Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-11
WHAT EDITOR PORTER SAYS

About Judge HarrisOnss ssOpen Let. |
ter,,-What is Said About the Con-
sequences and the Judges Attitude
No Damage in n Party Point of
View VIII Result-The Democrats
Warmly Endorse Judge Harrison's
Position.
Judge Harrison's "open letter" was quite |
a bomb shell, politically speaking, and has
awakened no little interest throughout the |
state in both parties and. despite the mid
summer lethargy, the gubernatorial issue
is revitalized.
Editor Porter said yesterday on the sub
ject:
"Yo see, the whole gist of the matter is
this: Judge Harrison was zealously nurs-
ing personal issue, and that failing he
finds himself in an extremely delicate stu
alton. This unexpected attack has come
upon me so suddenly that shall make no
effort to answer it in full to-day, but shall
do so at length tomorrow. The letter
makes grievous charge against me which
those who do not know mo personally may
be willing to credit. But am not poll
tician looking for Office; am newspaper
man. My being in the Legislature was
more of an accident than anything else.
I have never done anything that I cannot
stand by and substantiate fully. and
have no fear but that when my state
ment of the case is published the public
will see the affair in it's true light. But
as to the letter. When Mr.. Harrison says
that he was invited to share in the deliber-
atoms of the committee, he is perfectly
right. He was invited to give his opinion,
the same as Mr.. Buck or Mr.. Case or Mr..
Robinson or Mr.. Cole was. AS for Cover
nor Buckley, he never saw the report.
The committee purposely avoided meeting
in his room, to prevent misunderstand-
ing. Of all men, he knew the least about
it and was apparently the most Indifferent.
Now, am not a lawyer, 80 approached
prominent lawyers on the point. went
to Mr.. Robinson and said, what are your
views?' and to Mr.. Cole and Mr.. Harrison
and said the same thing. I would answer
will you put that in writing for the com
mitteea'
tMr Harrison held very conservative
views; others held very liberal views. We
did not follow the suggestions of the for
mer any more than those of the latter. We
considered all sides and heard suggestions
from all the party leaders. never saw
more fair-minded and liberal committee.
We put ourselves in the position of the
democrats and tried to argue the matter
from their standpoint I was not the
chairman of the committee. Mr.. Green
was the chairman, a lawyer of experience
and ability.
IT don't know why he Mr. Harrison
| has singled me out as the object of his
| wrath unless it is because I am the editor
| of the Post. The committee has nothing
| to conceal, and I certainly have not. A
| great injustice has been done me personal
| ly, which will of course be made the most
of by my political opponents. But try
not to think of that. He accuses me of
being party to tricky political job of the
meanest kind. I am willing to take my
oath to-day that all the work of that com
mittee was perfectly straightforward and
honorable.
Gail that Mr.. Harrison can accuse it
of is that we did not follow his sugges-
tions. Others advised us, too, but we did
not follow their suggestions. He seems to
think that because he had the ear of the
committe last his advice would be fol-
lowed. When he says that at the last
meeting at which he was present report
was agreed upon that was very different
from the report that was finally adopted
he states what is not true. Up to that
time the committee had not even balloted
upon the report at all.
"The vital point is this: If there was
any change in the mind of the committee,
which do not believe, why was there not
objection made to signing the report? They
all signed the report without the least
pressure. Mr.. Harrison says he was up
braided because he did not come to a GER
tain meeting. I remember the incident
distinctly. All there was about it was
this: said why didn't yon come up last
night and he replied, ooh, couldn't very
WE'LL That is all there was of it. When
he says he was going on an early train, but
was persuaded to remain to a meeting al
the urgent request of the committee, ali
there is to that is, he remarked that he
must go on a certain train. I said there's
a later train; why not stay for that He
was busy consulting law book at the mo-
ment and did not reply, but he staid.
"Mr. Harrison represents a certain popu
lar side of this question. There is ne
doubt but that on the face of the cast
these democratic officers received ma
jority. But when we went to such lawyers
as Cole and Robinson and they assured III
that the points of law were thus and so il
favor of the republican position, who car
blame us for finding as we did2 We die
our work with determination to be per
fectly fair and honorable and at the sam,
time turn the tide of affairs, if we could
in the republican direction. I am no
afraid of the verdict of public opinion il
this matter when once they know the fact
of the case. I am ready and glad to max,
a statement at any time to either democrats
and republicans"
GOVERNOR BULKRLEY INTERVIEWED.
Governor Buckley when asked his opin
ion yesterday of Mr.. Harrison's letter sale
he had read it, but that he did not regard
it as an attack upon the house committe,
but on Mr.. Harrison. 1T think Mr.. Har
rison has attacked himself" ''No sir,
do not regard the allegations as true"
HON. MR.. CALLAHAN,
one of New Ravens democratic represen
tative, said last night that the letter O.
Judge Harrison's was manly, straight
forward, honest letter, that he, Mr.. Harri
son, had struck straight from the should
er; that it was believed by leading demo
Gratis in the general assembly all along tina
the report, as Judge Harrison would have
made it, would have reflected the true sen
timents of all fair minded men, and tina
Mr.. Harrison has the people of the stat
with him in his sentiments in the case ant
in the view he took and maintain regard
ing the election of the men whom Mr.. Har
rison would have given their rights by
yielding them the Offices to which they
had been fairly and squarely elected. Mr.
Callihan further warmly commended Mr.
| darrlsOn'S pOSltlOn ID Ine case.
CHAIRMAN BENTON TALKS.
Chairman Benton Of the republican stat
central committee said substantially al
follows: It is probably simply the out
come of the personal feeling between Judge
Harrison and Editor Porter. If the demo
Gratis had been willing to do what they hav'
always done in the past, there would have
been no such trouble. What they die
want to do was to elect the candidate
simply on the face Of the ballots withou
any investigation, and this elton wa
what the republicans objected to. 1t SEEM
to me as if Mr.. Harrison misunderstood
the report Of Mr.. Porter and the commit
tee, as he seems to think they were trying
to keep some one out of Office, while il
fact all they wanted was to have an inves
t;gation and were perfectly willing to abid
by the result.
ATTORNEY JAMES T. MORAN.
Attorney James T. Moran, secretary O
} the state democratic club, was also seel
and spoke briefly as follows: I consider
very interesting and able letter, but jus
what effect it may have upon the question
at issue is problematical. 1t certainl,
places Editor Porter upon the defensive