Now she steamship companies, who do not want the
simultaneously with the opening of con- has cards out for a dinner, at which covers Chinese exclusion law re-enacted; Okla-
grees and remains there until the national are to be laid only for the necessary geese, boioa and Indian territories, represented
legislative bodies adjourn. Her campaign, therefore, Is nearly over. by men whose business will benefit by the
The fifty-seventh "third house" has as This Is the only way, not because of the admission of said territories to statehood:
much work befcre It as both branches of mansion nor the entertainments. The Ital- Isthmian canal, represented by Nluaragu-
congress. At Its present session the "third an woman might have tried the same trick, ans on the one side and the Panama Canal
house" has not only a quorum, but the ana- ,tm she would have failed. It's all company and the republic of Colombia on
largest attendance In Its history. IU man- n the way. Lobbying is like immorality, the other. These are simply the greatest
ner of conducting business differs from u B usually entirely surrounded by night, lobbies. There are a hundred others,
that followed by the United States senate a statesman likes not the daylight that Perhaps the most open, the most ram-
and the congressmen In the hall at thu reveals htm to his honored peers In the roll pant. Is the one conducted by the canal
other end of the capttol building, only In 0f a catspaw. Neither do the honored folks. The Panama Canal company la dea-
that Instead of concerted action, each mem- peers, In their turn, relish playing the perate. It wanta to sell out to the United
ber acta for himself, and only the fittest role of the horror-stricken. "Play the states. As for Colombia . legation lu
survives. The "third house" has no use game as you will, brother, but don't tell Washington Is a new toy for Colombia, and
for the machinery called parliamentary Us. We will do the same." the diplomatic headquarters on Q street,
rules. It works and accomplishes Its ends Tne cause or which the mistress of the with a former president of Colombia there
mansion Is battling is the sweetest In the domiciled, la In the midst of tho homes of
world. It Is sugar. Cuba wants the tariff the very men who will choose the lady or
on sugar reduced. American sugar growers the tiger so far as a canal route Is con
want that tariff let alone. Arrayed aealnst cerned.
ence In future elections, ana wun tne ncr the weg(ern woman has the president, . nut there are many kinds of lobbies be-
golden sweetmeats of corporations. hl8 cabinet, a Cuban delegation, General sides those for legislation. There are lob-
llenatlful bat Not Astute. Word and an unknown number of senators bios for claims, for appointments, for con-
t.111 f ii i BDd congressmen. The mission of the sugar tracts, for favors. 80 not all lobbies have
Here Is a bill or particulars: lobbyist why not lobby IsteT Is to discover designs upon congress. There are lobbies
On the day congress convened tbe t the unknown congre8Bmen and pluck theru with commissions, with committees, with
of representatives was invaded by a woman (nm bureaus, with departments, with various
whose beauty was as perfect as that o any
heroine In a yellow nove Her presence oth Lobl,Ie. , PIelltr. . cupylng tB.
permeated the great hall like a cheap per- . M,
fume There was elastic In the necks of Other causes having representatives at waia 01 tne mignty.
congressmen and the eyes of the thousand the present session of the "third house" From which It Is apparent that not all
and one spectators In the galleries were are: Trusts who wish to fight publicity lobbies are conducted In the corridors, or
focused upon her. For she was on the measures; ship subsidy, represented by lobby hence the term of the capltol build
very floor going about among the members, lobbyists who seek to have shlD owners Ing. Vour experienced lobbyist now shuns
She hesitated not even at the rostrum,
where the august clerks were clearing their
throats for roll call. It should be added
that any respectable person Is allowed the
freedom of the floor of the house on open
ing day up to noon, when the gavel falls.
The woman was aa dark and as tall and as
graceful as Theodora Duse. And her
aquiline features told us that, like Duse,
she was of Italy. Aa she moved among the
members on the republican side of the
house the whole democratic side, as one
man, followed her with hypnotized eyes.
She presented a letter here, a card there,
smiled dazzlingly and transfixed statesmen
with her eyelids. So much for the house.
Next day she laid siege to the senate,
establishing her headquarters In the recep
tion room. She enslaved the sergeant-at-arms,
his deputy, the senate doorkeeper
and all the pages, who carried her cards
to this and that senator. These great men
abandoned the nation's affairs and came
out to give their ears to the woman of
Italy.- Next day she again appeared In the
senate reception room, and the next, until
now for the brutal truth the sergeant-at-arms
became guilty of Insubordination. He
refused to send even one more of the
woman's cards into the senate chamber.
That woman of Italy was a member of
the "third bouse," and as such, a failure.
Her Italian way could never capture an
American congress. The Italian way Is ttie
wrong way. Incidentally it should be men
tioned that it had been bruited about that
one of the first tasks before congress was
to pass a bill placing further restrictions
upon immigration, and that the princlpa.
Immigrant carrying ships ball from ports
of Italy.
As Another Woman Worked.
Tn contract, here Is an example of the
right way, the only way by which a mem
ber of the "third house" can achieve suc
cess. A furnished mansion was rented by
a woman. She was older than the one who
i--""uas Duse-like. She was western, not pretty,
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REPRESENTATIVE DICK OF OHIO (HOLDING COAT) TRYING TO EVADE
LOBBYISTS.
private secretary of an official high In LCSSOIl ill Life Saving
rer, "and I will fix you."
the
power,
It la one of the duties of private secre- a 7-year-old boy aaved his elder brother's
tarles to discover the Identity and mission nfe when o.ut skating In Baltimore the
of lobbyists. They are ever keen on the other day, and the way it waa done fur
scent and hence often aave their employers DiBhes a very practical lesson in Ufe-iavlng.
from being hoodwinked. This Is the skating season, says the Spring-
The two principal means by which a lob- fttt Republican, and occasionally accidents
bylst hopes to. achieve his end ars money occur at places where the ice is thin. One
and Influence. Money is commonly sup- Doy breaks through and Is Instantly strug-
posed to be the most unerring weapon. It gling for his life. The other boys may wish
Is not. It Is the experience of members of to help him, but may not know how to act
the "third house" that greater things have effectively.
been achieved through influence than But ,n thl BaUimore caie the trick was
through brlbery-for this latter word Is done wUn on)y a 7-year-old lad, whose
what is meant by money. Money has been nerve happene(I to be equai t0 the occasion
ijiu, uiuuc, u. "" .Fv, The younaer tel s the story in a rseimuo '
but that same money haa often failed where
Influence has been successful.
Mostey Helps 'Borne.
way that could not be Improved upon:
"When we got to lbs creek Charlie Kemp
asked Harry to skats over to the other aide
FAMILIAR FIGURE IN WASHINGTON WELL KNOWN TO GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.
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the capltol, la never seen there. He In-
c. . ,. tnr in.i.nn. .i.he nd see bow the ice waa. He didn't want
to be elected to the senate from bis state. t b"1. Mkad "1m aain. and he
He needa a certain amount of money to get he d thrown br,c,k onf
the nomination. He hasn't it. He come, to see if u was isafe. He got out lu the
to Washlngton-and. for the good of the middle and broke trough. I saw him
party, the money la raised here and sent to break In. an I yelled, and Harry yelled
the proper person. In his state. And the tor Charlie to come and help hlra. He
democrat I. sent to the senate. Now that - h ment cbrll
senator saw not one penny of that contrl- Charlie Kemp wouldn't go, and nobody els.
button, but he Is now under obligations to wouldn't go. and I went. And when I got
ths contributors. So one of thoie who out where Harry was. h. was trying to haul
raised the money now aeek. the senator's "'"f" h lce' " CU1 T
help in the passage of a certain act. The break and I laid down on the
senator, perforce, becomes the champion ce and held my hand out to Harry. He
f th.t .ct. and secures ths votes of his '. tnai ain i tne rigoi way. in
pull you in. Turn around and stick your
feet out, so I can reach 'em.' An' I turned
'round and lay on the ice and atuck my feet
out. He caught bold, and I slid backward
and I hauled blm up on the Ice. An' then
we went to the shore and the men took us
CELEBRATED LOBBYIST TALKINO (WITH HAND EXTENDED) SENATOR
BURROWS IN CENTER.
of thst act, and secures the votes of his
colleagues. That Is lobbying by Influence.
Still, gold Is one of the elements the lob
byist must reckon with. Not long sgo the
vadcs the very homes of official., for the sum of $1,000,000 wa. placed on deposit in a
purpose of furthering his schemes, under certain hotel, the proprietor acting as
. - . ... . i.i... kanlrni Th tnnn.r m . a BrrAflllRllv with-
HOODOO at a time! Need 'you ask UtJ
White House because he baa to. The best why that money was not put In a regular "no- tooK us home. It was awrui cold, ana
StS may L len ll Z Vot.l bankT Or. what became of that H.OOOOOOT dVckm. LTrunl" Iw.y Tnd U.n'
Richmond. This 1. the quietest of family How to get money Into the hands of the f.f runnln aw,,r ai "ett,n
hotels In Washington, conveniently near lawmakera without leaving any trace of the my ciomes wei.
the White House, and here llvs many of ths transactlon-thl. Is often a problem for It waa clever work by both boys. Ths
most potent human factors In national lobbylats. Stories are told of hair-raising cne In the water showed presence of mind
legislation. Naturally, these powerful poker games, In which legislator, won In telling tbs younger to turn around the
atatesmen attract not only other lawmak- steadily for four hours. This Is one method other way and thus oxtend his feet Instead
ers but a great number of persons who of money transference. of his bands toward the hole In the toe.
aeek the benefit, of their Influence. So here Again a railway desired legislation And the little fellow was not only courage
are many dinners .erved behind closed agalnat ticket scalpers. Huge bunches of ous to go to the rescue; be also showed
doors and here the mighty hold many a tlckeU to all parts of the country were presence of mind In doing what the elder,
momentous pow-wow. Hence It Is that the lodged with the sergesnt-at-arms at the brother told him to do. It ahould be ob-)
walls of the quiet Hotel Richmond hold as capltol, and for weeks anybody who wished served that the younger final po.ltlon
many hopes of members of the "third could travel without a cent of expense. consisted In lying flat on hi. face and alom-
house" as the executive mansion, or the But If this story had for its subject a ach. As soon a. the boy In the water had
caMtol Itself demonstration of how national legislation hold of hi. feet he began to crawl .lowly
can be bought U would fail. Aa a matter away. A atone frozen In the ice, luckily.
1-Bofficla.l Persons Soasjfct. of fact( oOTpt the popular understanding placed, helped him to get a grip.
The unofficial person In Washington who to the contrary, bribes have seldom sue- The performance was so successful that
has a large acquaintance among those In ceeded In obtaining unjust unfair or unwise It. special merit deaerve. to be pod n ted ,
office is buttonholed by lobbyists quite as legislation. There may be some black out. It Is evident that the position finally
persistently as I. any senator or represent- sheep In Washington, but the white wool taken by the younger boy waa superior to
attve. A certain former governor of one a on the majority aide. Not the wealth the first one, since It placed the larger part
of the southern states, who now lives here, sf the world ran gat something wrong of the weight of the body a. far a. possible
could hsva made a small fortune within the through both houses of congress and aecure from the edge of the hole and thus mini
last few weeks. A prominent southern law- a president's signature aa well. In the mixed the danger of the rescuer brsaklng
yer called upon blm recently and said: end. the right usually wins In Washington, in also. Furthermore, by lying on bis face
"Governor, you know So-and-So." naming "What's In It?" Is asked only by the in that position a rescuer can do something
the chairman of a claims commission. "Get minority. to haul out ths one In the water. A atone
my claim before blm and there's $10,000 In So the object of this story Is to show, Imbedded In the Ice and furnishing a grip
It for you." not how the lobbyist succeeds, but how would not always be bandy, under such clr-
The private secretaries of government he tries. He may coddle and flaunt green- cumstances, but most boys carry Jack
dignltariea, too, are constantly approached backs, she may weep and wheedle and knives or they ought to and by sticking
by "ax-to-grlnd" men. A certain manufac- look pretty but at the end of the aession, his jackknlfe Into the Ice ahead of blm
turer wantod English chalk to come In when the "third bouse" adjourns, most of b y could get up some locomotion and, at
classified as precipitated chalk for medic- the members And thst they have only been the same time, have something to hold to
Inal use. "You fix this matter," said he to trying. while the boy In the water I. erawllrg cut.