River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-01-26
Gath's Gossip

Gath's Gossip
WHAT HE THINKS OF SOME CoNGREssMEN.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IT," Gath in
looking down upon the floor of con.
gress, to-day, pointed out some types of
American congressman. He summed
| them up in an entertaining article for
an evening paper. He says:
Observe that young man with the
slight limbs, slight figure, and rather
miniature every way, sitting in one of
the groups in front, with rather a fine
head, the eyes of student docking a
little sore, as if by nightSork), and
black hair on pale high forehead. 1t
is Perry Belmont, son of the New York
banker. Just past his thirtieth year,
and out of Harvard college nine years
ago, he beat, by some 1900 votes the
descendant of Rufus King, the first
senator from New York state. The
district was democratic, and the NOM
nation equivalent to an election.
Though living in New York, young
| Belmont represents Long Island, where
his father has large estate. Unob-
trusive, modest with a becoming spirit
of New York quiet nature, and also
very anxious to attain something in
congress for his family name and the
| progress of events, young Belmont up
to the present time has not provoked a
single criticism upon his manners.
BELFoRD, OF COLORADO.
Now, take that man with the red
hair, with long tuft of red beard, a
tall, wiry figure, rapid and nervous &C.
ton of the hands, baldtopped head,
with the red streaks of hair crossing it
that is James Bedford, the only repre-
sentative on the floor of the youngest
state in the union. Lean as he is, you
could make two or three Belmonts out
of him. He is only forty-fcur years
old, a free fellow, student, positive,
Indifferent abnut forms, feeling his
liquor quickly, if he takes any, and he
can do more work in twelve hours than
the whole Massachusetts delegation, be-
cause he represents a community
with work to do, with ten thousand in
terests lying directly on this govern
ment. Massachusetts, is finished in her
governmental relation, and in that ease
and trance-like state which attends
ancient religions and old societies is the
legislative life of Massachusetts here;
while Colorado is like q young girl just
married, and doing the best she can to
make the old man shell out while he is
still fond of her. Bedford is the young
gal, aud he has thousand winning
ways to push to the front. His frame
is energized by the ambition a new
country presents. The senate is before
him. His name will be on a county of
Colorado. He has smart and unscru-
pulous rivals there. His friends in Col
orado depend on him, and perhaps the
town where he lives expects he will
push it forward by services here. Up
to the present time he has been the
only representative Colorado has ever
had in congress for four congresses.
This means that when Colorado shall
expand to have million people all the
school histories will indicate Belford as
one of the founders of the state. He
stepped off the supreme bench there to
come to congress.
PACHECo, OF CALIFORNIA.
Turn now to a third type Of man.
"
your eye, you easily distinguish man
of most erect bearing, with rich, black
beard, dark, yet pale skin, very black
hair, and wearing a suit of cloth be-
meath which you see small peculiar
feet in shapely boots. That is the only
Spaniard in this congress, or, rather
Mexican-Romualdo Pacheco-one of
the four California representatives.
We inherited him when we bought Cal
ifornia, like one of the rich Mexican
grants. He was born under the old
mission of Santa Barbara, which ex-
tends its white facade and old stone
troughs and fountains against the green
hillsides confronting sailors on the ships
which sail that coast. He went to sea
himself, like his Catalonian or Castilian
fathers, and got experience, and also
learned agriculture among the great
herds and about the irrigating streams
that trickle among the high mountains
througe the plateaus. He was boy
when California became Americanized.
though he is now but fifty At % he
was in the American legislature, then
was a Judge, and from the state senate
was elected state treasurer, lieutenant
governor, and by the election of the
governor to the senate became govern
or of California. He has since been
three times elected to congress.
GENERAL JOHN KETCHUM.
Yonder is General John Ketchum,
from the Hudson River Valley, some
where near the old Dutch town of
Pougnkeepsie. He is pretty large
man, with broadish face, eyes not
much open, and smile playing all
around them, wide apart as they are,
so that he can fasten one eye yonder
and look into his bosom with the 9th
er. They say he is a schemer in the
house-the best wire FULLER in it to get
this bill up under its course, and
smother yonder bill without anybody
knowing it. A born politician since
he became of age, a resolute man not
outstanding and brave soldier all
through the war, he comes to congress
whenever he chooses, by democratic
votes if there are not enough repubil-
can, frequently nominating the demo-
crat who runs against him, and has 1t
understood which is to be slaughtered.
Always taking long look ahead in
politics, excited about nothing, play
ing government as he would play po-
ker, Ketchum illustrates the present
capacity Of the state of New York for
national politics. They have got in
the habit there of turning their eagle
eye over. the country, instead of fool
ing about local matters merely.
Ketchum can hardly hear anything,
yet he never missed anything He is
most dangerous man since the in
vention Of the telephone.
HOLMAN. OF INDIANA.
Observe that small man with a gray
soatee, rather low forehead, and some
what pinched face-as if the cheek
bones and the eyes were always coun-
selling together. 1t is Holman, of In
diana, native Hoosier, now nearly
sixty years old, who has spent a good
while on the bench, and has been nine
times elected to congress. His chief
province mere is to object. 1t struck
him some years ago that economy was
great card, if you played it fine
enough, and be made up his mind to
stop the operations of wanton govern
ment. To do this, of course, offended
many people who thought the govern
ment ought to be wanten if it was GO
| ing to go around. The idea of gov
eminent sitting up like prudence
or like Maria Theresa, the empress
with only one husband and plenty of