Show ANOTHER REFORM IT is reported that the massachusetts anti lobbyist law that has just had its first years yearns trial gives promise of success the law did not assume to shut down the gates of the legislature against the lobby fraternity but simply to draw the screen from their operations and compel them as far as possible to conduct their influence business in such a manner that the public might know what they were about the law requires that all persons engaged as counsel before committees and all agents having business with the legislature affecting corporations or individuals shall register their names in a book kept for the purpose by the sergeant st al arms A record must likewise be taken of the name of the company or person represented and the character of the legislation with which the agent is concerned moreover within thirty days after adjournment the agent otherwise the lobbyist is required to render a full account of all the expenses incurred by him in the business defined in the entry unregistered lobbyists hobbyists are not allowed to appear before committees or to conduct any legislative business during durina the session for each violation of the law the agent and party represented are liable to a fine of 1000 and the agent is forever debarred barred de from carrying on his bis lobby business this is in the first regular assault upon lobbyists hobbyists and of course does not compass all chev the w ays by which they may carry on their nefarious transactions no law can accomplish this save one that keeps the legislators under a perpetual guard day and night like a coja company pany of convicts from the opening to the closing of the session but it gives a publicity to the presence of lobbyists hobbyists in the legislative halls balls and to their operations generally which seems on the first trial at least to have had the effect not only of regulating the transactions of those having regular business but of ridding the state capitol of the gangs of loafers who hang round the halls to pick up odd jobs which the higer biger toned gentry of the lobby refuse to handle the country Is under obligation to massachusetts for leading out in this thi necessary reform there is not the slightest doubt that the lobby con COD 1 lingert at tl tate capital has bag cost this nation more during the past thirty years than the entire legitimate ex j benses of congress and what the lobby ind in general has cost the people through the irregular irrig ular legisla legislation tio n enacted under its influence cannot be even guessed at Let and partisan borrup tion progress at its rate of advance for another twenty five yem year and what of the legislative powers win will escape the control of blacklegs will not no be worth looking after but we are grateful to observe that in nearly all of the hot beds of carrop tion there are very subs substantial tantia signs of reform there is a mighty moral morale undercurrent at work which we thinks can be relied upon in its own time ta set things right we have always be J lieveld that the stability of this republic was due more to the invincible ini 1 of the producers and the char 3 acter makers out of office than to the statesmanship or patriotism of thona h who get the pay for running the sw goy f ern mental business the sc attert and general demolition that within year have been effected among dic revenue politicians of both parties is a testimony of this fact |