The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-09

Unfortunately for his peace of mind Judge NIur
ply was caught with the congressional fever,
and 1882 being a good year for Democrats and
reformers, he holds seat in the Forty-eighth
Congress. Thus far little has been heard of him
on the floor of the House, but in the committee
he has been active. One of Judge Murphys
ideas of reform is a continuous water route from
the Mississippi river, at or near Davenport, to
New York, by way of the lakes and the
Erie canal. A great portion of this course is
already built. Nature furnished the lakes and
rivers along the route, and New York State ex-
pended millions of dollars in digging out the
Erie canal. Through illinois, about half way
between the head of Lake Michigan and the
Mississippi river, canal has been constructed
by the State of Illinois Only comparatively
short canal is necessary to compete the water
way. This short stretch of canal is what Judge
Murphy wants the government to build
Judge Murphy is not alone in his
desire. He has the support of the
solid Illinois delegation in Congress,
besides number of other Northwestern mem
bers The State of Illinois is with him heartily.
Its Legislature has passed an act which has been
signed by its Governor, ceding to the United
States all the right, title and interest of the
State in the canal already built. The House
committee on railroads and canals has reported
bill favoring the acceptance of this canal, and
recommending that the other piece he built but,
somehow, Judge Murphy fears that the chances
of getting through the House a separate bill of
this kind are extremely slim; therefore he and
his fellow patriots have been endeavoring to get
the committee on rivers and harbors to take up
the matter and to add clause to that bill pro
viding for the completion of this magnificent
project This river and harbor committee does
not seem disposed to take kindly to canals, and
it is not likely that Murphy's movement in this
direction will pan out as well as he had hoped.
1t is for this reason, among others, that the
urbane sage of Davenport has not so
high an appreciation of congressional
honors as he had a while ago,
although he has not yet given up ali hopes of
success. In conversation, to-day, Judge Murphy
said; Every man who comes to Congress has
only two IDEAS The first is that without him
self the government could not exist for day,
and the second, how shall best secure re-
election. I have found since came to Congress
that every member has an exalted idea of his
own abilities, and each has theory of govern
ment different from that of his neighbor. If all
the ideas of all the members were enacted into
laws at once, there would be no government at
all. find that men desire to legslate solely for
the interests of their own constituency, and are
either unwilling or unable to see that which
would benefit the greatest number When 1
was janitor at the university, at home, working
hard for $l2 per month"; thirty years ago, l felt
happier and more contented than do to-day
with seat in Congress at $4,000 year. There
did my work and took my rest here am har-
assed and annoyed from morning until night"
There are two morals in this. The frstis that
there is but little chance that Congress will
throw few millions into canal for the chief
benefit of the State of Illinois, and the second is
that Judge Murphy is either making up his
mind to decline to be candidate for the Demo
cratic presidential nomination, or else he is pre-
pairing to run for Congress again.