Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-05
MICHIGAN MEN.
interviews With Them by an "lnter-
Ocean Man.

The Chicago IRter-Oceaa of yesterday
contains the following gossip on Michigan
politics:
Congressman Edward Breitang, of Negau-
nee, Mich, who is at the fremont, Was
asked yesterday if he believed the rumor
that Senator Conger was about 10 retire, and
if he himself were, as alleged, candidate
for the senaforship himself. Mr.. Breitung
replied that be did not believe that Senator
Conger intended 10 resign, and that he
should regret If the senator did SO, since no
considered hls services of much value 10
Michigan. AS for his own ambitions IN this
direction Congressman Breitung unequiyo-
caily declared that he was not a candidate,
and did not wish 10 become one, nor would
become one under any circumstances, for
he was too thoroughly occupied with his bns-
mess interests, and did not banker after the
honor after the honor. Speaking of those
who were candidates for the position, should
Senator Couger resign, he mentioned HOrr
and Kutcheon as men whom he would like
to see enjoy the honor. Congressman Brett
ung expects little done in Congress aside
from the passage of the appropriation bills,
and can not anticipate the action which mag
be taken III the matter of those railroad lands
in the Peninsula which were declared, by
recent decision of the Secretary of the Inter
ior, to be forfeited To those who now hold
them under actual purchase. He fully ap-
preciates the hardship which the owners
suffer if finally their titles in this land are
not confirmed. He does not think that
either this Congress or the next will attempt
any tariff reductions; but says if Democrats
put lumber on the free list, as he thinks they
will attempt TO do, that the common" lum-
Der trade of Michigan will be entirely de-
stroyed by the importation of Canadian lum-
ber. As it is now he says the profit is made
from the 'common''. lumber but from the
''uppers," and he adds that cheaper lumber
would not be the result of free trade In this
commodity, since with Canada controlling
the market and without the competition of
home producers, she could set the price as
she pleased. As a mining man he, with
others of the Upper Peninsula, experiences
the disadvantages of the uncertainty in bust
ness circles, and says that 1t is a question III
Cleveland whether ore will not be delivered
at the lake ports at S. ton for the highest
grade, and that this reduction from $3.50
will naturally come out of the wages of the
miners and transportation.
Study of the question in Europe causes
Congressman Breitung to insist that il is
upon labor that the influences of any re-
duction of the tariff by Democrats will be
felt.
Another Upper Peninsula man at the Ire
mont House yesterday, and who left for New
Orleans in the evening, was Mr.. A. G. Davis
of L'Anse, who is the Commissioner to the
Worlds Exposition from the Upper PENN
sula. He said that the miners exhibit of
the Peninsula would amount to about six
tons, and that it would pass through Chicago
last evening. Mr.. Davis reported that the
Upper Peninsula would send very fine
State exhibit, probably the best in the world,
he thought. 1t comprises two varieties, and
is typical of the quality of slate from that
region, which the Supervising Architect at
Washington has pronounced superior to
Welsh slate. and therefore the most desir-
able in the world. Mr.. Davis says he takes
down the finest plank that ever was made.
1t is of cork pine, without sap or blemish,
from Hibbard & Thurber's mill, and has di-
mensions as follows: Length, l6 feet:
width, Al inches. thickness, inches. He
also takes some fine specimens of corn and
other cereals native TO the Peninsula.