The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-03-11
HE WILL NOT
DECLINE
DR.. Baker Says That II rendered the
Nomination He Will
Accept 1t.
THE VIEWS OF REPUBLICAN,
As to Needs Of Astoria fully Eadofsed By
the Doetor-Iiis OSa Interests Idsn-
teal NTH City aad State-Sya-
Opsis Of his Eeesrd.

In view Of the general interest excited
by the communication published yes
terday over the signature Of "A Repub-
lican." advocating the nomination OF DR..
W. D. Baker for congressman from the
Second District Of Oregon. an Astortan
representative yesterday called upon the
doctor to ascertain his views upon the
subject. In reply to questions. DR.. Ba-
ker said:
''Yea, I have interests not only in Ciat-
cop county. but In the Valley. In Port
land. and In YamhilI county. In fact.
aside from property interests. am very
largely interested m the welfare OF the
whole state.
As to my past history. do not care
10 60 particularly into details. but viii
say to you In a general way that ! was
born In Oregon In 1876. and that grad
uated from Bellevue Hospital in New
York in March. 1850; and In July Of the
same year. entered the regular army.
was surgeon ia the army for eleven years
and when retired from the service,
came back here to live. For four years
under Governor Moody, I was state
health officer in Astoria, and SERVED AZ
city councilman In IsSl
"As to the nomination OF myself for
congressman for this district. ! viii say
that II that honor Is rendered 10 me
VIII accept H. have not thought OF the
matter particularly. although some OF
NY friends have spoken TO me concern
ing H. / can only say that II elected.
will look out for the interests Of Astoria.
Clatsop county and Oregon to the best
Of my ability. am an Oregonian for
Oregon, and believe IN the future which
Is before this great state.
"You ask me CONCERNING the live issues
before this community today. can
heartily endorsed all that Is contained In
the letter which you published yesterday.
Furthermore, II seems to me. that not
only IL Astoria as a seaport. and Oregon
as state. on the eve Of phenomenal
growth, but the United States Is about
to enter upon new era OF commercial
prosperity, under the auspices CT the
time-tried Republican party. and among
other prominent features In It's prosper
lty will be the development Of the inter-
change Of commerce with the Orient
Where is there a port on the Pacific
coast so well adapted by nature 10 han
die this great traffic as Astoria? Ger
tainly all OF the conditions are present
here. What Is needed Is an Intelligent
development Of our priceless possessions
Capital to open up the avenues OF trade.
anu 10 luG NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
which will give US the means OF reaching
out into this commerce abroad must be
provided. and. in order to induce the
investment OF capital, we must have GER
tain foundations to work upon. AS has
been well stated. one Of the primary re-
quirements is a dry lock. for the han
ding OF the largest ships both war ves-
sells and merchant marine. The town
itself must be remodeled, and the first
thing to be considered is the construction
OF a sea wall along the waterfront The
intervening space must be filed in, and
the city constructed upon lines which will
enable II to maintain a large population
All of these affairs will need more or
less assistance from the general govern
ment. and one who is familiar with the
situation and has at heart the prosperous
growth of his home town and state.
should not hesitate to enter the lists,
but should use ever enc I possible % hu-
man kind to bring about those desirable
results
Il do sonsider that Portland's interests
in the development of traffic at the Col
umhia river are equal TO those OF Astoria
She has her particular field and while
the establishment of a shipping port at
the mouth OF the Columbia may with
draw from Portland a certain amount of
business. yet 1t will build that city In
certain other lines and she VIII always
maintain her position as the tidanciaI
center OF the state. II hundred times
the amount OF traffic can be handled at
the mouth Of the river than is possible
to do at Portland. one hundred and ten
miles inland and with many difficulties in
the way Of taking care Of even what
she has. win not the entire state and
Portland as well be beneitted? Our in
terests are mutual. and II / am honored
with the nomination. and elected from
this district to represent its interests at
Washington, 1t will certainly be my aim
to promote those mutual interests in ev-
cry possible way. believe that Clatsop
county Is entitled now to the nomina-
ton OF the Congressman from this dis
trict, for several reasons. the principal
one being that not only co the local ln-
nerests here demand 1t. but upon our To-
cal advancement in the next few years
very largely depends a greater prosperity
for the entire state"