The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-18
Many Of the Representatives. Have Changed
Their Minds Since Last Session, and Less
than Fifty Are Fixed in Their Views.
Nepotism in the House and the Bad Feel
ing 1t Causes Among Democrats.
The Interstate Commerce Problem Discussed
from the Shippers Standpoint, and Also
from that Of the Railway Companies.
SILVER IN THE HOUSE.
Members Who Have Changed Their Minds
Since the Last Congress.

Since the Last Congress.
Special to the IndianaDolis journal.
WASHINGTON, JAM l7-All predictions which
have heretofore been made as to the position of
the House upon the question of suspending the
coinage of the standard silver dollar have been
based largely upon the position taken by the
old members in the last House and upon casual
talk with the new men. It is not proper to base
az assumption on the position of any member
of Congress upon the fact that he held views of a
certain kind year or two ago. There are sew
eral members from the Northwest who have
heretofore been regarded as ardent advocates of
unlimited coinage Of silver who have
been seen by your correspondent recent
", and who express themselves as
not yet having made up their minds as to how
they will vote. Said one of these gentlemen to-
day:
Il have given this subject great deal of care
full thought since the House adjourned last
March. voted with the silver men when had
the opportunity in the last Congress, and sup
posed at that time that should always be Of
the same opinion that was then. I find, how
ever, that my mind is still open to conviction,
and am sure that there are several besides my
self-a great many members from Wisconsin,
Iowa. Nebraska and Kansas-who may be led to
change their minds, if the arguments which are
to follow the report of the coinage commit
tee shall prove of sufficient weight to
convince US their way"
The only trouble with this proposition is that
there are few members Of Congress who pay
sufficient attention to the discussions the
floor of the House to warrant them in forming
an opinion upon any subject. 1t is an invariable
custom to depend upon the party leaders and to
follow the steering committee upon any of the
important topics upon which they are called to
legislate. Every visitor to the gallery for the
first time notices the supreme indifference to the
proceedings which characterZes the action of
men on both sides of the House. No matter how
interesting the discussion may be, or how learned
the views expressed by the member speaking, enc
will always find ten, twenty. fifty or even hun
dred members busily engaged in writing letters.
reading newspapers, or otherwise occupying
their time while these discussions are in progress
Men in Congress are very like boys in school.
They come with IDEAS but think it is not neces-
sary for them to learn any more upon any sub
ject. 1t frequently happens that in private con-
versation after vote has been taken. member
will say: 'If had known that before, would
have voted differently" while the very point
upon which he has just been enlightened has
been elucidated in speeches, time and again, per-
haps, through the entire session. The silver
question to-day is. perhaps, the most important
before Congress. Whether members whose
minds are now made up will allow themselves
to be convinced to the contrary of their own
views is very doubtful but it is still certain that
less than one fifth of the entire has as yet de-
cided as to how they should vote