Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-09-24

against 20 in the last Congress. But very
few members have yet been chosen, but
enough to indicate the tendency Of
things. Thus the Republicans gain one
In Oregon, and one in Vermont, with
certain prospect Of making gains In other
Sta,es, sufficient 10 assure a decided
Republican majority. 1u view Of this
state Of things does not Mr.. Hurd's theo y
admonish the people OF this district VI
the importance to them Of sending a
Republican and not q Democrat 10 rers
resent them 1t is very evident that
Judge Ritchiecould hardly have as "lits
tie influence" in a Democratic House as
would Bourbon extremist like Mr..
Hurd, in Republican House. A hope
ful plight would a Republican District
be In, to be sure, after having sold itself
to a man Of Frank Hurd's political
record, for the money appropriations
which he promised to secure for 1t from
a democratic House." to fnd the rep
resentative thus chosen in Republican
House. Under such state Of things,
Mr.. Hurd's speech Of the Sth inst 4, in
connection with his election by Repub-
ican votes in Toledo, would constitute
a curious basis tor appeals for appro-
priations How much "influence" does
he suppose he then would have2 What,
then, would he be likely to "get" for
the people who had basely abandoned
all principle ami meanly sold them
selves for bis political influence" with
Congress Overwhelmingly Demo
cratic2' Would not that be a proud
position for commercial city2 And
w, it is precisely The position iDhich Mr.
II rd assumes he Republicans Of Toledo
capable Of tdking No, Mr.. Hurd,
the days of Overwhelming" Con-
federate Brigadiers in Congress have
passed. The "Solid South" has lost it's
grip Scenes such as you took part in
at the extra session OF 1879, are not to
be repeated. And the Northern con-
stituency that thinks to sell their man
hood for the favor OF Confederate Con-
gress, by sending you there to misrep-
resent their real sentiment, had better
think aeain, before closing such bar
gain. You seem to be eager for a
hand in such venality; but you will not
be gratitied. The Republicans OF Toledo
are not the sort of men you take them
to be. They are not for sale. And II
hey were, they would be stupid
enough to sell to one who keeps his
bargains no better than you with
the soft-mouey Democrats and Nation
ais in the present Congress.
Z. Mr.. Hurd's reference to theimprove.
ment of the harbor, is confined to an
imperfect statement OF what Others HAVE
DONE, and to what he promises TO do, il
enough Republicans will vote for him.
All he seems to be waiting for, is a
recommendation by the Engineer"
when, without doubt" he will secure
the appropriation Of several millions
of dollars" He then goes on boastfully
to ask, "Shall the Individual who in
rugurated these schemes be ignored ?'
What individual" is here meant, ie
plain enough; and more i'm.
pudent assumption could not be put
firth. "Originsted these schemes" Of
hsrbor improvement, indeed Does
Mr.. Hurd really think that he is the
author of the plan for "a straight chan.
mel ?" Or is he attempting an imposi'
ton upon the assumed ignorance OF oul
citizens? II he will take time enough
to study the matter litSle, he will learn
that in 1872 at the request of the Tole
do Board Of Trade, he Secretary of Wal
submitted the matter Of more adequate
improvement OF the harbor to a Board
of Government Engineers, who made 6
full and careful examination, and pre-
sented three "plans"-(D that Of Gen
Cram, for "a straight line through
North Cape Point" to the lake, with 25(
feet width, 10 feet depth, and 6.3 miles
in length, to cost 81, ,S5S, 800; ~ modi
ficatiou of this plan, extending the
River through both Bay and Cape Point
to the Lake, to cost So, or, 800; and (3)the
plan OF improving the then existing
channel through the Bay, with Is feet oi
water, and with estimated cost OF $3.50,
600, which latter plan WAS adopted and
is now substantially completed. So, il
seems, that Gen. Cram, is "the indivi
dual who inaugurated" the straight
channel" which Mr.. Hurd proposes to
appr oprlate as his own exclusive prop
erty, and for the use of which he now
demands, as royalty, votes enough to
send him back to Congress. 1t is moi
the result of careful engineering and
mathematical demonstration, but the
suggestion OF statesmanshipl And vi w.
ed from the present Democratic stand.
point, there is some force in this claim
for il lifelong devotion to the profession
of arms, produce a statesman" wide
Gen. Hancock why should not the
practice of law aud political manage
ment qualify Mr.. Hurd to 'inaugurste'
valuable plans for harbor improve.
mems? But the fact is, that Mr.. Hurd
had no more to do with "inaugurating'
the straight channel plan Tor the To.
ledo harbor, than he had with the plans
for the Miami and Erie canal, and this
claim to such authority, is an insult to
every intelligent citizen of Toledo. He
has not even "inaugurated" bill max
ing appropriation for the improvement
of the harbor already adopted, and as
late as May last-the fifth month OF the
session, and near its close he had not
taken a step toward the appropriation
subsequently, made at the instance of q
Committee OF the Produce Exchange
who visited Washington to accomplish
what Mr.. Hurd had neglected to do.
AS to the appropriation for the
Government building, it is proper here
to state that Mr.. Hurd did nothing in
that direction until last winter, and az
late as March, ne expressed the opinion
that no appropriation therefor would
be made at that session. He then
rested quite satisfied with such pros.
pect. But when, soon after, the Ohio
Legislature repealed the Democratic
"Gerrymander" and placed Mr.. Hurd
back in a Republican District, he
suddenly was aroused to sense
OF the pressing demands of Toledo'i
"local interests" for Congressional at.
tention. But it was neither 10 the har.
Dor nor the Government building that
he then directed his thought ts; but tc
the Canada Railway bill, by which he
proposed to get votes by cutting of
three OF Toledo's eastern railway con.
nections To which end he made triI
TO this city 10 present his scheme to the
Produce Exchange for it's endorsement
This he did, resulting in the disdpproUa
of his bill by that body. Defeated in this
venture, and confronted with an adverse
majority in the district, his emergency
was great, and nothing was left him but
the government building 30 long neg
lected. Returning to Washington be
stated his desperation to the Demo.
cratic leaders, telling them that nothing
could save him, but liberal appropri,
alton Of public money for Toledo in some
form. 1t was finally agreed that the
building bill be taken up and passed
and Speaker Randall and President pro
ten OF the Senate, Thurman, agreed
to do their part, by giving to Mr.. Hurd
the floor at the proper times, 10 the ex-
clusion OF members having like bills far
ahead Of Mr.. Hurd's. With such help,
he as enabled 10 get through the bill
which, until the failure of his Canada
scheme, he had abandoned for the ses-
sion. How much, in all this, he was
moved by disinterested concern for the
| Walfara of Toledo Let the rQadar iudoa