The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-08-27
REVIEWS HIS
ANTAGONIST
TO WARNER
Osborn Says II Dates Back To
Defeat Of Marine
Hospital.
Grew During Intervening IL Years
FsiendIy Letters Only Formal
Courtesy.


authorized and signed statement:
Inasmuch as some attention has
been paid to the question Of my politi
cal relationship to Governor Warner
and the press has given the subject
much valuable space 1t may be worth
while to make complete and conect
ed recital, in as concise terms as pos
sible, of such relationship.
To me the matter seems to be of no
importance whatever and is even more
amusing than interesting. am so con-
scious that there is nothing In my pub
lie record that Is embarrassing in this
connection or any other that ! am con-
tent to have both my public and pri-
vate life scrutinized and analysed to
the extent of the minutest detail. i
think this Is due the public from any
candidate, and not only wish the peo-
pie to know that my public record is
good but also that my private life is
without serious flaw. do not wish
to assume to be better than the aver
age good citizen, but most earnestly
invite examination into both my public
and private character.
The first time that ever met Fred
M. Warner was at Lansing while he
was q member of the senate. had
gone to Lansing in the interest of my
home city, Sault Ste. Marie, for the
purpose of securing legislation that
would release any claim the state
might have upon the accrued tolls on
hand In the treasury of the st. Marys
Falls Ship Canal at the time Of the
transfer of the state canal to govern
ment control. It may be remembered
that while the state conducted the st.
Mary's Falls Ship Canal tolls were
charged. When the canal was trans
ferred, as above referred to, with all
Its belongings to the government,
there was fund of 100000 on hand.
This fund the state held in custody
and did not pay it over to the govern.
ment at the time the other property
was transferred. The 500 Is an ideal
point for q marine hospital, the magni-
tude of the volume Of the shipping
there being well known. It was con-
sidered by the city that II the canal
money belonging to the government,
rs was supposed, could be secured for
the purpose an additional appropria-
ton from the government could be
obtained and government marine
hospital gould be erected at the 500
adequate to the great needs that exist.
ed then and still exist The city re.
quested me to go to Lansing with 9TH
ers in order to have this fund released
80 that the plan outlined above could
be worked out. Representative Con.
nors of the Chippewa district easily
passed q suitable bill through the
house, twas net thought there would
be any opposition in the Senate. All at
once, however, opposition arose and II
was led by Fred M. Warner. He fin.
ally succeeded In defeating the the
measure was so earnestly and en-.
Enthusiastically advocating, by a very
narrow margin, and had the moneys
involved formally transferred from
the st. Mary's Falls Ship Canal fund
to the state treasury. This was about
twelve years ago as nearly as ! can
remember without having opportunity
to consult the records; it may have
been longer. ! was SO disguised with
Mr.. Warmers unfair and unjust atti-
tude, as / regarded 1t, that then and
there made up my mind that he was a
small, unfair and unsafe man. In JUS
tification of my position 1t is Just as
well to interpolate that the United
States government has sued the state
for the funds. ! am not informed as
to the progress the case has made.
My dislike Of Warner became more
acute while was commissioner of
railroads. He was a member of the
railroad crossing board of which as
los fA bot
At that time he belonged to the old
reactionary wing of the Republican
party and opposed to Pingreeism.
which ! espoused, and he was con-
trolled very evidently by the railroad
interests which were dominant in the
state at that time. AS commissioner
of railroads my record will show that
l initiated several progressive policies,
among them one to separate danger
GUS grade crossings in the state and
prevent as far as possible the cross
ing of steam and electric roads at
grade. It was An era of much electric
road construction. In almost every
instance when matters came before
the crossing board they were opposed
by Warner, who had by this time be-
come secretary of state and by virtue
Of that Office member of the board
This served to further strain my poll.
tical and personal relations with Mr.
Warner.
At the time that Governor Pingree's
second term expired became a candi-
date for governor. This was ten years
ago. failed Of nomination and
served one term more as commission
or Of railroads and retired from active
politics. About the same time l sold
the 500 News and have not had cent
Of ownership in that paper for eight
years. About the same time became
associated with Mr.. Walter j. Hun.
sAker, at that time managing editor
Of the Detroit Journal, az owner OF
the Saginaw Courier-H Herald, but 1
have had no direction Of the political
policies of that paper In any sense
So successfully has Mr.. Hunsaker con-
Quoted the Courier-Herald that he has
been it, independent publisher and I
have not visited the once an average
Of two. times year from that time to
this. not only retired from politics
IN Michigan, but spent my winters
IA etudying and travelling over the
world and spent my summers IN geo
logising and prospecting IN the woods
between Lake Superior and Hudoon'o