The herald., 1897-01-19
AGAINST ENORMOUSODDS
Complete Triumph of the
Anti-RaiIroad Forces
FUhD|MGD|LLER powers TRICKS
The House Convinced that II
Was Being Imposed Upon
SOME OF THE INSIDE HISTORY
That Makes Mighty Interesting
Reading
Powers Colleague Proved Impervious TO All
His Establishments
0rout Proved More Than a Match for
the Adroit Huntington Hireling.
How Grove Johnson Didn't
Assist His Master

Especial Correspondence to The Herald. }
90, WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 1.-THE
complete triumph of the antl-railroadI
forces in the house of representatives
must bring thrill of joy to every Cali
fornian. The men who have labored so
ardently in the house during the past
four years against the funding bill were
surprised beyond measure at the large
majority against the bill. They had
figured out majority of about twenty
and felt that in accomplishing this re-
cult against the united efforts of pow
erful lobby they had done yeoman serv-
ice. No one outside Of Washington can
appreciate the enormous odds that they
had to contend with in the shape of mis-
representations and lies. The Hunting
ton lobby simply stopped at nothing.
Any assertions made in debate by the
enemies of funding We're promptly de-
MED by Powers, Huntington's hired man.
He carried this practice so far that he
finally disgusted the house and exposed
the fact that he did not know what he
was talking about. Congressman Hill
born during the debate read a dispatch
from the assessor of Alameda county to
assessed to the Central Pacific. This was
n complete denial from an official source
of the statement of the railroad to the
effect that Huntington offered the mole
as extra security for the payment Of the
railroads Indebtedness to the govern
ment. The reading Of the telegram ere
ated q profound sensation and exposed
the railroads trick of trying to make the
house think the octopus was offering
security entirely outside of the railroads
holdings in order to secure the debt.
The house felt that 1t was being imposed
upon when Fundrgbiller Powers. per-
ceiving the harm that Assessor Dalton's
telegram had accomplished, arose and
denied that the mole was assessed to the
Central Pacific, and denounced the tele-
gram as a lie. He had absolutely no
facts or evidence upon which to found
this charge, and depended entirely upon
the gullibility of the congressman to
make his story stick. The skallowness
OF his position was too apparent, how
ever. to make any impression and react
ed upon the cause of funding. One con-
gresham remarked to your correspond
ent that he believed Powers stated what
he knew to be false when he denied the
correctness of Assessor DaIton's tele-
gram, and said that he would not believe
any statement that fell from his lips
upon the subject of funding. 1t was
such palpable lies as this that created
a feeling of distrust among the members
for the statements of the Huntington
crowd. and which initiated against the
bill. Poor Powers waa sorely wounded
every time a speech was made against
his measure. He seemed to look upon
the opposition as personal matter, and
as though his integrity was attackedlin-
stead of the bill Powers comes from
Vermont and has always been known as
a corporation hireling.
There are but two congressman from
Vermont and Powers colleague is VIM.
Nj. Grout of Barton, w.t. grizzled, hard
headed old Yankee. who has been in the
house for fifteen years. His name is a
synonym for honesty and he pholds his
well-earned reputation in this contest.
Grout made one of the most vitriolic
speeches against funding, and showed
that Huntington and his colleagues were
guilty of fraud ard misrepresentation
in their reports of the operations Of the
road. The fact that he was Powers col
league added additional weight to his
remarks. a story Is going the rounds of
the capitol concerning the efforts of the
railroad gang to capture Grout. He is
known as a man whom no lobbyist can
approach, even for the purpose of argu-
ing the merits of a bill, and the railroad
fellows were at a loss for good man to
sic onto him. They realized the i'm
portance of his support, in view Of the
fact that his colleague, Powers, was
championing the bill, and yet they knew
he was an honest man. Huntington
finally directed Powers to approach
Grout and sound him. Obedient to the
command of his master, Powers talked
the matter over very cautiously with
Grout, and found that he was opposed
to the measure. This he reported to
Huntington who stormed and raved at
Powers for not being able to handle his
own colleague. and then told him to go
direct to Grout and tell him that the
horror or Vermont was at stake. that as
matter of state pride and as matter
OF oincial courtesy to himself Grout
must vote for the bill. Powers hated to
do this, but he realized the dreadful
effect his colleagues opposition would
have in the house and at home with the
good people of Vermont, so he hied him
self to CIRCUITS rooms and made his little
play. The audacity of Powers almost
paralyzed him, but as soon as he could
collect himself. Grout, who was brave
general during the civil war, heaped
such shower of indignation and abuse
upon his colleague that he started for
the door. Grout jumped in front of him
and told him he could rot leave the
room until he had told him in the plain
est and most forcible Anglo o-Saxon what
he thought of him and his Infamous bill.
Then he unchecked himself and 1t is said
that the flow of abuse that he heaped
upon Powers fairly dazed that worthy.
He said that he had always felt opposed
to the measure and intended to vote
against 1t, but as a matter of courtesy
to his colleague he did not intend to
speak on the subject. He then served
notice on Powers that not only would
he vote against the bill, but that he
would speak against 1t. and charge ab-
solute fraud and criminality on the part
of Huntington and his colleagues and
that he would use all the influence he
possessed among individual members of
the house in opposition to 1t. He ther
permitted Powers to make his escape.
GROUP kept his word He made one OF
the bitterest speeches that was deliv-
cred in the house and labored unceas-
tngly on the floor against the infamy.
JOHNeON's SPEECH
Grove Johnson probably did az much to