The Cairo bulletin., 1906-07-24
GREETED HON. OLIVER J. PAGE
CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS.
SIGNAL NOMINATION.
Arragns Congressman Smith for OPP
posing Rural Routes and Failure
to Secure Government Care
of Levees at Cairo.


j Hon O. j. Page, of Marion, H.. can
didate for the Republican nomination
for congress before the primaries ON
!, August 4, addressed a meeting OF
Alexander county voters at the court
house last night Probably five hun
dred voters were in attendance; the
court room being comfortably filled.
As a matter of course majority were
negroes, but there were quite mum.
Der of white Republicans present, and
some Of the prominent members Of
the party,
The speaker was under the special
care of Sheriff Roche and City Attor-
ney Frank NJ Moore, and the latter
introduced Mr. Page to his audience
as one Of the able and worthy aspr-
lants TO the favor of Republican voters
Mr. Page makes a good impression,
before an audience and he makes n
good talk He has somewhat the APP
lpearance and manner Of Richard
! Yates. He spoke about an hour last
might and succeeded in arousing con-
| siderable enthusiasm; applause filled
| the court room several times and
cries of "Hurrah for Page" but all
this demonstration came from the
dark part of the house. The white
Republicans were very stingy with
their applause.
Mr. Page spoke of his own record
as a member of the Illinois legisla-
ture, citing several laws which ne
had introduced and had pas ed
several important general laws while
he was a member of that body, He
contended that it was as easy for a
congressman to get a law through con-
gress as ii was for member Of the
lower house of the Illinois general
assembly to get a law through that
body But he challenged Mr.. Smith
to show that he had in all his long
cervice. succeeded in having single
general law passed by congress. Con
gresham Smith had sent out circu-
lars, or booklets, in which he had
summed up all that he had dcne fer
his constituents. In this booklet It
was stated that he had secured $f45,-
goo in appropriations for this district
during his term of office, 1t might be
a great thing for Mr.. Smith to secure
s4i5 900 in eighteen years, but Con-
gresham Rodenburg had secured
100000 in a single day, for his dis
trict
Congressman Smith claimed to be
the father of the rural mail route but
the record at Washington proved that
he had opposed a proposition to in
crease the first appropriation made
for that purpose, from $4,000 TO |
100000 and that the increase was
made in spite OF aim.
Congressman Smith had posed rs /
the friend of river improvement, but /
had seriously neglected his duties in /
that direction. In Missouri the con |
gresham had secured a law extending |
the government care of levees up /
the river as far as Cape GIrardeau, /
Rodenburg had secured ,
a law extending like care for his dis
trict but there was a great gap on
this side of the river, extending the
entire length of this congressional dis
trict where the government care of
levees did not extend. True, Congress
man Smith had introduced a law for
the purpose of providing such care for
his district, but he had done so only
after he had been home 10 look after
BIZ fences and after being repeatedly
urged TO do so-and then il was too
late to get il passed by this congress.
Mr.. Smith expected the people here
10 be satisfied, however. with his
statement that he had the matter in
shape Tor passage at the next CON
gress: and in he meantime we could
stand on this side Of the river here
and see the government building
levees for our neighbors in Missouri
Mr.. Page made a number of other
strong points which were duly APP
plauded He was well satisfied with
bis meeting aud is very confident of
success. He expects TO carry William
on. Franklin Randolph and Pulaski
counties. and a part OF Perry lie also
.eels that he will get some delegates
rom this county
Among the prominent Republicans
At the meeting were John r. Rector /
Sr. Alderman Fuller. ExAldermau
Men. ". II. Wood. chairman Of the
republican county central committee.
d.. Dunn. Pohn c. Fisher, County
Clerk Miller