The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-02-16
An Open Letter-Mr. Sibley a Candi'
date for Congress.
To the Electors of the TMenty-eighth


your Representative in Congress.
1t would be impossible for me to write
to each of you, thanking you for your ex-
pressions of appreciation and confidence.
While realizing that you entertain too
flattering an estimate OF my ability, one
thing l do know, that during my term OF
service il was my constant aim 10 pro-
mote and support legislation making for
the betterment of the farmers, the man
ufscturers, the wage earners and the oil
producers of the district. This was es-
teemed by me not only dnty, but also a
privilege and pleasure. During my years
of service gave no attention whatever to
any private business, but devoted all my
energy and whatever ability was pos
sessed by me to the interest of those
whose real representative | sought to be.
To assist in caring properly for the in
terests of my constituents two clerks
were constantly employed and frequent
| ~ three. More than one. half of the total
sum allowed me for salary was paid to
those clerks, whose efforts were deemed
| by me necessary to serve efficiently your
interests.
No defender of the nations flag ever
wrote me concerning his pension who did
not have au answer mailed to him within
twenty four hours from the receipt of his
| communication.
| One clerk was constantly engaged in
the preparation of papers and the presen-
tstion of claims at The Pension Office. No
man or woman ever wrote me letter
asking my efforts in his or her behalf
who did not receive an immediate reply
| and such proper service by me as was in
| my power TO render. IL was my aim to
bear in mind at all times that / was sent
to Washington in behalf of all the people
of the district, and | never asked the
question whether the applicant for my
service was political friend or politi-
cal enemy.
In my retirement from official life it
was with the consciousness that no speech
ever made by me in Congress, no vote
ever cast by me, or no public action per-
formed by me, was made, given or per-
formed, with any selfish or personal end
to serve. can say in truth that on all
| public questions my only desire was to
know the right and then to possess the
courage to follow this course, especially
when it ran counter to the opinion of my
party leaders, and to the opinion of those
people whose judgment l value and
whose friendship prize.
| So far as | am aware, no vote ever cast
| by me, or no action performed by me
ever cost me the confidence or respect OF
any fellow Member of the House or Sem
ate, nor was my position on any public
question assumed by me, which was not
from my standpoint OF vision looking di
rectly to the welfare of those who had
nonoI ed me by selecting me as their rep
| tesentative.
No recommendation for appointment
to the public service was ever made by
me in consideration of and personal or
| han TO 90 Nl,,N \,
such recommendation, nor was any ap-
pointment ever held up by me for person
al or political advantage.
appreciated the honor of being Con-
gresham from the Twenty eighth Con-
gressional District, because l never failed
TO bear in mind that at home were good
men and women who had faith in me and
who believed however mistaken | might
be on any given subject, that in all things
their representative was trying to do the
best he knew how to render more vslu-
able the fruits of their toll. While real
izing the importance OF the office and the
dignity of the position il never caused me
TO call for larger sized hat, or made me
any other man than the same Joe Sib-
ley" whom so many of you have known
from his boyhood. Never having cheated
a friend or neighbor at home, never hav-
1 luk dug Ouo Wullc III pIl-
vate life, with falsehood or sharp prac-
tice, was not materially changed in my
general character and conduct by holding
official position.
Since my retirement from public life /
have endeavored to improve my mind by
residing and travel and my body by liv-
ing out OF doors. In the propagation snd
cultivation of rare fruits and flowers, /
have converted more than one hundred
acres of sand waste into fruitful orchards.
In the work on my farm l have been
| contented and happy, and the only time
that have ever regretted my retirement
from Congress was during the prepsra-
tion of the recent tariff bill, when it
seemed to me pity that from a section
OF the state with such vast interests in the
production OF iron, Steel, tin. oil, and in
the products of the soil, that no voice was
raised, and apparently no effort was made
for the protection OF these interests. Much
OF the wealth IN all the counties of the
district is derived from the production of
oil and the manufacture of its products
With the deYelopement of the vast fields
petroleum on our Mexican borders, it
| Sc med to me the representative of this
district had laid upon him an imperative
duty to defend this great industry which,
outside of agriculture, is second in i'm
portance to but few, if any, American in
dustries.
shall never cease to believe that if the
Congress and the President had been
| fully informed of the magnitude of this
industry, and the evil effects which
would be sustained by placing petroleum
on the free list they would not have TAX
en- action which permitted other nations
OF the world to levy an absolutely prohib-
tive duty against American petroleum,
while rendering and inviting them to free
access TO our home market.
The Hon. Lewis Emery, Jr., and the
Hon. Thomas W. Phillips came to Wash
ington aud clearly outlined the dangers
threatening the petroleum industry
through the misconceptions in regard TO
II entertained by Congress. That their
fears were not groundless may be readily
ascertained by consulting the oil market
reports. In an epoch when prices of all
other commodities are advancing, we
witness the anomaly of decline in the
prices of petroleum and the closing OF the
markets Of the world to our products.
Messrs Emery and Phillips did all that
as private citizens they could possibly do
to avert this disaster, and they we're even
held by those unfamiliar with their life
long attitude as being emissaries and as
acting in behalf of the Standard Oil Co,
Some years ago l contested with Mr..
Emery the honor of being the represent
alive from this district. The goddess OF
fortune favored me in that contest, and /
was pleased thereat, but when seeing his
earnest efforts in Washington in connec.
ton with the present tariff, | regretted
that he was not then in Congress where
his influence would count so much fol
our section of the state.
1t was my belief then, and it is my be-
! liaf that natrplanf,, 4,