The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-07-02

Eugene oOufHut, the hOSeDurS TtuUueuteT,
and most of the smaller organs are indus
triously certifying to their readers that
Dolph is great, powerful and worthy man.
1t Is also noticeable that most of these ,eulo.
gies have appeared since the last election.
| The Republicans were1badly weakened In
the election; the legislature elected in 1892
including hold-over senators elected this
month-Will in 1895 elect successor to
Dolph. Naturally. he desires to succeed
| himself. This is laudable ambition. Mr..
Dolph is quite entitled to ask for re-elec-
| tion. But from the somewhat frantic tone
of the Republican press of the state. it is
evident that he feels little anxiety as to
whether his hopes will be realized.
As will be perceived there is not the
least lntimatlon of anything deroga-
tory to Senator Dolph. and reminds US
very forcibly of Capt. Bunsby's eff
so, why; then, therefore, ETC." Fur
ther on he says:
Now, we are disposed to treat Mr.. Dolph,
and every other public man, with justice
and hberality. In point of ability, he is an
entirely fit and capable man for senator.
He is a man of brains, OF industry, of un-
usual influence, of long experience. of the
most excellent habits, and is morally,
socially and Intellectually above reproach.
So much we feel disposed to say of Mr..
Dolph, a political opponent. because 1t Is
true, and we believe in telling the truth on
all occasions.
Here comes, perhaps, what the edit
tor considers a clincher, and which
will be the means of relegating the
Oregon senator to the shades of pri-
vate life:
Mr.. Dolph has been in the senate 10
years. During that time he has assisted
ably and lnfuentiallY in obtaining large ap.
preparations for Oregon; we cannot COM
plain about the amounts obtained; but the
disposition of it is curious study. The
work at the mouth Of the Columbia has
been prosecuted continuously, vigorously
and successfully; the desired object is very
nearly accomplished. Many hundreds of
thousands of dollars haye been sunk at the
Cascades, and the accomplishment of the
desired object is almost as far off as it was
10 years ago, when Mr.. Dolph first went to
Washington. The railroad company has an
interest in haYing the Improvement at the
mouth of the Columbia speedily and suc-
cessfullY completed; it also has an interest
in delaying and defeating the improvement
at the cascades. The work In both cases
has been done or not done just as the rail-
road company would naturally desire. Is
it reasonable to suppose that this is due to
accident or mistake? Is it not rather due
to design? We do not know that Mr..
Dolph was one Of the designers, but whether
so or not, the work has been finely done.
The editor of the Telegram knows
as well as any one that Senator Dolph
nor no other member of either branch
of congress has anything whatever to
do with the expenditure of the public
money. This is entirely under the
control of the war department and the
board of engineers, and always has
been ever since the public improve
ments in the Columbia river were
turned over to the secretary of war.
If such was not the fact we should
have just reason of complaint against
Hon. Jas. II. Slater, when he was
senator and member of the lower
house. There is no denying the state
ment that the editor of the Telegram
is veritable Capt. Bunsby. But in
the following he out-Herods Herod:
Then take the dalles mystery. When
Governor Pennoyer, the legislature and
most of the press of the state advocated
the building of portage road, as at least
a temporary solution OF the matter, and
to be used while the great boat-railway
scheme was Matching, Mr.. Dolph and
his colleague protested against the road,
and made no effort to obtain. the com
paratively small appropriation required
to build it. Now it is discovered that no
appropriation for the boat railway will
be made. Perhaps it was not expected.
It is also said that some appropriation
may be made to begin the construction
of canal and locks. To build these,
judging. from the way the work at the
Cascades has been prosecuted, would take
fully century.
When the letters of Gov. Pennoyer
came before congress for portage
road, the chairman of the committee
on commerce in the house came to the
conclusion that Il such was the desire
of the people of Oregon there was no
necessity for the locks-as the state
had already constructed railway-or
for further permanent Improvement on
the upper river. For this reason it
became necessary-to procure an appro
priation for the work at the Cascades
to eliminate the portage notion entirely
in the River and Harbor bill, and
make determined fight for the con-
tract system fer the locks and for a
sufficient amount to begin the boat.rail-
way. This our delegation did, and
they were successful in the first item,
but very likely will be defeated in the
last by reason of Democratic opposition
at home and in the lower house.
The Telegram ends its article with
the following sophistical paragraph:
To say the least, very little progress
toward opening the Columbia to
navigation has been made in the senate,
and, in the light of all the facts, it would
not be strange If the people of Oregon
should conclude in 1895 TO elec. some
other man as Mr.. DoIph's successor.
In the first place, the senate has
nothing to do with "opening the Co
lumbia," only with increasing the
amount voted by the house, and Sem
ators Dolph and Mitchell have never