The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-02
Mr.. CHANDLER SPEAKS OUT
Is Sorry That He Has Acted in i
COWardly Manner.
YIELDED REED TO HARMONY
The New hampshire statesman Feels
That lie Has Been iiy pnOtized by Nc
kinicy Leaders-Reed should
Have Been Endorsed.

Concord. N. H., April 1.-Senator
Chandler's paper the Evening Monitor,
publishes the following letter tonight.
which the senator sent to Senator Lodge
last evening:
The ludicrous incongruity between the
delegates elected and the last resolution
of the series adopted by today's conven-
ton, needs an eNplanatio from me.
short time ago "A Mckinley movement was
organized n Manchester under the lead
of Henry NJ. Putney, of the Mirror news
paper.
The pretext of the outbreak was my
deunciation of the campaign methods OF
Messrs. Osborne and Hanna, which the
Mirror represented as an assault upon
Mr.. Mckinley personally The argument
seemed to be because Mr. Chandler had
injudiciously told the truth about Os-
borne ana Hanna. therefore New Hamp.
shire ought to abandon Mr. Reed and
support Mr., Mckinley.
An assumed virtuous Indignation was
to change mems deliberated formed opin-
ions. The movement did not seem TO
threaten anything serious. Public opinion
settled upon eight persons for delegates
known to be favorable to Mr.. Reed.
Yesterday Mr.. Putney came to Concord
as the advance guard of the Manchester
delegates. He had been designated by the
state committee with two other gentle
men as advisory committee on platform.
lie called on me and asked for my views.
| began by saying that l assumed that
no resolutions concerning presidential
candidates be adopted, as We had not done
that even during the exciting days of the
| Blaine canvasses. He said that If 'reso-
lution' instructions for Reed was pro-
posed, the Manchester delegates would
| oppose It, ! replied that no such "reso-
| luton" was desired. but that the delegates
| ought to he uninstructed and free AMI
uncontrolled by resolutions of any kind
as they always had gone. | understood
| him to assent to this plan. l then eN-
| pressed my views as to the currency plan,
and he thereupon asked me to hear him
read his resolutions. which | did. and
| gave them my assent. They We're LITERAL
| ly those adopted today by the conven-
| tion without the last resolution so ADOPT
| ed. He went away and ! saw him no
more to speak to him until he appeared
| on the stage Of the convention. This
| forenoon about 10 O'clock just before
starting for the convention. which was
held at II, | heard accidentally that the
committee on resolutions the night before
| had decided to add to the platform which
| had been shown me. resolution declar-
| ing that Mr.. Reed was noble and Illus
| trious and that Mr.. Mckinley was pure
and able. that New Hampshire could be
! happy with either and preferred one or
| the other. | also learned that it had been
| arranged to keep this decision secret
| from me to as late n moment as possible.
| Immediately ] asked the committee to
| my room, also such candidates for dele
| gates as could be found. and Il few other
friends, and We consulted hastily. The
candidates said that they hal all been
! known for weeks as unreServedly Tor
Reed. That they were sure of an election
| by acclamation: that disturbance in the
convention was undesirable, and that 1t
| was possible, although not probable, that
! of the 700 delegates then pouring into
town from the cars, the majority might
he found against us If We had an acri-
monious debate on an attempt to defeat a
! resolution, and that they thought we had
better let the whole platform pass with
| out Il quarrel. As | was embarrassed by
the fact that was to preside at the con
vention and had no time to arrange the
programme Of fight, reluctantly yield
| ed to their opinion. and we went to the
hall. The convention met little after II
We nominated the delegates by acclama-
ton and adopted the platform as a whole
| unanimously. A motion was made by a
Boston broker to substitute for the cur
rency plank the single gold standard reso-
| luton of the Massachusetts convention
| which was opposed by Sentor Gallingci
and others. and only received one vote
that of the broker himself. 1t was un-
| suited to the opinion of New Hampshire
| and to the candidacy of Mr.. Reed, who
is a bimetallist. The convention ended
before ! o'clock. joyous and enthusias tit
over the prospect of an overwhelming Re
publican victory in state and nation. This
! explanation may not De satisfactory, Du
it Is all can make. confess | was un
| prepared at the moment of entering tho
convention for the device which was the
ultimate development of the Osborne
| Hanna movement in New Hampshire. on!
self-restrant was cOwardly. 1t was tn.
opinion of good judges, and II was cleai
to me after all the delegates had as
sembled in the hall and cheered. first tn,
name of Reed. and later the name O
Mckinley, that the convention was fol
Reed or 3 to |.
I have acquiesced in such an act o
| cowardice once before. when We allowed
to pass the resolution of the New Hamp
shire convention In 1877 that Hayes ad
ministration was good and pure, rather
than have bitter controversy over thu
question whether its conduct had beer
ocratic usurpers the lawful government:
title was as good as that of Mr.. Hayes.
] saw and denounced another such ac
of cowardice, when. on foolish pre-
text that 1t was necessary in order Il
count in Mr.. Hayes. 1t was agreed by Obi,
; statesmen to make the aforesaid sur
render of two lawful southern govern
ments. Hayes and Packard and Cham
berlan and Republican honor might al
have been saved If the Republicans ha,
5 shown the courage of their convictions
So the mOngrel resolution of today Nigh
have been easily defeated If men had no
: cried pe9ce when honest manly warfar
, was required But the delegates are al
for Reed. and do not think Hanna cal
capture any one of them at any stage o
: hn