Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-01-24

Many of my personal and political
friends have encouraged me to be-
come a candidate for congress and in
pursuance to their suggestions l have
conferred with many of the leading
Republicans of the district and after
much careful consideration of the mat
ter | have decided to enter the con-
test.
'The selection of a representative
in congress or any other official is
simply business engagement be-
tween the people and the party Sc
lected; and the obligation resting up
on the employe is to perform all the
duties of the position with an eye
single to the interests of his en-
ployers.
There are many men in this dis
trict who are qualified by training and
experience to represent great con-
stituency at Washington, and l antici-
pate that there will be many candi-
dates in the field before the primary
is held.
Il believe that the federal constitu-
tion should be amended so as to pro-
vide for the selection of United States
senators by q direct vote of the peo-
pie, and until this can be accomplish
ed the states should provide a meth
cd by primary elections whereby the
electors can register their choice for
senator.
"a more rigid statute should be en-
acted which will absolutely prohibit
the immigration of a servile class to
compete with American labor, with
no intention of or fitness for acquir
ing citizenship, and bringing with
them and retaining habits and GUS
toms demoralizing to our civilization.
"The soldiers and soldiers widows
must be provided the necessities and
comforts of life in their declining
years. This nation can never ade-
quately pay the DEBT of gratitude
which it owes to the veteran soldiers
of the civil war, and l am in full
sympathy with and feel personal in
terest in all legislation which will as
sist the old soldier and those depend
ant upon him.
"The present condition of affairs
in financial and business circles
would indicate the inadequacy and i'm
perfection of our financial system. A
due regard for the interests and pros
perity of all the people demands that
our financial system be modified and
established upon such a sound and
sensible basis as shall secure the safe
ty and confidence of business inter
ests and thereby make the wage of
labor sure and steady.
THE interests of agriculture de-
serve more attention from the govern
ment than they have yet received.
More than so per cent of the people
OF this country live ON farms and they
produce more than IS per cent of our
exports. The government should aid
and strengthen the agricultural
schools throughout the country and
provide literature upon the science of
agriculture for distribution among the
farmers through the department of
Agriculture.
81 am in favor of legislation which
will stimulate the American ship
building industry So that American
products may be carried to all parts
of the world in American ships man.
ned with American sailors.
Changing conditions will soon nee
essitate a revision of the tariff and
when this is done there should be
reduction of all items that come with
in the class of necessaries; however,
any revision of the tariff should be
made with a due regard to the in
terests of capital invested and the in
terests and needs of American work
ingmen as compared with those of
foreign lands.
Greater aid should be given by the
national government to the develop
ment of the great waterways of the
country. 1t is recognized by all who
have studied the great problems of
commerce and transportation that the
railroads will be unable to properly
handle the traffic of the country in
future years, and for solution of
this problem we must turn to the wa
terways, at least the heavier, bulky
and long distance trade must be NOV
ed by water, as it is in many OF the
of Europe.
"a comparison of the river and har-
Dor improvements of the United
States with those of foreign countries
would indicate that we are still in our
infancy along this line; but we
have a greater number of miles of
navigable waters than any other coun-
try in the world and our opportunities
FOR development are almost unlimited.
I'm the early history of this coun-
Lry's development Henry Clay advo-
Gated a policy of internal improve
ments and for many years he cham
pioned the cause OF the national road
In congress, and / am OF opinion that
his policy should be revived and the
national government should give en-