The San Francisco call., 1896-08-29
The Former Ineligible-The Lat
ter Makes a Patriotic
Sacrifice.
BY ADVICE OF MR.. sPRECKELs.
Harmony in the Party to Be Regarded
Above All Other Consid.
erationS.

w. W. Montague, Republican nominee
for Presidential elector from the Fourth
Congressional District, sent the following
letter to the Republican State Central
Committee yesterday afternoon as the re-
suit of a conference with John D.
Spreckels:
SAN FRANCISCO Aug. %, 1896.
Major Frank Mclaughlin Chairman RepubEt-
can State Central ommittee-DEAR SIR: recOg-
niZe your committee as the only authority
and power in the management of the affairs OF
the Republican party IN this State. l know
that your committee has been greatly exer-
cised over the contention for Presidential
elector in the Fourth Congressional District.
The political issue is too critical to the pros
perity of our Nation and I am too good Re-
publican and citizen to be party where such
a condition, if continued to an issue, might
lose an elector for Mckinney in tn at district,
therefore tender YOU my resignation as
candidate for Presidential elector in the
Fourth Congressional District.
For forty years have been Republican,
and you may rest assured that shall do all l
can for the success of the Republican party,
as have done IN the past
Hoping that this will meet with the unani-
nous approval OF your committee, remain,
yours truly, W. W. MONTAGUE.
Mr.. Montague acted upon the advice of
John D. Spreckels that it would be better
for him to withdraw in order to secure
harmony IN the party and IN Or0er that
the prospects of the certain victory for
Mckinley and Hobart in California might
not be clouded wi b two opposing candi-
dates for elector upon the ticket.
Colonel Charles F. Crocker also rendered
his resignation as a candidate for elector,
for the reason that his name not having
been placed on the great register he would
not be entitled to vote at the next election
and would therefore not be eligible as q
candidate. His letter is as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO Aug % 1895
Hon. Frank Mclaughlin, Chairman Repub icdn
State Central Comnlfttee-DRAR SIR: l hereby
tender my resignation as a candidate of the
Republican party for Presidential elector of
this State. Beng absent from the State during
the time allowed for registration of voters by
the present law, failed 20 secure my registra-
ton, although my return was almost three
months prior 10 the election, and was very
much surprised to learn that the law had been
amended so as TO close the time for registra-
ton on the 9th of August, although in former
years registration had been allowed up to
within a month of the election. l am advised
that the fact that my name does not appear on
the great register renders me ineligible for the
Office for which l nominated, or at least
raises serious question as TO such eligibility.
While 1 deeply appreciate the honor con-
ferred upon me by this nomination the Ques-
ton of my eligibility raised above might pos
sibly obstruct or EN- barrass the success of our
party, and therefore forego my candidacy.
feel deep personal interest in the result of
the election, and was proud to be so directly
connected with establishing in this State and
IN Lne NdLOn the principles 1Or winch the
Republican party stands.
Iwish to assure you that this action will in
no wise diminish my earnest personal efforts
throughout this campaign to promote the cleo
tion of the Republican ticket, and thus secure
the prosperity and welfare of all the people
Yours very truly, CHARLES F. CRoCKER
Colonel Crocker said to CALL reporter
shortly after he had sent his resignation
to the committee that he had been actu-
ated solely for the good of the Repu blican
party. Ii he remained on the ticket and
the Supreme Court should decide that he
was ineligible one electoral vote would be
lost to Major Mckinley. He said that he
has as strong a personal interest in the
election of Major Mckinley as any
citizen could have, and for that reason he
did not wish to iniure Major McKinley's
chances. He added that he had given his
reasons fully in the letter of resignation,
and there was nothing that he could add
to them.
The State Central Committee will meet
in few days and will fill the vacancy.