The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-07-02
wAsHnorOS, June 18th, 1886.

Oh MT. k1Oltnau III OouEEeas was Wurtn
S26, 900, 900 q year to the u. s. Cow
ernment. It Is thought that Mr..
Holman and two other members( Mr..
Springer and Mr.. Henley saved the
country thrice that amount last week
II Il had not been for the presence of
these veteran members upon the Dem.
ocratlc side, the Pacitic II. r. lobby
would have succeeded In passing
through the House emo Of the most
outrageous pieces Of fraud which any
lobby has ever attempted upon the
Government. The present Congress
Is weak from the fact that many OF
its members are raw aud fnexperlen.
ced In NatloRal affairs. Whenever
an important public question comes
up, they have no resources of ready
information to draw from. When
members like Holman, Springer aud
Henley show an aptitude for public
business, their constituents will act
wisely 10 keeping them In office. 40
matter how clamorous populsr and
aspiring ounces may be for their
places Green members, no matter
how good may be their intentIons are
utterly valueless In scoring honest
legislation against q powerful and
disciplined lobby. Tho Pacific II. II.
people had planned TO push their OK.
tension bill through Congress, and hal
so adroitly manipulated the members,
that II IL had not been for the pres.
ence OF Messrs. Springer. Holman and
Henley, they would have succeeded.
Their proposition TO extend the pay
ment OF the debt of lhe Pacific r. II.
was put In such Elusive furm that II
made direct appeal 10 the members
who we're not acquainted with recent
Pacific railroad history. The argu-
ment that the U s. would have bet
ter security for its debt, and that In
this way alone would the Government
secure anything, was we'll calculated
TO deceive. The report Of the com
mittes was unanimous, and this was
= strong argument In its favor. The
lobby had cIrculsted reports that the
administrator was In favor of the
bill ; that Secretary L.mar approved
oft and that Mr.. Thurman himself
had declared IN fav'r of IL. These
false statements, made without the
slightest official authority, seem to
have been swallowed BY many mem.
bers without question. Neither Mr..
Springer nor Mr. Holman knew that
the Pacific r. r. bill would come up.
The committee reported it without
warning. But these gentlemen were
able at once 70 draw from their funds
of experience aud lsarnIs:g sufficient
argument 10 turn the House against
the most gigantic scheme that has
been proposed for years. Tire moas-
ure involved the reiundlng OF debt
Of $l09, 900, 900. This debt will be
due In eleven years. The Pacific r..
r. committee attempted 10 ri. II this
bill through without Information aud
without reports Ia the brief time Of
four hours. Mr.. Springer made the
best speech that he ever made In the
House. He at first appeared TO be
the only member to fully understand
the questions presented. He was
without preparation but during the
speech Of the chairman Of the com.
Inittee In favor OF the bill, he got the
Thurman Act, and copy OF the Pa
clfic r. r. bill. He Is very ready
arithmeticIan and during the deliy.
cry Of the chairman's speech, he figur
ed the money that would come TO the
Government under such a measure.
He found to his surprise that the
passage Of the extension bill would
cost the Government @75: 1000, 900.
| ais clear and forcIbie statement o.
facts impressed the House with tht
discoveries made by him during The
thirty minutes In which he had pre-
pared his argument.
Mr.. Springer is one Of the mos
sludIous men % the House, and b.
has at his fiuger,' ends a vast fund o
| information or All public questions
If IL had moi 0estp for his ready clio
quence II Is doubtful If the Pacific II
z. lobby bill would have been thwart
cd.
Mr.. Holman's efforts, however
must not he under. rated, and patrioti
Democrats should never forget MI
Hendricks estimate Of him. Th'
: great Indiana opposer Of theft, vast
and extravaganza is always at hi
post. He has thorough knowIedg'
Of all public questions, and he yer!
rarely makes mistake. His pres
ence in the House Is standing men
|, ance 10 the numberless conspiracie
. to burgIsrize the public treasury. Il
! is cordially hated BY all who are try
!: ing to get their hands into the publi
: vaults. II is common for member
OF Congress TO say, ''I would presen
hstt ear .k.fa ar that annr0DriafiOF