The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-25
Attacked President in
the House.
MOTIVES IMPUGNED
Violent Criticism of Home
Market Club Speech.

Washington. Feb. 24.-nurine the
general debate upoa the army appro-
priation bill in tho House TO-DAY, Mr..
Johnson (rep) of Indiana, who made
several notable speeches violently at
lacking the policy OF the administra-
ton during the consideration Of the
army reorganization bill a fortnight
ago, returned to the assault and deliv-
cred against the president and some
OF his advisers, the most scathing
Philippe heard in the House for
months. He sneered ut the president
ana the influence which ne alleged con-
trolled him, impugned his motives,
questioned his sincerity and lkened
MIN to Dickens most contemplate
character, charged his secretary of war
with inoompetency and predicted that
the president would in the end be en-
quilted by adverse public sentiment.
Mr.. johnson read his speech from man
uscript in criticism OF President Nc
Kinley's Home Market Club address.
Mr.. johnson spoke OF the tuXtaposition
OF the pictures of Washington. Lincoln
and Mckinley, and declared that the
use OF the word "liberator' beneath
was piece of bitter irony. and he con-
graduated the president upon being
able to sit there without conscious en-
barrassment. 'Divested Of its YER
piage, considered apart from it's plat
ltudes and ostentatious professions of
virtue, said the speaker tine presi-
dents speech was an effort to befos
the issue and so miSlead the public
judgment"
Mr.. Johnson then took up the presi-
dents argument, declaring that it was
insincere and that the reasons assigned
for his Philippine policy were not CON
sistent with the facts. If the president
is holding the Philippines simply as
commander chief, awaiting the ac-
ton of congress, why does he not turn
the question over to congress- calling
an extra session foP It's consideration.
Mr.. Johnson then analysed the ret
sons for the presidents Asiatic policy,
declaring that group of syndicate and
franchise grabbers VINO had furnished
money for McKinley's nomination and
election now wanted their pay. The
speaker did not object to legitimate
American enterprise, but he die oppose
the spirit of American greed which
cares nothing for the spirit OF Ameri-
can liberty"
When Mr.. Johnsons time expired,
Mr.. Hamilton of Michigan asked, with
considerable impulslveness, to have an
extract of the Boston speech read, de-
ffning the presidents policy. 1t was
read. Johnson wanted to incorporate
in the Record, with his speech, the en-
tire Home Market club address. This
produced turmoil in the House, at least
six men trying to speak at once. Mr..
Walker of Massachusetts made obtec-
d., 1-fv. -
of New York thought no republican
should be ashamed of the presidents
speech, and as such that no objection
should be made. Perkins, Hamilton.
Bailey AMI others discussed the parlia-
mentary status Of the request. with
the result that Johnson will be allowed
to print the presidents speech. The tur-
moil in the House was really due to
the ill-feeling which Johnson's speech
had developed. He had spoken bitterly
and had aroused much antasonism
When Sulzer suggested that republi-
cans should not quarrel they replied
that there was no quarrel among re-
publicans, thus implying that johnson
was no longer in the party.
Although Mr.. Johnson's utterances
We're far more sensational than those in
his former speeches and dazed some of
his auditors by the impetuosity with
which they We're delivered, the speech
did not raise about him the storm of
his former speeches. Mr.. Lands, one
of his republican colleagues from Indi-
ana, briefly stated to the House that
Mr.. Johnson's constituents had repu-
dated him, and the two members had
wordy duel Later in the day Mr.. Marsh
Cep. Of Illinois, replied TO some of Mr..
Johnson's structures, but the republican
leaders had evidently decided to ignore
the attacks of the Indiana member, and
no general reply was made to his
speech today. The army appropriation
bill was lost sight of in the general
discussion of the policy of the govern
ment relative to the Philippines and
several notable speeches were made,
particularly that of Mr. Settle (dem,5
of Kentucky. The general debate upon
the bill closed today and tomorrow the
bill will be taken up for amendment
under the five minute rule.