The record-union., 1895-03-25
DOINGS IN CONGRESS-.
Comments by Congressman Grove L.
Johnson. v
He Tells About How Business is Done
in Washington and Prospects
for Legislation.

hOus NrOV6 II. Johnson, congressman IL
from this district. has been so busy since
his return from Washington that the re-
porters have not been able to interview
him to any great extent. a RECORD
UNION reporter, however, succeeded on
Saturday in having an interesting con-
versation with him. during which he
Eaid:
''You asked me about my trip to
Washington. ] can say that my family
and myself enjoyed ourselves very much,
indeed. We found the weather IN
Washington very. very cold, however.
We were told that it was the coldest
winter that they had had for twenty
seven years. l guess it was, for 1t was
the coldest that ever l had known. We
had billiards., and cold, and ice, and
snow, and freezing, and hail, and cutting
winds, until we, all of us, solemnly re-
solved that there was no place like Cali
1ornia, and no climate like ours.
II was very much pleased in watching
Congress and its manner OF doing work.
/ found that Congress is to very, very
large extent controlled by committees,
and it necessarily follows that the
United States is governed by committees.
All matters of legislation are referred to
and considered by and reported upon
by committees of the House, and they
practically control the debate upon the
in Congress, and really has more to do
with legislation in the United States
than any other mantle President not
accepted. Congress, like every other
body Of men, contains some very in
dustrious members, others who work
spasmodically, and others who perform
1he arduous IabOrs of answering roll-call
and drawing pay.
Congress is an aristocracy founded
upon length of service, not upon intellect.
The new members of Congress ought to
get together and upset all the close
corporation rules Of that body so as 10
give them equal rights with the other
mem bers, who claim all the power and
committees by virtue solely Of having
been reelected few times.
RIVERS AND MINES.
1.-THE outlook for obtaining any large
appropriations for our rivers and har-
bors and the rehabilitation of mining
from the next Congress is not very
good. Those members of Congress
Who consider themselves the leaders
of the Republican party, and those
other members who are ambitious for
political prelerment, are exceedingly de-
sirOus to keep the appropriations of the
tIfty-fourth Congress down to very
low mark. l think that the utmost
economy-and I may term it parsimony
will be the rule enforced in the next
Congress, in order that the kepubli-
cans may go into the campaign Of
1896 claiming to be the eXponents
OF an economical governmental policy.
Committees viii be constituted upon this
line. All estimates Will De carefully
scrutinized and ruthlessly scaled down,
and direct assault will be made upon
the appropriations TOR the rivers and har-
bors in every portion OF the United
States. Fearing this, L endeavored TO
have the Committee on Rivers and Har-
of q II of 81
fornia during the recess, and, to that
end. | wrote to friends aud members
OF the Legislature OF the State, ask
ing that the Legislature invite the
Committee on Rivers and Harbors of
the House to visit the State. | was
pleased to notice that pubic meeting
had been held in Sacramento and that
my proposition was indorsed by the peo-
pie. | noticed from the papers that the
resolution passed the Assembly on the
4th day Of February, and copy was
sent TO me- which | showed to some
members. But, through some mis-
chance, ii did not pass the Senate until
the SLh day OF March, and Congress hav-
ing adjourned on the 4th day Of March,
the invitation as finally adopted was OF
very little value in securing the presence
OF the committee. ! regret this, because
l am certain that the committee would
have visited California mad l received the
invitation from the Legislature in time.
1t Will make the work OF California Con-
greSsmen much harder because the invi-
tauou was not sent to Washington III
time.
Notwithstanding the immense amount
of literature that has been published and
the number of people that have visited
California, the ignorance of the large ma
jority of the people in the East includ-
ing memb bers of Congress, as to the re-
sources and needs OF California, is mar
y-vn i cd, 20, yT,y.
committee, and through the committee
the kifty-tOurth Congress, by having the
members personally on the ground. |
am very, very sorry that the matter was
not pushed IN the Legislature. / did all
l could do.
Il shall during the coming summer
and fall visit as much of this Congress
siOnal district as possible, in order to
learn it's needs and the wishes of the peO-
pie, and Will labor TO the best Of my
ability to secure from the Fiity-iourth
Congress needed appropriations for our
rivers and harbOrs and to build the neCes-
sary dams recommended by the United
States engineers. hope TO receive the cor
dial cooperation and assistance of all the
people and newspapers of the district in
doing my work as member Of Congress.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
"I do not look for any legislation to be
had at the next session Of Congress in
the lack of courage on the part Of the
members OF Congress. In the Fifty third
Congress there was in the House of Rep
Teseutauyes majority OF between
forty and fifty, in my opinion, in favor OF
the free coinage of silver; but this ma
jOrity did not have the courage OF its
convictions, would not pun together,
and was practically powerless against
the rules of the House. l think there is
a handsome majority in the Fitty-tourth
Congress in favor OF the free coinage of
silver, but l do not expect that majority
10 work together, or 10 be willing 10 go
on record in favor Of silver. There are
too many persons who have great weight
amongst Congressmeu who look only 10
success in the Presidential election OF
1856. and who are afraid 10 take any de-
Cided stand on any matter TO prevent the
silver men in the House from expressing
their views by vote in the next session
of Congress. There will be any mum Der
of speeches made, but very. very few de-
cislvesvotes in favor of silver.
For the same reason l do not expect
any legislation upon the currency queS-
lion, except to prevent any more loans to
English bankers, such as was made by
the President and Secretary of the Treas
ury III regard 10 the last issue OF bonds.
THE REILLY FUNDING BILL.
II listened very sttentively to the de-
bate on the Reilly funding bill from be-
ginning to end. 1t was interesting and
instructive to me because of the relnarka-
bIe lack of knowledge displayed by q
number OF the speakers. / did not see
any tokens of the presence of the railroad
lobby that was talked about so much by
the correspondents of the san Francisco
papers, nor any indications that any
stV-f,c, Il SrFNYFN man y