The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-29

would take him above the plano II
the most common mediocsity the peo-
pie of Virginia should be advised of
!. 1t. So far as I recall. the only things
Tor which he has claimed credit are
mat he has voted with his party ana
that be has gotten some appropriations
Tor thy rivers and harbors in the First
Congressional District. Tie seems 20
nave gone through tho appropriations
Tor rivers and harbo and has added
up all the amounts appropriated. dur
ing his twenty Years of service. to
the rivers and harbors OF his district.
and has claimed credit for getting thu
appropriations. Those routine apsro-
Prlatlons running through twenty
years aggregate a considerable amount.
Whatever credit may be due MIR. Jones
Tor getting these appropriations I
certainly would not take from him. IT
is amusing, however. to see that sort
of argument rcsorted to. If he mi
tiated any new project or can trace to
MS personal efforts the accomplishment
or any Improvement. why did he not
specify the instance and explain it to
the people? The same appropriations
have % be passca through the Sen
ate, and so far as anything stated ny
Mt. Jones is concerned I am entitled
10 as much credit for the passage IF
those appropriate bills through the
Senate as he is entitled TO for their
passage through the House. Suppose I
shopld add up all the appropriations
made for the Improvement Of the
James River and claim the credit for
securing them. Those appropriations
would aggregate. | am sure. largely
more than all the appropriations made
for the rivers and harbors In the
First Congressional District. The same
would be true should l add up all
the appropriations made for the i'm
provement of the harbor at Norfolk.
1t Is simply ludicrous for any man
to claim credit for appropriations
made in that way. I remember the
time when the Improvement of the
James River under the project adopted
by Congress extended nc further up
the river than the city line. 1t has
been largely the policy of Congress TO
bring tho channels of the rivers under
improvement no further than the city
limits. and the cities themselves were
expected to continue the work If they
wanted the channels extended further.
The business men of Richmond thought
that the channels should be brought
up to the wiarves where the CON-
merce was handled. agreed with
them and to accomplish
what they felt was just, right and
proper. Hon. Johp Lamb. the member
of Congress from the Third District.
entertained the same view which l
entertained. and together we went To
work to extend the project to the
wharves, and Congress granted what.
we asked. 1 feel that can claim
credit for initiating and accomplish
ing a new and enlarged improvement
in this respect, while & would be
ridiculous for me to claim credit for
every annual appropriation made for
the project after it was first adopted
and made in accordance with the
routine recommendations sent TO Con-
gress from year to year by the War
| Dcpa rtment
Entitled to Credit.
In like manner | recall that there
was a demand for a turning basin at
the head of navigation in James
River. The Congressman represent
Ing the District and ! initiated the
effort to secure that turning basin.
and ii was secured / feel that we
are entitled to some credit for that
result, but would be entitled to no
credit whatever for tbs annual appro-
priation made for the maintenance Of
the turning basin.
l can refer. too. fellow-c!tiZens. with
pride to the million dollar public build
ing now in the course of construction
in this beautiful city. This was not a
mere routine matter. There was a
night about it. and a hard one. The
people OF Richmond know whether oil
not | am entitled to any credit fol
what l did in respect to this matter.
recall with pleasure and pride the
! time when one of the largest meetings
Of commercial %en ever held in
this city was held for the pur-
pose of thanking me for my sue
ccssful work in securing this new
public building here. 4 l remember that
at that meeting the late Joseph Bryan
offered resolutions. which were unan!-
mously adopted, extending to me in
most generous terms hanks for what
] had accomplished. l could, fellow
citizens. mention many things Ike
these lone for the Virginia people in
the different sections OF the State. !
am not Undertaking to sun up things
which | have accomplished. and refer
TO these few Things simply to show
the absurdity on the part OF any man
OF claiming credit for routine appro-
priat!ons made from year TO year for
the maintenance or continuance of pro-
jects after once adopted by Congress.
This absurd claim made by Mr., Jones,
so IA: Is l can recall. is the only claim
which he has made, or which any one
has made in his behalf, for credit for
anything done in the House of Itparc-
sentativcs. am endeavoring. fellow
citizens, TO speak frankly and accn-
rately. Il he mas achieved anything
or won any distinction anywhere or
at any time. ! am not advised OF 1t.
On what. then. has he based his
claim to a seat in the Senate"
His Gross Inhdeiity.
II unaole 10 achieve anything; IL
unable to WIN any distinction, does 1t
not appear 10 YOU that he might at
least have remained at his post CT
duty and shown some fidelity TO dates
already undertaken before asking pso-
motion to higher office? AT times he
has seemed to he possessed OF the iIet
that he had a monopoly on political
virtue. but While preaching It he has
manifested the grossest inhdelity by
abandoning mis- post Of duty at a most
! i,...r..At- A.rLAG Il tAha hLatar,. az tha