No, no. Per-haps he helped draw up one of these bills
so that, with the aid of his inside knowledge of his employer's
business, the measure is made to give a greater scare than might
otherwise have resulted. The bigger the scare the bigger the fund
advanced, of course, for the lobbyist to handle. All this also helps
the lobbyist to secure and retain employment.
Not all the Washington lobbyists are outside of Congress. The Senator
or Congressman has unequaled facilities for oiling or blocking the
course of a bill. Sometimes he confines himself to the interests of
his own clients, whoever they may be. But sometimes he notices a bill
that promises to be a pretty good thing for the client of some other
member if it passes. Then he begins to fight this bill so actively
that he must be "let in on the deal" himself. This is very annoying
to the other member, but the experience is worth something. He has
learned the value of observing other people's legislation.
The outsiders (members of the "third house") and the insiders have a
bond of freemasonry uniting them; they exchange information as to what
members of both houses can be "reached," how they can be "got to"
(through whom) and how much they want. This information is carefully
tabulated, and now prices for passing or defeating legislation can be
quoted to interested parties just as the price of a carload of pork
can be ascertained at a given time and place.
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