Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-04-15

Washington Ia serve as correspondents
for newspapers become absolute indie
pendents in politics. They give up the
allegiance which they once owned to
this party or that, and become mere
students and analysts.
Naturally, they are keen. suspicious.
cynical critical lot, these men who SIT
in the galleries and make or unmake
statesmen with mere twists of the wrist.
There is SO much hypocrisy among the
professional statesmen. SO much posing
and insinccrity. SO mH'h protestatiOn
and rhetoric for the benefit of 1.-THE dis
trict" at home. that the sCribcs soon los,
patience with that sort of thing anG
learn 20 judge the men ON the tioOr be
low ut their true value. do not mean
10 say that all statesmen are insincerc.
nothing but actors. striving for popular.
ity. But many of them are, and state
without fear of contradiction that a ma
lOrity of them are moral towards in the
face of public opinion. Day after day
we see men voting on questions present.
ed for their consideration. acting not
upon their judgment or their conviction
of what Is right. but with sole reference
So what the popular opinion is IN their
districts IL is almost pitiful To see
man of sense and experience. of good
judgment and wide knowledge. sitting
here a mere slave 10 the caprice or no
tons Of his constituents.
Take the silver bill which have men
toned. for example. personally know
of at least twenty men who voted on
that bill. some for it and some against
it. who would have reversed their votes
had they dared TO express their honest
convictions. OF course their excuse Is
that they are representatives and not
free agents; that II Is their duty 10 act
"a a majority of their constituents would
have them and not TO express their own
beliefs. They argue that the house of
representatives was created and organ
lied with this IN view; that il was in
tended To bc "a reflex Of the opinions and
desires of the people rather than place
for men 10 exercise their Judgment
This view Of the duty of a congressman
is held. | think. 10y a majority Of the
members Of the house, and this is one of
the many roa>o why should infinite
IN prefer 4 scat ia the press gallery to
one on the hoor. \ Republican may
represent Democratic newspaper. or ,
Democrat republican paper. with
much less sacrifice Of self respect and
wrenching 1T ms conscience than is ~
quircd {" represent congressional dis
trict in the house
once IN awhile some statesman i.-
comes offended az the whole corps of cor
respondents and starts ont 10 "get even
with the PRESS gallery. \ number Of
bold men have tried this little thing
and they have ALWAYS failed. Ina "a con
test between statesmen and soribcs the
latter invariably stand together. and in.
variably get the best Of their adversary.
Colonel S'erctt. of Texas. the best story
teller ia the press gallery. has hrs unique
way of describing the fate of the states
man who starts out 10 get ahead of the
correspondents.
When ! see plain, ordinary senator
or representative go on the rampage try
ing 10 do up the press gallery SAYS
Colonel Sterrtt. Il alu reminded OF the
manner in which friend of mine IN
Texas whipped John l.. Sullivan. His
name was Marks-Al Marks, cot.
ton Screwer in Galycston-on of the
strongest men and gamest fighters in
Texas. Sullivan came down there ON "A
tour aud offered 500 Ia any man who
would stand in front of him with gloves
three rounds. Marks accepted the chal-
lenge. After the contest. two weeks
after il. interviewed Marks. and this
il the way he told his story: AS walked
up TO the stage people cheered me, and
! felt pretty proud. | was going to put
my hands mp against the great Sullivan.
| felt sure could whip him. But when
! got into the ring and John l.. stood IN
front of me he appeared to be "a heap
bigger than he had looked from NV seat
But the people cheercd me aud deter
mined To astonish him right from the
jump. - after We had shaken hands I
let him have good one right in tire
jaw sullivan looked at me IN sur
priscd sort of way, and | saw that | had
his heart broken. said 10 myself, this
man has met his match at last. aud ne
knows IT, He j. afraid of me. ~
gave him some more hard knocks. John
l.. looked at me almost appealinyly.
He tried to stop my blows, but hc
was slow and clumsy. said ! tu
myself: Marks. You are made
man. You'll whip TINS fellow easy.
He Is So slow with his paws that
You can batter him all To- pieces.
But ! made mp my mind ! wouldn't
knock him out till near the end of Ill.
third round-I didn't want 10 rob the
people of their sport. At the end of tine
round asked Sullivan how he was get
ting along, aud he looked kind O scared
and said only tuerable. In the second
round gave him several more hard ones
and he continued To look scared. |
said so myself it was ridiculous for
Ihis man Ia be posing "a the cham
pion of the world, aud determined
that in the next round III put an end To
his absurd preten>ions. About the mid
die of the third round, just ~ was get
Ting ready to do sullivan up | saw AN
ut her sort of look come INTO his ewes /