The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-07-17
Congressman Talked About.

Congressman Talked About.
(which is Linton?" Is question an
swered oftener each day than any other one
at the capitol. Scarcely stranger enters
the gallery but he wants the Michigan man
pointed out, and the guide or the next man
on the seat is asked for the information.
One of the very busiest men among busy
men he is always found in his seat or at his
committee room, and usually the stranger
goes away satisfied, for he has seen the
great exponent of some of the principles of
so-called patriotic orders.
He has seen good-looking man at that.
Well built, of medium height, and with hair
just beginning to turn gray, Hon. William
s. Linton looks every inch the sharp
shrewd man he is.
Serving only his second term In congress,
he is one of the national figures. An I'M
known man in the Fifty-third congress, he
was brought right to the front by an attack,
during his absence, too, on his right to
seat. Mr. Linton had no opportunity to re-
ply to this, but waited until the Indian APP
preparation bill came up, when he made
bitter attack on the use of public moneys
for sectarian purposes. The speech at
tracted great attention. 1t was caustic In
language and the reply of Mr.. Weadock was
of such nature as to more widely adver-
tise it. More copies of this speech OF Mr..
Linton have been distributed throughout
this country than any made in congress for
generation. Millions of copies have gone
out already and there are still calls for 1t.
Mr.. Linton, almost alone In the Fifty
third congress in his fight against the secta-
rian appropriation Of money, has found
himself leading a majority in the present
house. The appropriation bills have gone
to the senate containing provisions that no
public money shall be used for sectarian
purpose. 1t was one of the most remark
able legislative victories for many year.
1t was victory of principle, for 1t is the
principle that Mr.. Linton stands for He
is not opposed to any church, realizing that
every man has a right to his own religious
belief. and he would fight an appropriation
for one church as quickly as another.
| This signal success has pushed Mr.. Lin
ton forward. Each day, it is reported, his
mail grows larger; it is now greater than
that of any other member. 1t is said that
the letters come from all directions and
from all classes of people. Some of them
are from admirers and some from enemies.
Requests from his own district for attention
to pension claims, the department clerks
say, are many, while innumerabe inquiries
are made for seeds, documents and for in
formation relative to matters pertaining to
Washington and government affairs. So
| they come from everywhere and everybody.
Mr.. Linton has always been a republican,
he is still republican, and he is found vot-
ing consistently with his party. He loves
the people of the Saginaw district and con-
siders it his highest honor to serve them.
| Mr.. Linton has no war record. That is
not his fault, as the Congressional Directory
shows he was only four years old when the
war broke out. But he has made up for
that misfortune by awaklng the people to
great public abuse. But had he been old
enough for war in the '60s the writer be-
lieves he would have commanded corps.
An old school friend says he was always at
the head of all the organizations of boys in
school. AS a mere boy he worked in the
lumber yards. He has been worker all
his life, though now he owns an interest in
a large manufacturing concern. The same
school friend says that before Mr.. Linton
was we'll in his teens, he was president of a
telegraph company, having line mile or
two long, erected by half dozen boys, and
in all the clubs and social gatherings of his
boyhood he was the leader. A worker him
self, he knew how to treat workers, and in
the great strike of 1885 his was one of the
few mills on the Saginaw river where the
laboring men found nothing to strike
against.
Since coming to congress Mr.. Linton has
become much interested in the bill for the
reorganization of the railway mail service.
The measure has passed the senate twice,
but has never been before the house for con-
sideration. AS member of the committee
on post Offices and post roads, Mr.. Linton
has taken the bill in hand, and is doing
everything possible to promote its passage.
9 Mr. Linton has most charming home on
North Capitol street, and here he finds his
only rest. his committee room-he is
chairman of the committee on ventilation
is always crowded with visitors. He is one
of the most generous men, and gives up his
time to listen to any appeal that is made
Washington Times.
These extracts are taken from the Chron- |
icle, the only democratic daily newspaper
in the great city Of Chicago: 'The dec
laratiOn I'm favor of repudiatiOn and financial |