The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-09
ATTACK ON HEARST
BITTER PHILIPPIC LAUNCHED AT
THE SAN FRANCISCO EDITOR
IN THE HOUSE.
JOHNSON THE AssAILANT.
THE MOST SENSATIONAL EPISODE
OF THE PRESENT SESSION OF
CONGRESS.
COOPER, OF WISCONSIN, REPLIED.
Member Denounced for
His Assault Upon ~ Man Not Pres
ent to Defend Himself.

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-The second
days debate on the Pacific railroad
funding bill developed by far the most
sensational incident of this session of
congress. Mr.. Johnson Rep., CALI, the
only member Of the California delega-
ton who favors the funding bill, in
the course of his remarks, took occa-
sion to make a remarkable vitupera-
tive personal attack on Editor Hearst,
of the San Francisco Examiner He
described Mr.. Hearst and Mayor Sutro
as men who were terrorizing the Pa
cific coast members, and made state
ments concerning the former which led
Mr.. Cooper Rep., Wis), to character
ize 1t later as the most disgraceful at
tack in the legislative annals of the
United States
The members who had been listening
attentively to Mr.. Johnson's remarks
as he always is 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 M. Hearst, but on
that occasion he was called to order
by Mr.. MaGuire, Of California To-
dap he completed his Philippe without
interruption.
The speech created a profound sensa-
tion, which was increased by Mr. Coop
er's denunciation Of it as a cowardly
attempt 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 at
t1tude toward the bill. Mr.. Johnson
made no attempt to reply to Mr.. Coop
er
This incident completely overshad-
owed the interest in the debate on the
tundlng bill, and thereafter it proceed
ed quietly to the hour when the re-
cess was taken. The general debate
ended today. Tomorrow the bill will
be taken up for amendment under the
t1ve-minute rule. Those who spoke to-
oay were Messrs Patterson Oem.
Tenn), johnson (Rep., CALI, Arnold
lRep., Pa-), and Hepburn (Rep., Io.),
In favor of the measure, and Messrs.
Harrison (Dem., Ala-), Boatner Oem,
Lao, Swanson Den., Va.), Mccall
(Rep., Mass.), Wheeler Oem., Ala },
Cooper Rep., Wis.,, Shafroth Rep
Coz, Bell (Pop., CALI, Parker CRep.
n. j., against it,
Mr.. Harrison gave notice Of a SUBJ
st1tute he should offer to, provide fo~
commission to consist of the secre-
tary OF the treasury, secretary Of the
interior and attorney general to ne
gotiate the settlement of the debt.
The debate today was opened by Mr..
Patterson Oem., Tenn.), in a half
hour speech in advocacy of the pending
fess that my face is set like flint
against the government control Of
these roads" (Applause.)
Mr.. Harrison Dem., Ala.), another
member of the committee, followed in
opposition to the bill He believed that
the time for action had come, but he
could not subscribe to the remedy pro-
posed in the pending measure because
1T was too liberal to the companies.
Mr.. Harrison was followed by Mr..
Boatner, of Alabama, who antagonized
the bill, and by Mr.. Swanson Dem.,
Va.), who also objected to the act as
proposed. Mr.. Mccall (Rep., Mass, to
whom ten minutes was yielded, opposed
the measure. and directed most of that
time to refutation sof the claim that
the United States at present had no
lien on the Omaha terminal.
ATTACK ON HEARST.
Mr.. Johnson Rep., CaI), member
of the committee and the only member
of the California delegation in favor
Of the bill made a characteristic
speech in it's advocacy. He ridiculed
the scarecrew which was always push
ed into the horizon whenever a scheme
for the adjustments of the Pacific rail-
road debts was proposed. The fact
that the projectors 'of the roads had
made money was something some men,
bers could not forget. Everybody want
ed to make money What would these
who denounced Huntington have done
If they had had the building of the
roads.
"If Mayor Sutro and that Hearst, -
to whom he applied an opprobrious ad-
jective, had built these roads, they
would not only have, made money, but
they would have bankrupted the gov
ernment itself. SUPPOSE the projectors
did make money, the question with us
as members and custodians Of the gov
ernment's interest. is, How shall we
get the government s money back?'"
Mr.. Johnson denounced the ex-mern-
bers who were lobbying" on the floor
against the BILL He then proceeded to
argue that 1t was idle to insist that
the roads should pay more in interest
than they were able to. Individually,
Mr., Johnson said he wouldsbe willing
to entirely wipe out the debts Of these
reads because that would be-. to the
interests of the state of California. If
the roads did not have to pay this debt,
they could reduce their rates. But
looking at the interests OF the govern