The herald., 1896-09-27
And Declines to Run for Gov
ernOr
THE NOMINEE IN NEW YORK
Makes Way for q Candidate Fav0ring
Coinage
Thacher Will Not Leave the Party, but
Prefers to Remain in the Ranks.
Probable Results.
Assoclated press special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
ALBANY, N. Y, Sept. 26.-John Boyd
Thacher has declined the Democratic
convention nomination for governor of
New York. This was the day set for a
visit to Thacher by committee of five,
appointed at the meeting of the state
Democratic committee Tuesday to noti-
fly him of his nomination, but in advance
of their coming he gave out letter an
nouncing his declinatiop. At the out
set of his statement Thacher made ac-
acknowledgement Of the honor the nomi-
nation implied, and in the next sem
tence said he was constrained to de-
cline it. He said:
II was away from Albany at my
country home during the convention, and
did not learn of my nomination until
after o'clock Thursday afternoon, Sep
tember II. 1t was not until after 9
o'clock that night that had an oppor-
tunity to learn the character of the plat
form adopted by the convention. There
had never been submitted to me press
copy. manuscript copy, or any other
copy of the proposed platform. If any
one had been entrusted with the duty
of presenting such copy, the trust had
not been fulfilled. I had no reason to
expect, after the convention at Sarato-
ga, and after the attitude of the dele
cations from New York to the national
convention, that the next state conven-
tion would commit the Democratic party
to all parts of the Chicago platform" =
Thacher then recounted the facts stat
ed in his now famous letter to the state
committee and summarized the contents
of that communication.
"While," Thacher continued, IT had
not sought nomination nor requested
single delegate to give me his support,
I was. willing and eager to contend
against that system of 'bossism' which
is today in control Of the public affairs
of the state of New York. ] was pre-
pared to organize the Democratic party
from one end of the state to the other on
a line Of battle against that system and
to wage unremitting and vigorous war;
fare. believed that municipal and
other reforms in which the people are
interested could not be obtained until
after another administration had been
wrenched from the hands of political
bosses. I believed the people would be
with us on that issue. 1t has developed,
in consideration Of the resolution by
which the state committee appointed
your committee, as we'll as in the public
press and other public and private COM
munications, that there is a very de-
cided desire on the part of the Demo-
cratic party to contest the election on
the abstract question Of the unlimited
| coinage Of silver, at an unalterable ra-
, ito Of 16 to /, as compared with gold, and
to ignore or subordinate every other
state issue.
1T is impossible for me, with the
views I hold, to make contest on the
coinage question. 1 believe in the good
old doctrine of free and equal use of
gold and silver. This doctrine is as far
removed from the single use of gold
which enables spectators to juggle
with its value, as it is from that other
principle which seeks to establish an i'm
possible ratio for it's sister metal There
fore, impressed with the belief that the
party will consent to make the contest
only, or primarily, upon the silver is
sue, I feel that, as an honorable man, l
carry the banner with that device. There
seems no place in the Democratic party
today for conservatism. Men are d.
vided into two classes, each entertain
ing views exceedingly intoerant of the
other. The history of legislation is that
conservatism in the end prevails
u believe the Democratic party, when
it approaches the responsibility of legis-
lation, will be true to the people. I have
no sympathy with those who desert the
party now, in it's hour of need Every
Democrat who believes the party is
or can be made, an instrument of good
should stay within it's ranks, and by his
counsel and example endeavor to build
it UP and make it strong. NV party can
demand of me no honorable sacrifice
winch VIII not make. 1t can ask of me
no duty that I WI not perform. NV
best usefulness now will be hu1nbly to
remain within the ranks and give such
powers as l possess to strengthening it's
pillars and establishing it's bulwarks."
The probable outcome of Mr. Thach-
er's declination will be the Endorsement
by branch of the regular Democracy
or Daniel Griffin on state issues and the
Endorsement of the Populistic candidate
by the silver men in the state. 1t is be-
lieved this is satisfactory to Hill. Tam
many Hall, however, may insist upon it's
own candidate, and at a state commits
tee meeting Monday night they NAV
fight for the promotion of Judge Porter
to the first place and Elliott Danforth
for second.
1t IS absolutely denied that BRYAN
wrote Thafher asking his withdrawal.
nor has he intimated to anybody such
q desire. The story was made out Of
whole cloth.