The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-27
he SOFTENS.
Mr.. Calderhead Who Thought
1t was so Wicked
To Insert Remarks Which One
Doesn't Make
Into the Congressional Record"
for Home Consumption,
YIELDS TO TEMPTING
And Inserts Several Pages Of
Second Thoughts,
Not to Say Second Hand"
Thoughts, of Course.
YIELDS TO TEMPTING

From the State Journals Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-Under 'leave
to print" Congressman Calderhead, of
Kansas, has set forth his financial views
in the Congressional Record. It was
nearly two weeks after he delivered a
few remarks in the house that Mr.. Cald-
erhead's extended speech appeared in
the Record. During that time Mr.. Cald-
erhead was not idle, but was to be seen
every day of the debate taking notes up
on sound money speeches which he as
simulated in the production of his own
speech.
When Mr.. Calderhead first came to
congress he was possessed by the con-
viction that the practice of inserting in
the Record speeches which were not de-
livered in the house was pernicious, and
in private conversation he criticised
the insertion of some remarks by Con-
gressmau Bell, of Colorado, and pointed
10 it as an example of demagoguery.
But then Mr.. Bell is u Populist and
doesn't believe in the gold standard. 1t
couldn't be expected of man SO low
down in the moral and intellectual scale
as to believe i'll free silver that he would
not use the Congressional Record simply
fortunate that all the people who don't
believe as we do on the financial ques-
ton do not belong TO our church are
hypocrites, but of course it is SO. Poor,
ignorant beings, we can only pity them.
And Mr.. Calderhead was not lacking
in pity Though he poke contempt
uously of the pract was indeed
full of sympathy for 'sman Bell
Dir. Calderhsad is kim laan. He did
not in his heart condemn Mr.. Bell In
the fnlness of his magnanimity he only
regretted that the Colorado congressman
was SO weak and misg uided as to wish
to embalm in the Congressional Record
for the consumption of his constituents
remarks which he did not make upon
the floor.
But Mr.. Calderhead's ideas have
changed since the Bell incident That
is allowable. and in some cases denotes
progress. He may have had more light
and concluded that it was lifting thing
to extend ones remarks sunder leave to
print. Or it may be that he reasoned
that while it was heinous TO print silver
speeches thus. it was noble if done in the
cause of sound" money. Whatever
were the reasons for Mr.. Calderhead's
change of opinion on this practice let no
one charge him with the heresy of fol-
lowing Populist's example. Ii Mr..
Calderhead concluded to continue his
REMARKS ia DEI6ls WAlCA AO A0G OulJ 0L0
not deliver on the floor of the house, but
which we're not even then prepared he
had some orthodox gold standard prece-
dent.
But not only did Mr.. Calderhead's
views change, they changed suddenly.
In his own speech in the house he de-
nounced ''stutting' the Record. and then
sat by taking notes on others speeches
for the purpose of enlarging his own
speech when it should be printed. What,
Mr. Calderhead inquired in his speech,
was the purpose of the silver debate ia
the house? ''What for?" he is recorded
in the Record as saying. SIN order that
the Congressional Record may be filed
with campaign literature to be used dur
ing the summer months agitating the
minds of the people upon a subject
which they know cannot be settled now
by debate IN the mouse or senate. r *
| have been unwilling to bring myself to
consent to the method of srutfing the
Record with printed speeches never de-
livered in this chamber
Mr.. Calderhead is indeed "a fellow of
infinite jest" Hardly had he delivered
these emphatic words before he began
the process of augmenting his remarks
No one familiar with his serious and
methodical manner would believe MIR.
| Calderhead SO great joker.
If any one ever had an excuse to use
the Record for enlarglng his speech Mr.
CaIderhead certainly had. The few re-
| marks he made in the house were deiiv-
| cred in one of the morning sessions, be-
| ginning at 1880, which were held dur
| ing the debate, as to give all q chauce
| to speak There was wilderness of
| chairs and desks las at all the morning
sessions, no matter who spoke).
with few scattering members writing,
! and furniture is not remarkable for its
! enthusiasm, whatever be its qualities of
| quiet attention. So if Mr.. Calderhead
| wished the larger audience commanded
| by the Congressional Record, it was but
| natural and no one should be so uakind
| az to point to his Inconsistency.
| At the time of delivering his speech
| Mr. Calderhead was fretted because he
| was not given mere time-he only had
| five or ten minutes He expressed some
| dissatisfaction with the leaders who
| thought they knew all about finance, al
| lowing themselves an hour and only
| giving others few minutes He implied
| that there were others who could solve
| the money problem aud some of them
| were not a thousand miles from him.
"Oh, it is pitiful, but Mr.. Calderhead
| yet remains undiscovered"
! The "extension'' of Mr. Calderhead 5
| speech in the Record is for the most part
| in reply to Congressman Towne of Min
| nesota. The Kansas congressman wanted
| to squelcn. annihilate and blot out the
| Minnesota man while he (Calderhead)
| had the floor but the speakers gavel de-
1 uied. Here the hammer fell" pre-