St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-06-22

representative on the committee on res
Olutions and platform, and so another
man. Hon. James A. Mckenzie, was
named for the place.
Mr.. Watterson, when approached by
a reporter for an explanation of his
action, made the following explanation:
Il have for some time regarded the
nomination of Mr.. Cleveland as assured.
If he is nominated, he and his ante
cedents will be a platform in them
selves. HIS annual message of 1887 in
the matter Of the tariff, and his silver
letter of 1891, with his many utterances
upon the anti-free coinage side of the
silver controversy, will constitute in
reality the issues OH which the cam
paign will have 10 be fought out
To Square the Ticket
with the record and to make the situa-
ton logical. But with my well-kEown
opposition to the nomination of Mr..
Cleveland, if should go upon the plat
form committee and urge such a course
I shc uld be at once charged by the free
coinage Cleveland men with the pur-
pose to make trouble by my eXtremeism,
whilst. on the other hand, if | should
propose a free coinage plank or a strad-
die. should be charged by Mr.. CIeve-
lands Eastern supporters with a pur-
pose 10 haudicap=his election in adj
vance.
Taking either horn of the dilemma, l
should be suspected and distrusted in
the beginning, to be made in the end,
and in the event of disaster, answer
able for a result l am pOwerleSs to infiu-
ence or control. In other words, l should
be required to assume grave response
bilities without the confidence and sup
port of the gentlemen Immediately back
of Mr.. Cleveland. l felt myself under
no obligations to take any such false pO-
aition, and so | refused it."
VIII Support the Ticket.
Mr.. Mckenzie, whom Mr.. WattersOn
proposed for the place, was unani-
modsly elected. Mr.. Watterson con-
sidered his appointment especially APP
propriate. he being an original Cleve-
land man, which amounts 10 great
deal" Mr.. WattersOn explained that
his refusal to serve on the committee
had only i'm an indirect way any relation
TO his disapproval of MI. Cleveland'S
nomination.
IF Cleveland is nominated no one
will support the ticket more heartily
than | SHALL" he commended. Il am his
friend, not his enemy. | came here for
peace, not for war. But am not the
man who ought to place Mr.. Cleveland
upon his own platform, and l cannot
consent to be a party to placing him on
platform stultifying him as TO his rec
ord As | said MIR. Cleveland is a plat
form to himself. Both his personality
and his opinions are unacceptable; and
even if we desire to straddle the silver
the silver issue he could not mount or
ride or straddle with any grace or
safety"
To Vote for EsOies.
Mr.. WattersOn stated that ne offered
his colleagues that, if they would pass
a resolution instructing him to vote to
embody Mr. CIeyeland's great tariff
message of 1887 and his famous anti-sil-
yer letter of 1891 into the platform, he
would 90 upon the committee and do
his best to serve the party and the cOun-
try. This. the delegation, as he says,
very properly and very wisely declined
to dO, and there the matter ended.
Mr.. WattersOn stated that the meet
Ing had in every way been harmonious,
in fact. a veritable Cleveland love feast.
Il snail not vote for him in the cOnven-
ton, however," he concluded, "If Mr..
BoieS' name is presented my vote shall
be cast for that gentleman. If no other
name but that of Mr. Cleveland is men
toned l shall not vote. | do not know
what the balance of the Kentucky dele
gates will do, but certainly Mir. Cassel-
mans claims that the solid vote of Ken
lucky will be cast for Mr.. Cleveland is
unfounded. That is all have to say"
AS WattersOn came into the cOnven-
ton hall today Murat Halsted remarked
to him:
It's wet outside"
Yes" replied Watterson. "but dry
inside"
1--WE got nothing to do" continued
Watterson. Pm not on the platform
committee. I'm a free niger"
''Why didn't you go on?'' asked the
field marshal.
Pm smart free Niger" was Wat
eTsOn's reply.