The San Francisco call., 1896-04-21
ATTITUDE OF THE A. p. Il.
Mckinley Not Opposed by the Order fo
Personal Reasons,

Mckinley Not Opposed by the Order for
Personal Reasons.
CINCINNATI, OHIO, April 20.-Judge
J. II. ID. Stevens, chairman Of the National
advisory committee of the A. P A., is in
Cincinnati, and it is said held confer
ence with the Ohio members of the organ
ization TO-DAY. He has sent the following
statement to The United Press:
So many canards and malicious false
hoods have been circulated by opponents
of the A. P. A. regarding its attitude
toward the political parties, the candidates
of each for the Office of President of the
United States and the platforms to be
formulate at the respective National con-
ventions, tina. the National advisory
board of the A. P. A., through the execu-
tive committee and the campaign COM
mittee of the executive body, respectfully
requests the press to publish in the inter-
ests of fairness the following statement of
facts:
First-The contest which this organiza-
ton is making against the candidacy of
William Mckinley is not directed against
Mr.. Mckinley as person, because the
members of the advisory board have no
grievance against Mr.. Mckinley as man,
but fight him and will continue to fight
him at the convention and at the polls be-
cause his public record is not consistent
with our standard of official character, and
the basis of our action will be set forth in
incontrovertible form at the proper time;
and further, regarding the various state
ments appearing in the newspapers for the
past week relative to the attitude of the
A. P. A. toward the candidacy of Governor
William Mckinley for the Republican
nomination at st. Louis, one of the Ohio
State officials of the order said to-day: /:
"Most of the charges in relation to
Governor McKinley's antipathy to
the A. P. A. in Ohio while he was
Governor and his persistent disregard for
or refusal to comply with the express de-
sires of the organization are matters that
are well known and will be substantiated
by indisputable evidence in due time, as
well as the fact that he while Governor
almost invariably gave preference in his
appointments to known enemies of the
order. The evidence of this is now being
quietly gathered, and while care will be
taken not to do him any injustice enough
has been already obtained to warrant me
in saying that the evidence will show Gov
ernor Mckinley to have in the past pursued
such course that no member of the A.
p. A. or kindred patriotic orders can sup
port him and be true to their principles.
Second-That we make no fight against
any man because of his religion, and it
makes no difference to what religious be-
lief Mr.. Mckinley or any other candi-
date holds allegiance, and that we are not
opposing Mckinley in the personal inter-
est of any other candidate.
Third-That we made every effort, con-
sistent with our manhood and our dignity
as members of an organization of 1000 900
voters, to reach Mr.. Mckinley, but with.
out success.
Fourth - That Congressman Gros.
venor's statement that he did not refuse
to see the COMMITTEES; that he did not
virtually insult the committee in the
language Of his refusal to meet it after re-
quests made both by Sergeant.at-A Arms
Russell OF Missouri and Congressman w.
s. Linton; that the statements to the con-
| trary are untrue; that Congressman Gros-
venor treated the committee in precisely
| the manner as described by the comm mittee
| in the statement to which Mr.. Grosvenor
so abusively makes reply.
| Fifth - That all statements repard,no
/
| Congressman Linton's withdrawal from
the Presidential contest were sent out in
the interest of certain Presidential candi-
dates; that all such statements were nm.
authorized, and circulated by the op.
ponents of this organization to defeat its
| aims.
Slxth-That Mr.. Linton is not candi-
date for President in any sense; that he is
/ m q NJ offo
or that he is directing any such move
ment. On the contrary, the movement in
his behalf was spontaneous movement,
having its birth in the love which the or
ganization bears the man who has so
bravely stood squarely upon the princi-
pies OF this organization. Mr.. Linton is
one OF the acknowledged leaders Of the or
ganlzation and is and will be at st. Louis
our candidate for President, and as such
| we know him to be too good an American
| to refuse to do what the patriotic citizens