Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-03
MANDERSON'S FRANK AVOWAL
Openly States His Candidacy for the Re-
publican Presidential Nomination.
DtFeRS TO THE WISHES OF FRIENDS
Is Not n stalking Horse for Any
other Man, but Sincerely As
pires to the Peoples
Highest Gift.

Two letters on which comment or expla-
nation is unnecessary follow:
"OMAHA, Feb. 25 1S96.-Hon. Charles f.
Manderson, Washington: My Dear Sir-In
common with great many other Nebraska
republicans, l have been in favor of Ne
braska sending a Mckinley delegation to the
st. Louis convention. AS between Governor
Mckinley and any other candidate outside Of
Nebraska, I am still for Mckinley but your
name has been presented in the contest and
l am very proud to assure you that my
humble yet earnest effort will be made in
the interest OF the candidacy of so dis
tinguished a citizen of Nebraska as yourself.
II know how thoroughly candid you are in
all your personal or public affairs, and hence
do not hesitate to lay before you the fact
that an impression to your disadvantage is
sought to be created by the champions of
other candidates. 1t is freely charged by
these gentlemen that your candidacy is in
the interest of another, and that this is only
part of a gigantic plan to defeat the nom
nation of Mr. Mckinley. 1t is unnecessary
for me to assure you that l know their
charges to be without foundation. If It were
true, /, who now favor Mr. Mckinley next
to yourself, would be the last man In Ne
braska to espouse your cause, and | know
that the great body of Nebraska people
who have learned to appreciate your high
character, will give no heed to the effort
to create this erroneous impression. But
Nebraska is a growing state; new people
have been constantly settling within her
borders and it Is among those who do not
know you so we'll that such statements might
have weight.
I'm order that this cha roe NAV ba forever
set at rest, / take it upon myself to submit
the question involving this charge direct to
you.
II have no fear but that Nebraska will
send a Manderson delegation to st. Louis
but in the interest of the republican party
and in the interest of Nebraska, we are
anxious that this proud act will be accom-
plished with the unanimity which your dis
tnguished services to this state entirely de-
serve. Yours truly, l.. d. FOWLER"
GENERAL MANDERSON'S ANSWER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S, 1S96.-L. D.
Fowler, Esq, Omaha: My Dear Sr--I thank
you very heartily for your kind favor of the
25th inst, which has Just reached me here,
where l have been detained since early in
February by the proposed land grant legis
lation. SO important to the interests of the
citizens of Nebraska. threatening, as it did,
the ownership of thousands Of farmers
homes.
OF railroad lands in their holdings has now
passed congress and is simply awaiting the
approval Of the president to become a law,
This. hope. may be had tomorrow and
will then start for my home This business
has occupied my attention to the exclusion
of everything else and has compelled me to
answer the numerous letters that have come
to me in regard to my candidacy for the
presidential Office more briefly than | desired.
your frank letter presents matter Of SUI
s,r,p rta tY7,vo o1tr,.
honor and integrity. and l will meet it with
all candor and with frankness equal to your
own. If knew the arts Of the politician and
his tricks Of evasion / certainly would not
attempt to use them now. For nearly thirty
years my fellow citizens of Nebraska have
known my domestic, business, professional
and political life. In my public career
have had no secrets and every letter writ
ten by me or expression made is open to the
world for whatever criticism is deserved. /
value the esteem and regard of my neighbors
too highly to jeopardize it for any office, how
ever high, and if 1 know myself, | would
not barter it for life itself. / have lived
fruitessly and to no good purpose in the
great state where my every interest lies, II
the statement you make has any foundation
in truth or the least basis on VIII 'ch to rest.
You say, 1T is freely charged that your
(my) candidacy is in the interest Of another
and that this is only part of a gigantic
plan to defeat the nomination of Mr.. Nc
Kinley.' l denounce this charge and every
other akin to it as cruelty and basely false.
know it to be false az to my self and d
not believe 1t to be untrue as to the friends
throughout the state and nations, who have
solicited me to permit the use of my name,
would spurn them and stamp the profered
honor Indignantly under my feet. By no
word nor act have J. or has any one for me,
made the effort to help the political fortunes
or crush the ambitious hopes Of any of the
great leaders of the republican party who
are contending for the high honor of carry
ing its banner to victory in 1896.
HE is NOT A STALKING HORSE.
"If such help or harm shall result from
the presentation by Nebraska of Nebraskan
at the st. Louis convention 1t is the un-
avoidable and the unobjectionable when it
comes from an honest endeavor / am not
to be used as a stalking horse or delivery
wagon for any aspirant. The gentlemen who
are named prominently for the place are all
my personal friends, and the chief among
them | have known intimately and closely
since youth. | honor and esteem them all
and will follow gladly in the ranks under
the captaincy OF any one Of them. de-
mand fair play for them. ! expect 1t for
myself.
Even at the risk of prolixlty, let me mar
rate the events that led me to the state
ment that was willing that my name should
be used as a presidential candidate. For
meat from the senate. a year ago, many
persons, placing I think, too high an esti-
mate upon my fitness, urged me TO enter
the lists In 1896. This solicitation grew az
II seemed, as resisted it. About four years
ago, as my immediate friends well know,
determined not TO seek reelection TO the
senate but to pass into private life OH the
expiration of my second term. | made this
on every stump during the
canvass last fall, and exerted myself for the
election of the distinguished Nebraskan who
became my successor. Feeling that my do
nestle comfort and personal, interests would
be advanced by such retracy, | continued to
resist the opportunities until the demand
for my consent coming from all parts OF
the union, and more especially from Ne
braska, assumed such proportions that |
could not, in fair consideration Of them and
their insistence that this was Nebraskas op-
longer resist.
Before | left Omaha to come here and
IN the latter part Of January ! said TO these
friends that | would neither seek or decline,
Dut would permit them without protest from
ne to proceed with their effort. which
hey believe Is to be crowned with success.
have no personal claim upon Nebraska.
Dur young commonwealth has honored me so
greatly that a life OF continued devotion to
ler interests will not wipe out the score.
ii she shall at ST. Louis pay me the highest
within her power to bestow It