The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-08-28
Congressman Fordney Well Received

| Congressman Fordney has held foul
splendid meetings in the county within
the past week, one at Henderson, Ben
niugton, Perry and Durand, the attend
ance being large except at the latter
place where only about 1875 were out.
At each place Mr.. Fordney spoke for
about two hours and held the closest
attention of every listener throughout.
He made plain his position on all mat
ters which have come up for discus
sion in the campaign and invited
questions from any one present. At
Bennington he first called attention to
number of false statements in the
literature being circulated on behalf
of his opponent-stating that he did
not believe Mr.. Fitzgerald to be re-
sponsible for the same-and then took
up the national platform which he
helped frame at Chicago as a member
of the Committee on Resolutions. He
said that his position had been mis-
stated by certain persons as to that
platform, that he stands squarely upon
every plank of it, he stated that some
of his opponents were endeavoring to
make great deal out of the fact that
he supported Speaker Joseph q. Can
non for President that the fact was
that long before Mr.. Taft was can
didate he had promised Mr.. Cannon to
do what he could for his nomination as
a candidate for president in case Presi
dent Roosevelt was not again candi
come a candidate and consequently he
felt that he could not honorably do
anything but support Mr.. Cannon
that he believed Mr.. Cannon to be we'll
qualified for the position, and that Mr.,
Cannon had done great deal for him
in matters of legislation in Congress
which affected the Eighth district and
the state of Michigan but though he
voted for Mr. Cannon he was very
friendly to Secretary of War Taft,
whom he knew well, and that he had
always been friendly with both Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretary of War
Taft He said that some supporters for
another candidate for Congress had at
tempted to maintain that he was not
friendly with the administration, but
that the truth was that lie had always
been friendly to President Roosevelt
and supporter of his policies, and had
voted in accordance with the policy of
the administration on all important
questions; that upon one question he
saw fit to differ with the administra-
ton; President Roosevelt recommended
the construction of four battleships this
year at cost of $4S, 900, 900 or $4,000
900 each, but he felt that while the ma
tion was running behind, that is, while
its expenditures exceeded its receipts,
so much ought not to be spent in one
year, and he opposed that expense, and
voted for two battleships only, and
Congress finally provided for two bat
tleships instead of four,
He stated that considerable talking
had been done by those who did not
know the facts about the Oregon land
bill, and it had been claimed that he
had opposed the department of justice.
This, he said, was absolutely false, he
had not opposed the department of just
ice, but that his course in that matter
had been that where innocent persons
had bought land which apparently had
good title, and many of them had
lived upon those lands for 25, 30 and
even 40 years, he believed those persons
should not be disturbed in the posses
sion of their lands; that he believed the
railroad Company and Hartman should
be sued by the government on account
of the lands they had improperly. dis
posed of, but that innocent purchasers
who had paid full value for their lands
should not be attacked. Mr.. Fordney
made this matter very clear and there
was not person in the room but that
approved his course in that particular,
and the fact is that every honest man
must approve his course in that regard.
Mr.. Fordney discussed at some
length a REVISION of the tariff, and
said he believed that Secretary Taft
in his letter of acceptance put the