St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-19
Mr.. CUTCHEONS LETTER.
MATTER WHICH WAS WITHDRAWN AT
THE MEETING.
sMALLEY is INTERVIEWED.
Chairman Cdtoheon, on More
Mature Consideration, With
drew His Letter of Resigna-
ttion-He Endorsed William NJ.
Campbell-Secreta Smaliey
Makes a Frank Statement OF
the Whole Affair.


the Whole Affair.
A reporter of the GLOBE called on
| Mr. Cutcheon, chairman of the Demos
/ cratic state committee, yesterday morn
lngt obtain an interview relative to-
| the matters considered by that commit
| tee at its recent meeting and the facts
as to his having sent in his designations
garbled accounts of which have found
| their way into the Republican papers
of the two cities. The chairman was
busy and could not spare the time, but
referred the reporter to Secretary Small
ley, authorizing that gentleman to give
out the letter and such related matters
as he thought fiji.
''Have you time" the reporter asked,
ito answer the question of MI. Doranin
the Pioneer Press as to whether you had
Endorsed J. j. Thornton for the marshal
! ShIp?'
You may say" said he, shat l have
not recommended or indorsed Mr..
Thornton. On the contrary have re-
commended Hon. W. NJ. Campbell for
the appointment. | did this after Mr..
Campbell had become a candidate for
! the position at Mr.. Doran's own urgent
invitation, and my recommendation, at
least, has not been and will not be with
! drawn"
| The reporter found Secretary Smalley
in the offices of the Minnesota Demo-
cratic association, and gave him the
chairman's message. In reply to the
question as TO what took place in the
meeting the secretary said that 10 other
| matters than those already given out by
him occurred, except the receipt of the
letter of the chairman and the discus
sion started by it. As the resignation
was Withdrawn. it was the wish of the
committee that the matter be kept
i committee secret, but as one of the
members has so little of the senseof
honor or propriety which his place de-
mands that he gave out an inaccurate
! account of the affair, which naturally,
perhaps Intentionally, found its way
into the Republican papers, it is better
| that the Democrats of the state
be given the letter. 1t was a
complete surprise to every member
of the committee, and they sent for the
C.iQiI llluIl, dIlp 1IdEIh dllu lull uiSCuS-
| sion of the causes which induced his
| action was had. OF this it is not neces-
| Sary to say further than that the letter
| indicates those causes and conditions,
| and a specific statement of the incl
! dents would be needless. 1t is sufficient
! to say that there was an apparent unan-
unity in the sympathy of the committed
| with the action taken by the chairman.
| 'Fhe action of the committee in referring
| to COMMITTEES the preparation OF plan
! of party organization was an indication
! of this. Assured'of this sympathy. and
the support of the committee, is what
induced the chairman to withdraw his
resignation.
President Cutcheon's letter reads as
! follows: 80
TO the Secretary and Members of the
| Democratic State Central Committee Of
I Mihpesota1- Dear >SiEs: IdeSirei to ten=
t der you my resignation of the office of
I, chairman of your committee, as we'll as
| my resignation as a member thereof.
/ As. doubtless. you all are aware, ac-
tivity in connection with the distrbu-
ton of official patronage is intensely
disagreeable to- me. | accepted the
| craftsmanship in your committee i'll the
earnest hope that | should be able to be
of service in so preserving and lmprov-
| ing the organization of the Democratic
party i'll this state that it would be pre-
! pared successfully to meet the demands
of the political campaign of the
coming year. and that l might
thus assist to hasten the coming
Of the complete triumph of the princi-
pies we all have at heart. Either the
| hui Of IN
the popular sense of the word, or the
mongering of federal offices was very
far from my thought; and is today
farther from my inclination. However,
l was hardly installed in the position to
which i'll April last you did me the
honor to elect me, when was forced to
realize that the Democrats of the state
expected from me the devotion of virtu-
ally my entire time and energies to OBJ
tanning and distributing federal patron
age; that for the present, at least, they
had little attention to devote to the
| promotion of the effectiveness of the
party organization: that all eyes were
turned towards the spoilS of past sue
cess. instead of towards the necessity
of laboring for future victory.
The work of attempting to obtain and
parcel out offices was forced upon me
not only vas this pressure made ON the
part of the members Of tine party in this
state, but by continual requests by some
of the departments of the federal gov
eminent for recommendations OF fit
persons to be appointed to multitude
of minor offices. Under the circum-
the individual members of the party
who have applied to me. and who
' seemed deserving. SUCH assistance as
lay III my power, and SO to perform
these services as to promote the public
and the party interests.
The work, however, has required and
still requires an expenditure of time,
money and energy that Is entirely be-
yond my ability. The position of chair
man of this committee demands per-
son who possesses ample leisure and
pecuniary means. as well as an inclina-
ton for its duties. possess none of
these qualifications. The Craftsmanship
should be filled by one either in sympa.
thy with the other and more powerful
agencies which the present adminiStra-
ton chooses TO employ in selecting per-
sons for federal appointment i'll Mime
sofa, or one who commands leisure,
means and inclination to combat these
7 agencies successfully. | do not enjoy
the sympathy, the leisure or the means
referred to.
Moreover, without being guilty of
disIoyal criticism of the present Demo
cratic administration, may say that |
am not in sympathy with the policy that
has been adopted by it in making APP
pointments to federal offices. 1 believe
that no one would give support more
, heartily than would to a policy of
genuine civil service reform-a policy
in accordance with which removals
from Office would be oecasioned solely
nv n IN, III,
only by the special fitness of the APP
pointee; but with the policy adopted by
the present administrator, which is
at once retrogressive from the stand
point of the reformer, and unjust from
the standpoint of the partisan, L have
no sympathy. In my opinion this sys-