The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-07-30

the influence Of the railroads-but
Congress- in November, 1884,
began to realize keenly how i'll
prepared 1 was to meet with In
telligence any important national
question. My service as district
attorney during the preceding four
years had absorbed my enegries
to the ex,f lsion of everything
else.
For these reasons I resolved to
go to Washington in January,
1885. The forty-ninth Congress,
to which l had been elected, did
not meet until December, but
hoped that by attending the clos
ing session of the forty eighth
Congress, 1 might learn something
of the great national questions
then under consideration.
l attended the sessions of the
House as faithfully as though 1
were a member. I studied the
rules, followed every debate, and
the Congressional Record each
day. When there was an all
night session l remained all night.
Carlisle was then Speaker; he
was a striking figure. A near
view OF his face was disappoint-
ing; it was almost colorless, aid
his eye was as dull as lead; but,
seen from the floor of the House.
his great, slow-moving figure and
his strong head were indeed
striking.
Arthur in White House
MANY other notable figures were
then playing their parts upon the
national stage. Arthur was In
the White House and Blaine was
still 4 great party leader. In the
Senate, where I sometimes occu-
pied a seat in the gallery, were
Edmunds. Hoar, Sherman, Evarts.
Allison and ingalls,.
In the House. the leaders were
Tom Reed, Mckinley, the brilliant
Ben Butterworth and Joe Cannon.
Cannon had not then earned the
title Of Uncle" he was a rough
and rugged man of so years, a
hardy off-hand debater.
On the Democratic side were
Carlisle. Randall, Mills and Hol-
man Of Indiana. Holman was al
ways objecting-the watchdog OF
the treasury.
During the daytime l heard
these men discussing the impor-
tant issues OF the time; many OF the
nights I spent in the Congressional
Library, eagerly reading political
history. I wanted to get hold OF
funda mental principles and the
reasons underlying current Issues.
I also read many speeches-Lin-
coin and Douglas, and the Elliot
debates.
I remained in Washington until
after the inauguration Of .Cleve-
land. I saw Cleveland and Arthur
sitting side by side in the Senate
chamber on March 4. My first i'm
preston OF Cleveland wae extreme
ly unfavorable. The contrast with
Arthur, who was a fine. handsome
figure, was very striking.
Cleveland's homely face, his
heavy, inert body. his great shape
less hands, confirmed in my mind
the attacks made upon him during
the campaign.
Later l came TO entertain n
great respect for Cleveland, to ad-
mire the courage and conscien-
tiousness OF his character.
A new congressman finds him
self at once irresistibly drawn into
various groups and alignments.
than I began to feel tho influence
OF Senator Philetus Sawyer, then
the leader OF the Republican party
in Wisconsin.
Owing to the fact that had
been elected to Congress without
the assistance OF the organization
indeed. in defiance of i'll knew
next to nothing about the under
lying forces which at that time
controlled, and in large measure
still control. party machinery.
A very small coterie Of men then
dominated the politics OF Wiscon-
sin and the two great leaders were
Senator Sawyer and Henry c.
Payne, who afterward became a
member OF Roosevelt's Cabinet.
Sawyer was a man OF striking
individuality and Of much native
force. He was a typical lumber
man, equipped with great physical
strength and shrewd, active
mind. He had tramped the for
ests, cruised timber, slept in the
snow, built sawmills and by his
own efforts had made several mil
lion dollars.
So unlearned was he that Il was
jokingly said that he signed his
name Up. Sawyer because he
could not spell Philetus. He was
nevertheless a man Of ability, and
shrewd counselor in the prevail
Ing, political methods.
He believed in getting all he
could for himself and his associ-
ates whenever and wherever pos
sible. I always thought that Saw
yer's methods did not violate his
conscience; he regarded money as
properly the chief influence in poll
tics.
Whenever It was necessary,
believe that he bought men as he
bought saw-logs. He assumed that
every man In politics was serving,
first of all, his own personal in
terests-else why should he be in
politics?
Unlimited Grants
He believed quite simply that
railroad corporations and lumber
companies, as benefactors of the
country. should be given unlimited