The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-02

feet and made for his accuser through
the crowd. Had it not been for his
friends, who held him and hustled the
other fellow out of the crowd, there
would have been a fight which would
have resulted in a general riot for the
crowd was aroused to an intense pitch
Of excitement.
Mr.. Watson'S career in congress was
hardly less stormy than were the peri
DDS of his previous and subsequent
candidacy, the difference being that
the conflicts were largely of his own
creation and the greatest volume of
belligerency emanated from himself
Some of the TRADES against fellow
members Of the house were particular
ly violent, and one charge against con-
gresSmen in general, contained in a
campaign pamphlet written by Mr.
Watson, aroused such general indig-
nation that the expulsion of the
Georgia member was said to have
been seriously considered.
HIS CHARGES AGAINST MEM
BERS OF CONGRESS.
1t was Watson who gave currency
to the phrase Where am l at?" he
having attributed it to Congressman
Cobb, of Alabama, who. he alleged,
used the expression while under the
influence of liquor and while address
ing the chair on the floor of the house.
The congressional investigation which
followed the charge and the result
showing that the representative from
Alabama did sip stimulants during a
speech are well remembered by those
who watch the process Of events at
Washington.
In a. stump speech made during his
0oy fv, ~ 49,
following reference to these proceed
ings:
'Now let's go to this drunkenness.
While I was there and these absentees
were away, why 1 wrote book. L in
tended that book to hurt and it has
hurt. 1 intended to expose what l saw
going on there detrimental to the best
interests Of the people. The man who
sees legislative abuses growing up un-
der his eyes and does not denounce
them to the people is not true to the
best interests Of the people. Here is
the paragraph that made the lion
roar:
The congress now sitting is one IL
lustration pledged to reform They
have not reformed. have shown you
why they did not dispute it. Pledged
to economy, they have not economical.
No man will deny it. Pledged to legis-
late, they have not legislated And no
one denies it. Absenteeism was never
so pronounced. Drunken members
have reeled about the house a disgrace
for the republic Drunken speakers
speakers on the f1oor-in the midst of
maudlin ramblings, have been heard
to inquire, "Mr. Speaker, where was
I at?''"
He then referred to the testimony
taken before the investigating commit
tee and concluded with:
And now what does this evidence
show? 1t shows that man made a
speech on the floor of the house who
was drunk. First. I charge a case of
drunkenness during the debate on the
river and harbor bill: another time,
when the pension bill was up, and an
other time when drunken man was
trying to have a dialogue with another
fellow who was drunk and his own
question kicked him over to the floor.
Ii that is not the truth, l am the black
est tongued liar that ever spoke.''
This sort of invective seems to be a
favorite form Of speech with Mr.. Wat
son, and he employs it with great eff
feet, for he is a really brilliant man
and an orator of first-class ability.
Mr.. Watson is essentially a fighter in
a physical as well as a moral sense,
and any one who watches his flashing
eye and the emotions depicted in his
thin, determined face knows well he
will "back up what he says.
One of his most famous crusades was
made against the Pinkertons, and his
determination to continue his warfare
upon the huge detective agency was
one of the claims for reelection which