The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-25
JOHNSON TURNS
HIMSELF LOOSE.
Member From Indiana Assaults
the Administration.
Accuses the President of Lying
and Cheating.
SAYS HE is OWNED
BY the Capitalist Interests of
This Country
Who Have Promised Him a
Re- Election.
SAYS HE is OWNED

4GC~S1AONGAOAS
Washington, Feb. 25.-During the
general debate upon the army appro-
priation bill in the house yesterday, Mr..
johnson (Rep., Ind.), who made several
notable speeches violently attacking the
policy of the administration during the
consideration of the army reorganiza-
ton bill, a fortnight ago, returned to
the assault and delivered against the
president and some of his advisers the
most scathing philippe heard in the
house for months. He sneered at the
president and the influences which he
said controlled him, impugned his mo-
tives, questioned his sincerity and
lillened him to Dickens most contempt
ible character; charged his secretary of
war with incOmpetency and predicted
that the president would in the end be
eneulfed by adverse public sentiment.
Although his utterances were far more
sensational than those in his former
speeches and dazed some of his auditors
by the impetuosity with which they
were delivered, the speech did not raise
about him the storm of his former
speeches.
Mr. Lands, one of his Republican co..
leagues from Indiana, briefly stated to
the house that Mr.. Johnson's constitu-
ents had repudiated him, and the two
members had a wordy duel.
When Mr.. Johnson arose for his re-
marks he at once attracted the atten-
ton of the house. "A few evenings
ago." he began, the Home Market club
of Boston gave a banquet at which the
president was the principal guest.
From the newspaper accounts of the
affair it was an exceedingly elaborate
one.
1.-The secretary of war was in attend
ance, he whom the Boston people had
missed upon the streets few hours be-
fore, ere they turned to greet with rap
turous applause the chief who had be-
slowed upon him his official character.
We can hardly blame them, though, for
this, Mr.. Chairman, for they were only
following the precedent set them by
some of the leading Republican news
papers of the country, which for months
past have been fiercely attacking the
secretary and yet have lacked the cour-
age to lay their axe to the roots of the
evil and censure the gentleman, who, to
reward him for his political services and
disbursements in the campaign of go,
appointed him to his present position,
and has maintained him there ever
since, notwithstanding his incompetency
and against the righteous complaints
that have been made against him.
THE secretary of the navy also
graced the occasion with his presence
and so far forgot his usual courtesy, so
far belied his New England training
and associations, as to repeat the stale
and untruthful charge that those who
opposed the ratification of the Infamous
treaty of peace with Spain were re-
SDOnS1DIe
CURED in the Philippines.
when the chief magistrate had fin
ished speaking another member of his
official family, the gentleman who pre-
sides over the pOStOffice department,
arose in his place and proceeded to load
his chief down with an eulOgy so full
some and extravaganza, so absolutely
given over to hyperbole, that no in
diVidual not wholly eaten up with van
ity could possibly have endured it with
out nausea and disgust.
THREE LIBERATORS.
1.-THE newspaper further informed us
that among the other decorations there
We're suspended over the entrance to
the banquet hall three portraits, one
of Washington, one of Lincoln and one
of the president himself, and that be
meath these was the word 'LiberatOrs.'
Now, George Washington fought with
his sword for eight long and bloody
years to establish the right of a peo-
pie to govern themselves and in his
farewell address he cOunselled his cOun-
trymen to live on terms of amity with
all nations and to enter into entangltng
alliances with none.
abraham LincOln'S whole political
life was a contention for the rights of
man and it was his kindly hand which
penned the immortal emancipation
proclamation that struck the shackleS
from the limbs of millions of bondsmen.
One would think, sir, that the gentle
man who was just then engaged in the
prosecution Of a bloody war against
Orient engaged in the unsavory task of
Outstanding them with the sword and
ciVilizing them at the mouths of cannon
would naturally have felt some little
embarrassment as he gazed upon these
portraits and read the significant in
scription below. Possibly his eXcellency
did not see them. He may have turned
his back upon them just as he has
turned his back upon the declaration of
independence. Be this as it may, sir,
the president does not appear to have
been at all abashed by this incongruous
circumstance, but he arose from his
seat and there, within the shadow of
the monument of Bunker Hill, where
Warren fell, fighting for liberty, and
within a stones throw of Faneuil hall,
where time and again the true sons of
the old Bay state have sent forth to
the country their message of freedom,
he delivered perhaps the most remark
able, certainly the most disingenuous,
address that ever fell from the lips of
an American president. This address
Invested of it's verbiage, considered
apart from its platitudes and the os-
tentatious profession of virtue with
which it was interlarded, was nothing
more or less than a carefully devised