The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-08-25
JAMES O'DONNELL OF JACKSON
WANTS TO BE GOVERNOR
Says He Finds Friendly Sentiment To.
I ward His Candidacy EVERYWHERE
Expresses His Views of Taxation
and Trusts-Framed the
Rural Mail Delivery Bill

Rural Mail Delivery Bill.
From the Grand Rapids Herald
James ODoDnell, OF Jackson, the first
candidate for governor to frankly announce
| himself, was a guest at the Morton last
night Mr.. O'DOnnell sill wears that
friendly smile that is his lifelong cOmpan.
| ion, ana looks as debonnair and stalwart
as ever. he has by no means lost courage
| in the pursuit of his ambition some day to
become the chief executive of the great
state of Michigan, but is more hopeful to-
day than ever. Very evidently Mr.. O'Don-
nell considers that II is now his turn to be
1T" and he does not waste any breath in
telling of the desires of his friends, who
have forced the step upon him. my
friends know of iDy ambition and why
should / conceal t?" he asked. In COM
mentiDg upon the state of public affairs in
IN the state he said:
am just returning from Saranac, where
had the pleasure of addressing 1900 of
the good people of that vicinity upon pub
lie questions of interest. 60 from here to
Sunfeld, thence to Hastings, where on
Friday l will speak to my former consti-
tuents. who for eight years supported me
as their representative In congress. Next
week will 20 to Newaygo to address
sOldiers' reunion, and later to Howard City
upon a similar errand. am kept busy of
late responding to invitations of this char
acter. find the farmers everywhere intell.
gently interested In affairs of state.
''You ask ne If l am a candidate for
governor. l frankly confess that am.
shall ask the republicans of the state of
Michigan to bestOw the honor of the nOmi-
nation for that Office upon me. Every
citizen has the right to aspire to places of
honor and responsibility within the gift of
the people, and trust l realize the re-
quirements of the high Office to which [
aspire. and l should endeavor to meet its
demands with the utmost courage and
fidelity that possess. There seems to be a
tendency to ridicule my position because 1
have made the attempt once before and
failed. l was a candidate three years ago
before the convention in this city which
nominated Governor Pingree. but did not
ask the convention of year ago to consider
my name. If there is anything wrong with
trying again after failure on the first
attempt, all that can offer as an excuse
is the illustrious example set me by men
like Governors Baldwin, Blair, Croswell
Luce and Rich, all of whom made several
attempts before they attained their ambi-
ton.
FARMERS HIS FRIENDS.
''In my travels about the state l find the
farmers have kindly interest in my candi-
dacy. They assure me that they recall that
l had the privilege of reporting out and
carrying through the national house of re.
representatives. the bill for governmental
aid to state agricultural colleges, and last
week our own school at Lansing received
from the sales of public lands S25, 900, as
provided in that very bill.
The farmers generally are very soictous
for tic complete establishment of rural
mail delivery, and see that Kent county
VIII soon nave tnat great convenience. L
am much gratified at the outcome of that
measure Gov had the pleasure of introduce
ing that bill into congress providing this SER
vice for the farmers. 1t is simply justice, and
the agricultural communities should have
had this convenience long ago. l remember
well that when l introduced that bill and
made speech in its defense, how many of
the members laughed at me and made light
of it, but the constituencies of these very
men are today enjoying its fruits and could
not be induced to do away with it,
II have been a citizen of the state of
Michigan for so years the goth of this
month l was born in Connecticut and
came TO Michigan when but child, and in
consequence l know its needs, for have