The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-20


MEET GOV. ST. JOHN
at Olathe on his return from the East.
sometime about the middle of Septem
Der. L wrote to my friend in Ohio and
suggested S25, 900, but failed to get
any reply until after st. Johns return
and our meeting there. Three of us
met there, witnessed his reception and
listened to his speech at night.
In that speech at night he said
(without quoting his language), that
he had been offered money enough to
keep himself and family during their
lives to get off the track. Yes" he
said, 81 could get quarter of a mil
lion dollars, but 1 am there to stay"
This was somewhat discouraging, and
yet encouraging. Discouraging to
think he was doing so much damage,
and yet encouraging if we could get
him away from the East and have him
remain in Kansas. We had long
conference with st. John, and present.
ed to him our side of the question and
the necessity for his being in Kansas,
that Kansas was
THE CITADEL OF PROHIBITION,
and was being hardest assaulted now.
We discussed the Republican platform
and his obligations to it.
Finally he said: eff Gov. Martin
will write letter committing himself
squarely to prohibition as a principle,
/ will see to it that there shall be no
nomination by the prohibitionists for
governor, and l will fill the appoint
+r 40, bvrt ho fiAno1 taa
for me and will return to Kansas by
the 21st of October and we will make
a desperate fight in each representa-
tive district in the state for Martin,
prohibition and the st. John electoral
ticket"
He wrote the substance of letter he
wished Mr.. Martin to write and sent it
to him.
We left him after full understand
ing of our course, but with the distinct
expression on his part that he must
fulfill the engagements made for him
by the prohibition committee, which
would include Indiana, Ohio, Michi-
gan, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New
York city, perhaps one in Brooklyn,
and one in Western New York.
These appointments, he said, he must
fill, for he must keep the best of faith
with the men in the prohibition party.
After returning to the hotel we dis
cussed the question of means, and it
was agreed that if l received favor
able reply would have to go TO New
York and present the subject to the
national committee. That as should
remain with the Republicans l should
have nothing to do with the money if
it should be given. | should do moth
ing but make arrangements for them.
A letter was drawn and signed by
all but me, which would have been
given to the national committee as a
voucher if they desired it. Afterward
the letter was signed by fifteen or six
teen persons. Had l gone to New
York the gentleman holding that let
ter would have gone as far as Cleve-
land, where he has relatives living,
and remained until L dispatched him
to come further, but unfortunately just
as all things seemed most propitious
for success, received q dispatch from
my friend, saying: Nothing can be
done; have investigated fully and am
certain" Here the matter dropped.
The men went about their business
and st. John to the East to fulfill his
engagements. I think the last day of
September l received a dispatch from
the chairman of the republican state
central committee of Ohio, asking me
to come to that state to aid them, and
especially to speak in places whore st
John had spoken, and to speak first at
Oberlin on the 9TH of October. re-
sponded to that call, and started the
next day for Columbus, O.
The second day of my being there 1
met the gentleman to whom l had
written and who had telegraphed
nothing could be done. He asked
me if that matter could be arranged to
get st. John out OF Ohio, and replied
by saying that his dispatches
STOPPED ALL MY NEGOTIATIONS,
but said, if you think it necessary I
will try. He then explained to me
what he conceived to be the situation.
He said while he did not think the
canvass endangered Ohio, it did endan-
ger the election of two or three men,
bers of congress, but in New York it
WAS NcIl QduSclOuS. lhdo thO iscl'ub-
lican majorities in New York were in
the country and where Republican ma
jorities were the heaviest, st. Johns
friends were the most numerous, and
something must be done. told him
what had been done and what |
thought possible could be accom-
plished. L said to him that l could
negotiate myself only through the
gentlemen who hold the letter OF au-
thority, but if negotiations were en-
tered into | would keep closer to st.
John, and had no doubt he would re-
turn with me at the appointed time.
Nothing moro was said to me or by me
until the Sunday following, when l
again had further conversation with
him, and he said he wanted me to go
down and see Mr.. Clarkson at Cincin-
natl. / demurred by saying l did
not know Mr.. Clarkson, and l did not
want to talk the matter over with
everybody.
He said: "Mr. Clarkson knows of
it, sees the Importance, and wants you
(me) to come"