The Owosso times., 1908-08-14
Wanted-A Business Congress.

AL Iuo ueuOCIdtiS, uiuB Wuhip ohu
no-mans land papers in the Eighth
District are fighting Congressman Ford
ney. The head and front of Mr.. Ford
ney's offending is this: He has not
accepted without examination every
thing which has come from the white
house under "a reform" label, marked
o. K.-T. X. He has had opinions of
his own, and having risen from the
ranks of poverty solely by his own
efforts until he has become one of the
most successful business men in Michi-
gan, his opinions are pretty apt to be
right. Recently one of these free trade
sheets called attention to the alleged
fact that during the last fiscal year the
Roosevelt administration had expended
$144, 600, 900 more than the current
receipts, and that less extravagant
congress should be elected. This wis
dom appeared in an anti Fordney paper
of the most virulent type and the inno-
cent e0itor appears to be totally obli-
vious to the fact that he was making
splendid argument in favor of Mr..
Fordney denomination. 1t is not fact
that the Roosevelt administration has
run behind $144, ,600 600 during the past
fiscal year, but it is a fact that no re-
publican should defend, that it has run
enormously behind Mr., Taft sthtes
the amount at about $50, 900, 900 after
taking credit for about an equal amount
of bonds retired during the year. Now
in spite of the fact that the country
was expending an enormous amount of
money more than current receipts Mr..
Roosevelt insisted that congress should
provide for four battleships year at
cost of S4S, 100000. Mr. Fordney and a
majority of the congressman who do
their own thinking, insisted that such
an enormous expenditure was unneces-
sary and unwise, and Mr.. Roosevelt's
extravagont and warlike ideas were
defeated.
Is there any question how the Eighth
Congressional District stands on this
issue? Is there any question that ten to
one of the voters of the district are with
Mr.. Fordney and against Mr. Roosevelt
on this issue? There can be no possible
doubt on this question, and the congress
sional candidate who would go before
the people in favor of so enormous and
unnecessary an expenditure in the face
of an appropriation of 1920, 000,O00 for
the army and navy, and an enormous
deficit, could not muster one hundred
votes in the entire district.
President Roosevelt's Panama Canal
project, his splendid forestry reserve
policy, his great nat onal irrigation
plans, his deep waterway and harbor
improvements have received the approx
al of every thinking man who has at
heart the welfare of his country. In
these policies he has had no more loyal
supporter than Mr.. Fordney, but Mr.
Fordney was reared to habits of busi-
ness prudence, and the prudent busi-
ness man or the prudent farmer with an
income of 81, 900 per year does not us
ually arrange to spend $4,000 per year,
and it is painful fact that there has
been a treasury deficit three out of the
past four years.
The sentimental issues have been sad
ly overworked by the lingual ornaments
in congress. 1t is time for the commit
tee on ways and means to have an in.
ming, while the improvident and reck-
less spenders take a vacation. The
gallery has been entertained long
enough. The business interests are
entitled to little attention now and
then. As a dispenser of ornate rhetoric
Mr.. Fordney does not pretend to shine. .
AS plain, honest and capable business
man with broad grasp of the business
affairs of the nation he has taken a
commanding position in congress.
He has been for Michigan interests
every day in the week and he has not
preferred Cuba and the PHILIPPINES to
his own constituency, He has PLAYED
to no grandstand to win the plaudits of
the sensational or the favors of power.
1t was such qualities as these AID not
polished and sophmoric rhetoric that
made Zach Chandler Michigans great
est republican leader and endeared Sem
ator Mcmillan and honest John T. Rich
to the hearts of all true republicans.