The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-01
DOUBLE ENDORSEMENT.
Senator Chandler Explains How New
Hampshire Did II.


planning the actlOn OF the othte conNen-
tion in endorsing both Reed and McKin-
ley and saying that the plank was con-
cession OF the Reed men TO the Mckinley
sentiment. Senator Chandler says he ac-
uuiesced in the concesson, though he
Knows IL to have been cowardly as the
Reed men outnumbered the Mckinley
men.
The letter follows:
Washington, ID. c.,
"To SENATOR LODGE:
"The ludicrous incongruity between
delegates elected and the last resolution
OF the series adopted by today's conven-
tion needs explanation from me. A short
time ago a Mckinley movement was or
ganized at Manchester, under the lead of
Editor Henry M. Putney of The Mirror
newspaper.
"The prete1t of outbreak was my de-
nunciation of the campaign methods OF
Metsrs. Osborne and Hanna which The
Mirror represented as an assault upon Mr..
Mckinley personally. The argument
seemed to DO that because MIR. Chand-
Ter had injudiciously tcld
the truth about Osborne and
Hanna, therefore New Hampshire ought
to abandon Mr.. Reed and support Mr.
Mckinley. An assumed virtuous indig-
nation was to change mems deliberately
formed opinions. The movement did not
lie opinion settled upon eight persons for
delegates known TO be favorable to Mr..
Reed. Yesterday MIR. Putney came TO
Concord rs the advance guard OF the
Manchester delegates. He had been
designated by the State committee with
two other gentlemen as an advisory COM
mittee on platform. He called on me
and asked for my vies. / began by saying
that assumed that no resolution concern
ing Presidential candidates should be
adopted, as we had not done that even
during the exciting days OF the Blaine
canvasses.
He said that il resolution of in
structions for Reed was proposed the
Manchester delegates would oppose IL. i
replied that no such resolution was de-
sired, but that the delegates ought to go
uninstructed and free and uncontrolled
by resolutions OF any kind, as they had
always gone. / understood him to assent
TO this plan. | then expressed my views
as to the currency plank, and lie there
upon asked me TO hear him read his reso-
| lutions which i did, and gave to them
my assent. They were Literally those
adopted by the convention without the
last resolution so adopted. He went away
| and | saw him no more TO speak TO him
until he appeared on the stage OF the con-
yention.
"This forenoon about 10 O'Clock, Just be-
fore starting for the convention. which
met at IL, heard accidentally that the
committee on resolutions the night before
had decided to add to the platform, which
lad been shown to me, resolution de-
carng that Mr.. Reed was noble and IL
lustrious and that Mr.. Mckinley was pure
and able; that New Hampshire could be
happy with either and preferred one or
the other. i also learned that IL had been
arranged TO keep the decision secret
from me tn as late a moment as possible.
Immediately asked TO come to my
room such candidates for delegates as
could be found and a few other friends
and we consulted hastily. The candidates
said that they had all been known for
weeks as upreservedly for Reed and they
were sure of an election by acclamation;
that a disturbance in the convention was
undesirable aud that ii was possible, al
though not probable, that of the 700 dele
gates then pouring into town from the
cars, a majority might be found against us
IL we had an acrimonious debate on an
attempt to defeat the resolution, and that
they thought we had better let the W hole
platform pass without quarrel. AS 4 was
embarrassed by the fact that 1 was to
preside at the convention and had no
time to arrange the program OF a fight,
reluctantly yielded to their opinion and
we went TO the hall.
The convention met little after II.
We nominated the delegates by acclama-
tion and adopted the platform as whole
unanimously. A motion was made by a
Boston broker to substitute for the cur
rency plank the sinlge gold standard reso-
luton of the Massachusetts, convention
which was opposed by Senator Gallagher
and Others and only received one vote
that of the broker himself. 1t was un-
suited to the opinion or New Hampshire
and TO the candidacy of Mr.. Reed, who
Is a bimettalist. The convention ended
before o'clock joyous and enthusiastic
over the prospect of an overwhelming
Repu blican victory i'm State and nation.
This explanation may not be satisfac-
tory, butt is all can make. i confess i
was unprepared at the moment of enter
ing the convention foor the device which
was the ultimate development of the Os-
borne-Hanna movement in New Hamp-
shire. Or self-restraint was cowaruly.
1t was the opinion of good judges and IL
was clear 20 me after all the delegates had
assent led in the hall and cheered first the
name of Reed and later the name OF Nc
Kinlcy that the convention was for Reed
two or three to one.
l have acquiesced in such an act of
cowardice once before; when we allowed
to pass resolution OF the New Hamp-
shire convention in 1877 that Hayes 40
ministraiton wasgood an pure rather that
have bitter controversy over the ques-
tton whether its conduct had been dis
honorable in surrendering to Democratic
usurpers the lawful governments of Louis
lana and South Carolina, whose title
was as good "a that of Mr.. Hayes. saw
and denounced another such act Of cow
ardice when, on the foolish pref xt that
IL was necessary, in order to count in
Hayes, Ii was agreed by Ohio statesmen
to. make the aforesaid surrender OF the
two lawful Southern governments. Hayes
and Packard and Chamberlain and Re-
publican honor might.all have been saved
IL Repu blicans had shown the courage of
their convictions.
So the mongrel resolutions today might
have been easily defeated if men had not
cried piece when honest manly warfare
was required. But the delegates are all for
Reed and do not think Hanna can cap
ture anyone of them at any stage of the
contest.