The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-15
THE TRICK WAS EXPOSED
And then Johnson Proceeded to
CaStigate the Aurora Statesman.
Maddox, of Georgia, Jumped Into the
Fray, and Fight Was Only Avert
ed by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Henry u. Johnson, to-day, the
most scathing arraignment that has ever
been administered to him in his long public
career. Mr.. Johnson had just caught Mr..
Holman in one of his petty and character
istic tricks. In spite of his promise to Rep
resentative Conn to restore the salary of
Superintendent of Indian Schools Hailrnann
to 5000. instead of $500. Mr.. Holman
made the cut to $500 Mr. Johnson rose
to offer amendment restoring the salary
to $1,000 Then Mr.. Holman assured Mr..
amendment for an instant he would offer
one fully as satisfactory to Mr.. Johnson.
Mr.. Holman then offered an amendment in
creasing the appropriation for Mr.. Hail
mann's travelling expenses. knowing per-
fectly well. OF course, that Mr.. Hailmann
rarely travels, and that the appropriation
therefor could not benefit him. This fiimsy
trick of Mr.. Holmans so irritated Mr.. John
son that when he offered his amendment
restoring Mr.. Hailmann's salary he gave
Mr.. Holman sc0rching that held the
House spellbound with delight at the tooth
less watch dogs" discontinue. During AIR.
Johnson's withering denunciation Mr.. Hol-
man covered in his chair like a whipped
schoolboy, closing his eyes as if TO escape
the smiles of deep qualification of his Dem
ocratic colleagues. Mr.. Johnson said, in
part:
'I am very much mistaken if the Amer
lean people have not sufficient sense of dis
elimination TO distinguish between just
economy in the expenditure of the public
money and that which the gentleman who
is chairman OF this committee seems sed-
of this bill. If am not wrong about this
matter, when the people have an oppor-
tunity to express themselves at the polls
this enlightened sense of public dscrimina-
tion will bear proper fruiI. Ii IL does not,
/ am willing here and now TO say that /
will come back to this House after the No
vember election and get down my mar
row bones to the distinguished economist
from Indiana, apologize to him and make
reparation to him If have done him any
prediction, admit To my colleagues and the
country that | am not only the fastest
talker, but also the most CnscrupulouS liar
in the American Congress. daughter and
applause.)
"Mr Chairman. the North American
Indians have been subjected to great
many hardships and trials during their
existence. But, with all their suffer
ings. ! doubt whether the noble red
ence of genuine calamity until they
faced the gentlemen from Indiana as chair
man OF the committee on Indian appropri-
ationS. l have no doubt that if the abort
gines who greeted Columbus when ne
landed on this continent had been gifted
with the power TO look down the vista of
them and their posterty they would not
have been appalled, at anything until they
saw the aparition of the gentlemen from
Indiana in the MONDAY of the nineteenth
century standing up in the American
House of Commons with his well-known
face begrimed all over with the war paint
of economy holding in the one hand his
scalping knife and in the other that in
strument of still worse torture, his con-
temptible. penurious Indian appropriation
bill, and with the scalp of his victims
do 1ft,or fhA hal xr-hfa oh oil
familiar form. 1 have doubt that IL
they had witnessed that sight they would
have committed suicide then and there In
the presence of the adventurous Spainard
preferring to die by their own hand
rather than to live to breed posterity
which after enduring, so many trials
the slow and tedious process OF starva-
ton, through the manipulation of an
Indian appropriation bill in the hands of
the gentleman from Indiana.
'I think we are great deal nearer the
solution of the Indian problem now than
we ever were before. / think that if we
committee Indian affairs for about two
or three years he will solve the much-dis-
cussed problem not solve 1t, probably,
along the line of huma 1ity, but solve It
the physical nardihood and vitality OF the
average North American Indian, / doubt
very sincerely whether he has constitution
enough to live very long under the system
of legislative strangulation which the gen.
tleman manifests the disposition to apply
And it will not be long before he will turn
up his toes, go under the daisies and be
gathered into the happy hunting grounds Of
his fathers
'Sorne gentlemen have been unkind
enough to intimate that there was a spe-
cific purpose and design behind the promo
tion-mark you, / say promotion-of the
gentleman from Indiana CMr. Holman) to a
craftsmanship where he controls one appro-
priation from a craftsmanship where he con-
trolled all appropriations 1t has been un-
kindly insinuated, believe, that the gentle
men who had a very high estimate of the
value Of Indian lands and very low esti-
mate of the value of Indian lives, and who
wanted to get hold of the remnants OF the
Indians property. had insisted that the
gentleman should be appointed TO the chair
manship of the committee on Indian af-
fairs. Now. am not disposed to say that
that charge is true, because, IL IL is true,
1T necessarily invovlss the Speaker of this
House in the unpleasant alternative of be-
ing either an idiot or knave; an idiot if
he permitted such covert and cruel scheme
for the determination Of the North Ameri-
can Indian to be carried right on under his
nose without perceiving it. and knave If,
having observed what was going on, he
consented to allow such thing to be done.
Be it as ii may. / want to suggest that the
gentleman from Indiana by the little par
liamentary artifice to which he rescrted a
little bit ago as we'll as by his general con-
duct with reference to appropriations, has
taken a long step toward the determination
of the red man.
"I want to suggest to the gentleman that
this parsimonous legislation of his is a
beautiful spectacle 10 present to the coun-
try and the world. 1t simply illustrates, as
i have said, the possibilities in the hands
of a small and penurious man of juggling
with OF the greatest appropriation bills
introduced by one OF the greatest commit
tees in the legislative body of the greatest
nation on the face of the globe"
When Mr. Johnson finished Mr. Holman
made feeble pretense of deeming the at
tack on him unworthy of reply" but so
pitiable spectacle did he present that Mr.
pendleton, OF West Virginia, endeavored
to make some answer. though he. too, ad-
mitted at the very outset of his defense
that he had no sympathy for Mr.. Hol-
mans methods of alleged economy
While the House was voting on the John
son amendment. that gentleman had a lively
tilt with Mr.. Maddox, of Georgia, an ex-
brigadier. who seemed to resent the fact
that Mr.. Johnson demanded the presence
of a quorum to vote on g important an
amendment Mr.. Maddox worked himself
into a degree OF passion that prepared the
House for as sensational a scene as had
been caused by Mr.. Johnson's remarks on
Holman. He rushed fercely down the aisle
towards Mr.. Johnson. waving his arms and