The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-14
CONGRESSMAN CAMINETTI
Gives Democratic Reasons for
Democratic Victory.
He Tells How 1t Happened hat He Obtain ed
Such Large Majority in the Second
Congressional District

A. Caminetti, Congressman elect from
the Second District, is gus at the Lick
House.
Twice he represented AmadoI County In
the Assembly, for one term in the Senate.
and two years ago he defeated the late
George G.. Blanchard for Congress by
majority of less than 200. On last Tuesday
he was returned to Congress by a majority
of 1000.
He is native son of the Golden West
and very popular in the north.
When asked by CALL reporter for an
explanation regarding his immense ma
jOrity, he replied: mo one was more sur
prised than l at the result | expected to
be returned TO Congress, and ] thought nv
record would give me a majority of say 700.
When the returns showed that l had five
times that many / was nonplussed. MY
opponent, Mr.. Davis, is a gentleman OF
ability aud integrity; his character is above
reproach. Our canvass was made without
the least particle of mud throwing; in fact
we treated each other like members of one
family. instead of opponents, and when
ever we had occasion to refer TO one an
other 1t was in the kindest and most COM
mandatory language possible.
Davis was handicapped from the start
from the fact that my introduction of bills
for the relief of the miners had captured
the mountain counties, and my securing of
large appropriations for the Improvement of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers had
made me many friends in the valley counties
of my district
No Congressman from California has as
difficult task TO perform as the one from
the Second District. AS you know, the ag-
ricultural and mining interests have been
at war Tor years, and as consequence ali
the hydraulic mines in the State are tied
up. represent both, and it was my effort
TO compromise between the two and ar
range SO that both could prosper and in this
way add to the wealth of the State | did
hot undertake TO carry water on both Shout
| ders, but To enact legislation that would be
| equitable to ali parties.
THE mining and river bills introduced
| by me, and which l had passed by dint of
| hard and unceaSing work, affected two
| thirds OF my district The passage of the
| river bills places the two main rivers OF our
| State in better condition than they have
| been In the past quarter of century, and IN
| cOnst qCence l am the first Democratic can.
| ddate for Congress that has carried Sacra-
| mento County in decade.
MY vote for silver coinage gave me the
| support IN large measure of the Peoples
| party In Sacramento. San Joaquin, Mono,
| InyO aud Placer counties.
My bill to reduce the boundaries of
Yosemite National Park added TO my popu-
| laTity in the counties affected.
'The mercantile communities of Stockton
| and Sacramento felt like rewarding me for
|
| me in Washington the navigation of the
| Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the
two great waterways OF the State, was as
| sured.
"My mining bill. after it was explained,
| showing the benefits that would accrue TO
| the river and valley counties, absolutely
| made me hundreds OF votes irrespective of
| politics. OF course, the mining communi-
| ties sustained me, for my defeat meant the
| defeat of an interest To them.
QS m mi Il int 3
| OF the country by the Democracy. Gensr-
| ally speaking there are two great causes.
| In tie first place some of the business ele-
| ment throughout the Union was affected
directly by the Mckinley bill, wherein it
was dlsadvantageous to them. Being in
jured financially, naturally they were pre-
JUDGED against the party pledged to its con-
tinusnce. When the Lead of business
establishment complained naturally their
employees sympathlzed and followed in their
wake.
Take into consideration the vast extent
OF this republic and you will at once
perceive that limited number in each
locality where they allow business con-
s.deratlons to control their vote will WELD
an immense influence in the total vote OF
State.
I'm the second place there was wide
spread feeling of unrest among the labor
ing classes of the country. This was more
marked in the Eastern States than on the
Pacific Coast owing to the fact that more
labor establishments were affected by the
tariff located in that section.
Promise had been made by Republican
orators four and two years ago that the
protective tariff system not only meant the
maintenance of the then existing wages, but
an increase thereof. In many States the
position of the Republican party was sus-
tanned by the people, the laborng element
particularly assisting. The iabOriDg men
therefore naturally expected that the
promise would be fulfilled.
Experience has shown that invariably
where wages have been affected they
have been reduced. 1t would be like look
ing for a needle In haystack TO find works
throughout the line of protected industries
where wages have been increased.
"The Homestead labor troubles undoubt-
eddy influenced public opinion, happen
ing as they did just prior TO the Presden-
tial election, and In typically protected
industry favored with fat Government
contracts, having the best plant in ex-
istence, every facility for cheap production,
and yet when the tariff system provided
for by the Mckinley bill was applied to the
Carnegie works it not only failed TO main
tain the wages existing prior to its enact
ment by Congress, but actually materially
reduced them. The same might be said of
the other protected industries throughout
the country.
'As an illustration of the effect of
the complaint caused by the non-ful6ll-
ment OF ante-election promises, take city
having q factory using material protected
by the tariff where wages had been re-
duced since the Mckinley bill went into
effect. Every employee was living argu-
ment against the tariff policy Of the Repub-
lican party. He would argue with his
fellow men from personal experience and
his argument carried weight.
THE campaign was apparently apathetic,
but 1t was thoughtful one. 1t was a
silent revolution of the business and labor
communities OF the United States, hence
the surprise to the political leaders of all
parties.
Il hope the incoming administration will
study the causes of this revolution and aim
by safe and conservative methods to SUBJ
tha hast int ~ -