Year: 1874

the wants of the country, | urged
upon the Committee the overshadow-
ing Importance of giving to us this
line of railroad. And I believe l
did all that could be done before
that committee.


I SECURED A FAVORABLE REPORT.


That, fellow-citizens, is a great
point gained. The bill is now on the
calendar of Congress, ready to be
taken up at the next session. And
while am neither prophet nor the
son of prophet, I believe tho bill
will pass at the next session; that the
road will be constructed under it,
and that we will very soon be able to
pass to New York in one-half the
time now consumed. But l have no
time to elaborate on these matters.
My record is before you. / look up
on it not without certain degree of
confidence.


AS to the construction of the road
under the provisions of this bill, l
have no personal knowledge. 1 am
neither a capitalist, nor have at
any time been concerned in railway
building. But I am informed by
gentlemen who are in every way
qualified to Judge, that the road can
and will be bEilt under the bill.
Having confidence in their Judgment,
l feel reasonably certain that within
three years you will have a continu-
GUS line Of railway from this city to
Yew York. Applause. AS to the
services before committees, in justice
to the delegation from Oregon, I de-
sire to say that we are Il unit, and
worked in harmony. Col. Kelly, who
is a Senator from this State, did all
he could to aid in the passage of the
bill. Your fellow-citizen, Col Chap
man, is entitled to much credit
perhaps more than any member Of
the delegation. He worked with an
indefatigable ardor and persistence
which certainly deserved better sue
cess. 1t was understood that the
bill was to pass the Senate first, be-
cause that would give it an impetus
which would largely assist in its
passage through the other House Of
Congress. You all know that in the
West there had arisen a strong preju-
dice - proper enough, perhaps
against subsidies of this nature. I
allude to this because it operated
against this particular measure.
Many members desired to wait un-
til after the Fall elections But the
bill din't get through the Senate and
SO they were not called upon to vote
on it.


The next question of Importance is
THE IMPROVEMENT OF YOUR RIVERS AND


HARBoRs.


The appropriation of public money
for this purpose is also largely de-
pendent ON the action of committees;
and their reports are based on esti-
mates furnished by heads Of depart
ments. If you get an appropriation
the estimate must first come from the
head of ia department. These estimates
are sent in to Congress, referred to
committees, and there increased or
cut down-rarely cut down. Just
before Congress met a great financial
panic came ON the country. Con
gress undertook to economic, and
when the estimates for the improve
ment Of our harbors and rivers came
in they were referred back to the
to be cut down. In the
first estimates of the department the
sum of S47,500 was set apart for
Oregon: :-S20, 900 for Columbia Riv-
er, 500, 900 for the lower Willamette
and 81 500 for the upper willamette.
l was very much alarmed when this
estimate was referred back But by
and persistence it was not
disturbed. Indeed, Oregon was the
only State which secured the original
of public moneys for
this end.


It might be proper for me just here
to call attention to the want of polit-
cal support do not exactly mean
political or party support-which
impedes and hlnders your Represen-
tative in Congress. How much po-
litical strength in the House has this
vast area Of the northwestern empire
in itself?