The record-union., 1898-10-28

tenfold by it, inasmuch as sectional
lines and differences had, through its
agency, been blotted out forever.
The speaker recalled the victories or
Admirals Dewey and Schley, and drew
a picture of General Wheeler and
Roosevelt fighting side by side-the
chivalry of the South, the representa-
tive man of the North, both offering
their lives for a common purpose.
After the battle Of bullets, Mr.. De
Vries said. comes the battle of ballots,
and as he happened to be candidate
for reelection he desired to impress up
on his auditors a few matters Of local
and national Importance. He advo-
Gated, he said, the building Of theNicar-
aqua Canal, because it would add to
the commerce of the United States and
to the wealth of California, and be-
cause 1t was feasible, and-~once COM
pleted would pay for itself in six years.
He favored it's immediate construction
by the United States Government, and
not only it's construction~but it's owner
ship and operation.
He also favored the free and unlim-
tied coinage of both silver and gold at
the ratio Of 16 to l, and said the United
States could not afford to wait for re-
form in that direction until the rest
Of the world gave 1t permission to take
the step. England, he said, imports
much more than it exports, and to make
up the deficit and balance accounts, it
secures interest upon its boards of gold
dollars, after securing the demonetiza-
tion of the silver Of the world.
He said that on the question of the
Pacific railroads he stood precisely
where he stood two years ago. The
Congressional Record" defined his po-
sition on that question, and~as he had
stood in the past SO would he stand in
the future
Then Mr.. De vries turned his atten-
ton to river improvement in California,
and submitted that more had been done
in that direction in the past two years
than ever before. When he went to
Congress he found that a commission
had been appointed to investigate and
report upon the need of river improve
ment in the State, but for some reason
the commission had been tardy in per-
forming it's work. He had secured the
cooperation Of the other California
members and had stirred up the War
Department by demanding. a report on
the matter, and within a month the re-
qu1red report, recommending the eXpen-
diture of $2500O0 on the Sacramento
River below Sacramento City was be-
fore the proper committee
Mr.. De Vries said he had talked with
the engineers of the War Department,
and that they were preparing complete
plans and specifications for improving
the Sacramento and Feather Rivers
and their tributaries, for which an ap-
preparation Of 100000 would be
necessary. In order to get that ap-
preparation it was necessary to
strengthen the hands of the Repre-
sentatives in Congress. The item would
be inserted into the river and harbor
bill, and he had already laid plans to
have Rrovisions for its expenditure un-
der the Government contract system.
Whether he was or was not reelected
the speaker said, he would occupy a
seat in the short session Of Congress
from December to March, and if the
appropriation was to be secured it
would have to be at that session or not
for two years. Should he not be re-
turned to Congress, the appropriation
would never be made, for when he
would go before the committee to urge
the passage Of the appropria ton. the
Chairman would inform him that the
people Of his district did not want the
appropriation, and had repudfated If
when they repudiated him. A Congress
man defeated at the polls, he said, is
or very little use and no influence. like
dead limb on live tree.
Mr.. De Vries also spoke of his work
In having secured amendments to the
DEBRIS law, making 1t salutary and ef-
fective. He said the only way to make
congressman effective was to send and
resend them to Congress- He cited the
State of Maine, and said the reason it
had more political influence than New
York was because it had years ago
adopted the policy Of returning its
representatives to Congress instead of
electing new men who would have If
all to do over again.
Mr.. De Vries referred to the interest
he had taken in securing pensions for
old soldiers, both of the civil and the
Mexican war. He had submitted the
claims or forty-three old soldiers, all OF
which had been deemed hopeless and
has. he said, 200 Gases before the Pen
sion Department and If the old soldiers
desired to have those claims pushed
they would do we'll to give him a
| chance to finish the work.
Mr.. De Vries said he had no word tc
say against Frank D. Ryan, his oppo.
nent. Ryan was his personal friend
and was honest, able, conscientious and
faithful. and If elected would make a
good Representative. It was merely
question of who was better qualified
by past experience to serve the peo-
pie, and on that question he submitted
his candidacy.
REMARKS OF Mr.. STRADLEY.
Judge Hinkson next introduced Mr.
| Stradley.
Mr.. Stradley said he, like the man al
| the debating society who spoke last
and who said that everything that
could be said had been said, and he
| desired to say the rest. The Repub.
| licans, heSaid, contended that none OF
| the real issues were issues, but that the
| single tax question was. He had never
| in any political platform seen any af-
| firmation of the single tax, and If II
was not so affirmed, 1T could, not be ar
issue The Republicans, he said, con-
tended that the single tax was an issue
| because Judge Mcguire indorsed it. He
| inquired what Judge Mcguire, as Gov
ernor, could do to advance the single
tax theory, and called attention to the
fact that it could not maintain unless
by an amendment to the Constitution
upon which the people should vote
and the people could always be trusted
The present campaign, the speaker
said, was but a continuation OF the
| campaign of 1896. One pitched battle