Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-05
THEY ALL WANTED
TO GET IN ON IT
He Fought the Tariff Laws That
Made Him Famous and
Wealthy.
IS CONGRESSMAN He WAS FRANK
Was instrumental In Getting Henry
Georges Book Printed as Part
of Congressional Record.

Washington, April 3. - Hon. Tom
Johnson, who has just been elected
mayor of Cleveland, and who is be-
lieved to be working up pretty good
boom for the Democratic nomination
for president in 1904, is well known in
Washington. He used to be i'll con-
gress. 1t was about the time when
tariff was agitating the country, and
when Mr.. Dingley was building up
his famous schedule. Johnson was
one of the most talkative and con-
spicuous members of the minority.
Was Always Frank.
He would always admit with per-
feet franknesS that he was protiting
by the laws which the Republicans
were enacting. But-has hascontended that
il they would persist in their iniquitous
courses, it was better that he should
be the one to profit than that the loot
should all be grabbed by the heretics.
1t is recalled how, on one occasion,
Il member of the minority had been
indulging in a passionate onslaught on
the steel trust, which was being fos-
tered and built up by the tariff. Ding
ley arose in his serious way and said
he doubted very much if there were
any such thing as a steel trust. John
son arose with the announcements:
There not only is a steel trust. but
l am the president of it. | helped to
organize it, and as long as this iniqui-
tOus tariff law is kept on the statutes
1 intend 10 get all the profit that l
can from it,
Regarded Erratic.
Tom Johnson used to do many
things which were regarded as erratic;
but his eccentricity usually turned out
as profitable as that of the New Eng
lander who reaped a fortune by ship
ping warming-pans 10 the West Indies.
One of his most notable performances
was getting the government to print
the whole of Henry Georges book,
Progress and Poverty" as part of the
congressional record and then sending
out 100000 copies to farmers all over
the country.
Others'Helped Him.
He enlisted the help of his fellow
Democrats in working his scheme. At
his instigation one of them would get
up and. in the course of his remarks,
say: I'm reply to the gentleman who
has just closed / would like to make
a few remarks. MY ideas on this sub
ject are well set forth in the seven
teenth chapter of Henry Georges
work, and 1 will ask to have that
lhStAlcd III SptcCA
n little later some other member
would find that the sixteenth chapter
was very much to the point in illus
trating his ideas, and would get that
chapter put into his speech. And so
each man contributed a chapter until
the whole book was in the record in
various places. Then Johnson eXer-
cised his right under the rules to take
such portions as he desired and have
them printed separately. and collected
the various chapters into book form.
Struck on One Million Copies of Record.
He selected IL very cheap paper and
some large type, and had 100000
copies struck eff. They cost him about
a cent and half copy. He exer-
cised his further prerogative as repre-
sentative to distribute them free of
postage through the mails. Johnson
had house in X street, near Six
teenfh. and his neighbors tell how he
converted tine entire lower story into
4 depot for distribution of books. The
congressional folding department was
drawn uIton for force of workmen
to wrap and send out the literature:
and for weeks they toiled day and
night at the home of Representative
Johnson getting out Ms literature. He
used 20 say: 1T Isl all seed. / am
sowing the seed. Some day it will
come un. and what an overturning
there will be for YOU Republicans"