The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-10-07

| based upon insufficient information con-
corning present conditions. There has
been most anaccountable effort from
certain sources to place obstacles in the
way of the delegation in congress and
especially to weaken my influence in en-
deavoring to secure an open river. 1
am not in the habit of noticing personal
attacks, especially attacks of which my
official record is sufficient refutation
but | think I will embrace this oppor-
tunity to say at this place and this time,
once for all, that if any one can show a
single act, vote or speech of mine which
was calculated to retard the opening of
| the Columbia river,-I will put it in
stronger terms,-if any one will show
where there has been an opportunity to
promote the opening of the Columbia
river and to secure appropriations for
that purpose which have not improved
with all the zeal, ability and persever-
ance possess, 1 will at once resign from
the United States senate.
will say in this connection that in
all that has been accomplished and all
that has been attempted to secure an
open river and for river and harbor i'm
provements in Oregon, Mr.. Mitchell,
since he entered the senate, has earnest
ly cooperated with me, and all the Ore
gon delegation have been energetic and
diligent; and it one has accomplished
more in this respect than another, it
has been because his opportunities, be-
ing member of a committee having
jurisdiction of rivers and harbors, were
better.
will go further; if any one can show
that in my controversy between the peo-
pie and corporations / have not exerted
all my influence and cast my votes for
every just and constitutional measure in
the interest of the people and for every
measure calculated to benefit the labor
ing man, will retire to private life.
The senate committee ON commerce,
through my efforts after I entered the
senate, was enlarged to give me place
upon it The first speech ever made
in the senate was in favor of the inn
provement of the CoIumbia river, II
have from the time entered the senate
improved every opportunity TO secure
appropriations for the work at the cas-
cades. Being a new member and failing
in committee to secure an increase of
the appropriation for the canal and locks
in the river and harEnr bill of 1854; 1
made, notwithstanding was a member
of the committee and tacitly committed
to support the reportof the COMMITTEES,
a motion in the senate to increase the
appropriation for the canal and locks
$50, ,000and supported it with speech.
It failed, lacking a few votes of major
ity. You willrecollect that Senator Frye
of Maine, spoke against it, saying that
Oregon was already literally provided
for and that Twas the greatest beggar fof
my state in the committee.
1 believe have secured in every. sub
sequent river and harbor bill, except the
last, liberal increases for this work. At
the 51st Congress introduced and re-
ported from the Senate Committee on
Commerce and secured the passage
through the Senate of a bill appropriat-
ing the whole amount required for the
completion of the Cascade canal and
lOChS.a bilO OZIiQ NfOllST0SS L III
troduced. reported and secured the pass
age through the Senate of similar bill
appropriating the whole amount required
for this work. / now recall no other case
where this has been done except the inn
provement at the mouth of the Missis-
sippi. Does this look much like
disposition on my part to retard the work
or prevent the opening of the Columbia
river? If so, let some of my Democratic
friends indicate what else could have
done2
I1have recently discussed the matter
of the improvement at the dalles of the
Columbia and need not enlarge upon it
here. My strenuous exertions to secure
the commencement and speedy con-
struction of this work have brought
down upon my offending head the wrath
of all who were seeking to maintain the
grasp of existing monopolies upon the
commerce of the Columbia River Valley
and the adverse criticism and misrepre-
sentation of the Democratic press; and
the strangest thing connected with the
matter is that the people who are seek
ing to control the river attack me. by
alleging that am seeking to perpetcate
the existing monopoly.
Continued on 2 page.)