The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-09
A Juror IN
THE HOUSE.
Grove JOhnSen's Attack on Edi-
tor Hearst Exciting.
Is Full of Vituperati0n and Per-
sOnal Abuse.
JOHNSON REPROVED.
Congressman Cooper Calls 1t a
Most Disgraceful Assault.
He Declares the Manner Of Tt
Was Cowardly.

Washington, Jan. 9.-The most SEN
sational incident of this session of con-
gress was the remarkable vituperative
personal attack on Editor Hearst of
the San Francisco Examiner by Con-
gresham Grove Johnson yesterday. He
described Mr.. Hearst and Mayor Sutro
as men who were terrorizing the Pacif-
ic coast members and made statements
concerning the former which led Mr..
Cooper (Rep. Wis., to characterize it
later as THE most disgraceful attack
in the legislative annals of the United
States"
The members who had been listening
attentively to Mr.. Johnson's remarks.
as he is always one of the most enter
tanning speakers in the house, were
thunderstruck at the lengths to which
he went.
Once at the last session Mr.. Johnson
denounced Mr.. Hearst, but on that oc-
casion he was called to order by Mr.
Mcguire of California. Yesterday he
completed his philippe without inter-
ruption.
The speech created a profound sensa-
ton which was increased by Mr.. Coop
er's denunciation of it as a cowardly at
tempt to blacken the reputation of a
man of positive genius Mr.. Cooper
also took occasion to score the GENTLE
man from California rOundly for his
attitude toward the Dill.
Mr. Johnson made no attempt to re-
| ply to Mr.. Cooper. This incident COM
pletely overshadowed the interest in
! the debate in the funding bill and
| thereafter it proceeded quietly to the
| hour when recess was taken. The gen
! eral debate closed yesterday. Today
| the bill will be taken up for amendment
under the five minute rule
Mr.. johnson detailed Mr.. Hearst s
| connection with the San Francisco Ex-
aminer and how he had built up that
paper and said the people of California
| admitted it. They knew at first that
| Mr.. Hearst was erratic in his conduct.
| He then made insinuations and allega-
| lions against Mr.. Hearst's personal
| habits. but added that the people be-
! lieved he was honest
| This was followed by more sensation
| al charges and vituperative language.
And that is the man." he said, that
| has created all this Juror in California -
He said that Mr.. Hearst had intim-
idated the people and created terrorism
among them with his paper The paper
had made caricatures of the house, the
chairman of the commission, Mr.. Pow
erS, and the hOnOred speaker.
Il will not speak for myself he said,
because 1 can get reasonably even
with this man before I get through"
He said that Mr.. Hearst had caused his
edict that any man who dared favor
the funding bill shall be driven from
public life and be ruined in private life
and shall be disgraced before the peo-
pie and the GODS
When Mr.. johnson had concluded his
speech there was an ominous silence on
the floor. Mr.. Arnold of Pennsylvania
made a brief speech for the measure,
but the house was still buzzing with
the sensation created by the California
orator
When Mr.. Arnold finished Mr. Coop
err (Rep. Wis.) one of the strongest foes
of the Pacific bill now as in the past.
took the floor. About the first words
spoken by him intensified the situa-
ton.
I'm view of what has been said by
the gentleman from California" said
he, ''in view of the exhibition which we
saw here-as 1 think one of the most
disgraceful known in the annals of the
Legislative history of the United States
the attacking of a man absent from
his place, in a manner known only to
towards. blackening his name, running
it Cif it were in the power of the gen
tieman from California to ruin any
body which has ever had any reputa-
ton at alb to boast of his ability
feel it proper for me to say at least
a few Words
Mr.. Cooper then paid a high tribute
to Mr. Hearst and the hard work he
had done to build up his papers, and
declared that he did not think that
anything he had done entitled a mem
Der to attack him as the gentleman
from California had done. Mr.. Cooper
turned to Mr.. Johnson and continued:
Let the CALLED jade vince The gen
| tIeman was in a Republican district.
He boldly championed the funding bill
and he is buried under a majority of
5000.
THE gentleman from New York.
whom he so UNANIMOUSLY and wilfully
maligned, is not the one responsible for
his defeat. 1t is the knowledge that the
people of California have that the pow
er of the Pacific railroad which the
gentleman from California presumed
| to champion in the face of the people,
has been used to their detriment- They
know of the manner in which the cor
poration has for years past treated the
people of the state.
The people of California have been
| treated more shamefully by this cor
poration than any commonwealth in
the history of the United States has
been treated by any other corporation
either railroad or otherwise They have
| destroyed or crippled enterprise, they
| have destroyed the business of individ-
| uals they have dictated to the mer-
| chants how they should conduct their
! business, imposed hardships upon far
| mers business men, merchants, dry
! goods men, lumber men, merchants in
| every class of business, and made to
| feel their heavy hand all those who un-
| dertook to ship their freight in OppOsi-
1 ton to this company The Republican
| marty repudiated the funding bill. Why ?
| because they did not want the tyranny
| of the Southern Pacific over the tax
| payers of California
| MIR. Cooper then Gained down and
| ont his reply to Mr.. johnson the latter
| sat quietly in his seat at the rear of
| the hall He made no response.
i