Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-11-04

!
Interview with Wanamai:er, printed
after the election four years ago
when Quay sent for me was sur
prised. l had no more idea what he
wanted with me than you might have if
he telegraphed for you. But l knew he
was not the kind of man to send for
me unless he had important business
with me, so l went. Then he told me
that the national republican committee
needed money, and his scheme for my
raising it. ! at first declined to have
anything to do with it. had very lit
tie hope of defeating Cleveland, : 4
and did not want to get on sinking
ship.
''He urged the matter, told me why
he felt sure Of carrying the election if
he had the money. Even then l hesi-
tated, and asked three weeks for con-
sideration. He agreed, and / talked
with our leading manufacturers, men
whose names are the best in the land
such men as Washburne, Amos Law
rence's grandson, and a dozen others |
could name-men who would never
have given a dollar for dishonest uses,
even if had been willing to ask it, and
at the end of three weeks told Quay /
would undertake to raise the money if
he would allow us to establish a manu-
facturers' bureau and have voice in the
disposition of the money. | do not
mean that we insisted on knowing
what was done with every dollar of it.
did not want to know. When sell a
suit of clothes / do not insist upon be-
ing told Just where those clothes are 60
ing. My responsibility ceases when l
furnish a good article at q fair price.
"What did insist upon was that /
should be able to satisfy the men who
trusted me with their money that it
was used for the purpose for which
they subscribed it, and that guarantee
Mr.. Quay gave me. That is how there
came to be a manufacturers bureau.
Il wanted an advisory board to the
national committee made up of busi-
ness men and treasurer appointed for
that board; then wanted an executive
committee taken out Of that advisory
board and limited in number and with
power to overlook not only the raising
of that money, but It's expenditure by
the national committee. The plans were
acceeded to-
How much money was raised ?"
Nothing like so much money as has
been proclaimed. We did not need
S400 900 and we did not raise it no in
dividua1 gave so much money as has
been represented, myself included"
did you raise 5000, 0,000?"
Yes we raised more than that. My
contribution was $4,000. had large
experience in raising money, from my
connection with the Christian Associa-
ton and other enterprises of that sort.
If you have large purpose and can
bring it to bear upon large minded
men, You may as well ask for $4,000
as for 5000, for. men are rather COM
plimented when you ask them higher,
and they sacrifice high for n worthy
end. | said to such as | addressed:
How much would you pay for in
surance upon your business. If you
were confronted from one year to
three years Of general depression rby q
change in our revenue and protective
methods affecting our manufactures
and wages and good times, what would
you pay to be insured for better
year,
THAT they understood to be the
measure of their contribution. We
raised the money so quickly that the
democrats never knew anything about
it. They had their spies out, suppos-
ing that we were going to do some
thing; but before they knew what it
was we had them beaten. When the
election was over and won, the nation
al committee would have given me al
most anything. 1t was understood
that Pennsylvania was to have cabi-
net place The appointment was ten
dered to me of postmaster general, and
therefore am here.