Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-27
THACIEl DECLINES.
vr WILL NOT he DEMOCRATIC
o.,pIpATE FOR GOVERNOR.
He WAS kISLED, he SAYS.
y.d. 10 Believe that the Buffalo
platform Would lie Entirely Ac-
..n,.bIe TO HIm-Portcr, He
Thinks, VIII Take His Place.


,be Democratic convention on sep
,ember l7th. The platform adopted by
that convention, in 80 Ear as It uneQuiVo- \
csuv endorsed the Chicago PLATFORM
cannot be subscribed 20 by Mr. Thaeher'
any more than he could have given h's
approval 20 the Chicago platform ifen
I'm many OF its essential features Inc
result OF this IS his declination TO stana
as candidate.
He had been led 20 believe tha'
the Democratic state platform would De
entirely acceptable 20 him. and Woula
not do violence 70 the stand taken oy
him at Saratoga. on June 2ith, In favor
OF an international timetable currency
Therefore ne had agreed 10 stand ns the
Democratic candidate Tor Governor lot
the sole purpose, as DE says. Of striving
20 keep the party in this state tose'her
Tor the future MS wei as for the pre-
sent. His idea was that The hshl iH inns
state should be confined 20 STATE ISSUES
The silver wing of tho party orClne
20 accept his analysis Of the poHuch
situation IN the state. however and have
demanded that an out-and-out sllNei
man 10 ulacod on the ticket for Cover
nor ana that the fight IN this state shal
he made upon the national issues ana
moro rarticuisrly on the Democratic pro-
position OF free coinage at the 10 TO
ratio 49,
Mr.. Thacher thinks that his declinaton
will result in the nomination or Milour
T. Porter. Of WATERFOWL. his companion
on the present Democratic ticket Tor
Tieutenant-G 1vcrnor by the state Conn
mittee. as its meeting on Monday nlsht'
as the candidate for Governor
There was intense excitement about
the city when Mr.. Thachers declination
became known. shortly before noon AT
the Hotel Kenmore the utmost surprise
was manifested by the members or the
Notification Committee when they
learned OF Mr.. Thachers decision.
Mr. Thacher arrived at the Hotel Ken
more az 13 o'clock. and proceeded to the
rooms OF the Notification Committee. He
remained closetcd i'm secret consultation
until nearly / o'clock.
40 1920 o'clock Chairman York Of the
Notification Committee. called the meet
ing 10 order. and formally notified Mr..
Thacher Of his unanimous nomination for
Governor by the Democrats
THE DECINATION.
IN reply. 9Ir Thscher said: ''Mr.
1Olks AnA NtAAltHlfA VI AHN NSitiiAANh'N
Of Notification-I am deeply sensible Of
the honor conferred upon me by the De-
mocratic party OF the State Of New York
in naming me as its candidate for Cow
trnor. / am. however constrained to de-
cline the nomination. ! was away from
Albany and at my country home during
the convention and did not learn Of my
nomination until after =. NJ Thursday.
IL was not until o'clock that night that
] had an opportunity TO learn the charac-
ter OF tho platform adopted by the
convention. There had never been
submitted TO me a press copy or manu-
script copy or any other copy Of the pro-
posed platform. n any one had been en-
trusted with the duty Of presenting such
copy the trust has not been fulfilled. l had
10 reason to expect, after the convention
at Saratoga. and after tho attitude OF
the delegates from New York In the
national convention. that the state con-
venuon would commit the Demo-
cratic party unreserved,y 10 all parts Of
the Chicago platform.
NOTE TO COMMITTEE.
81 addressed communication to the
honorable. the State Committee. at the
earliest moment consistent with maturing
my thoughts. ana two days before its
meeting i'm New York. In that cOmmu-
rlcation / stated that my Views on the
financial question had not changed since
1 had publicly uttered them at the State
convention in June. and that / assumed
wy nomination was made with the eXpec-
tat0n on the part OF the convention that,
as the Governor of tho State OF New
York has absolutely no official connec-
ton with the question of national finance,
j could make the contest upon certain
clearly-denned State issues. which i then
which I deemed vital
and dominant While | had not sought
the nomination or requested a single dele
gate TO give me his support, l was viii
ling ana eager TO contend against that
system Of 'bossism' which is to-day IN
control Of the public affairs Of the State
Of New York i was prepared to organize
the Democratic party from one end OF the
state TO the other on q line Of battle
against that system. and 10 wage an un-
renting and vigorous warfare. l be-
lioved that municipal and other reforms
900 which the people are interested could
not DO obtained until the administration
had been wrcnched from the hands or the
political boss.
II believed that the people would be
with us on that issue. l believed that
from the beginning of the campaign this
issue would place the Republican party
ou The defensive and fully occupy the
I|'.e OF lle NtAtuAtls. nat II was AiiN
Vulnerable place in the armor of the
enemy. and that 1 had correctly esti-
mated tho importance or the position, Is
proven hy the immediate wincing Of the
Republican maragers. The first thrust
ol The lance drew blood and a cry.
FREE-SILVER QUESTION.
OF, has developed, in the consideration
ot l1e resolution hy which the honorable.
tle state Committee. appointed your
committee ass well as I'm the public press
and other public and private communi-
cations that there is very decided de-
sire ON the part OF the present Demo
cratic party 90 contest the election on
the abstract question Of the unlimited
coinage of silver 20 the unalterable ratio
of To- 20 D. as compared with gold, and to
ignore or to make awkwardly subordi-
iate any other national issue and every
other State issue. 10 is apparently the
purpose OF the party al this time to make
the acceptance OF an extreme political
sentiment the sole test of candidates
Democracy 10 does not seem 10 De
enough that men are willing TO support
the regular candidate OF the regular
Democratic party, but they are REQUIRED
% subscribe to every letter and phrase
O. the platform. The Republican mana
gers invite the support OF Democrat
without formally exacting Of him approval
% "a high protective tariu, and the prln~
clpie OF controlling southern elections 10y
army bayonets.
1T Is impossible for me- with the views
hod. TO make a contest on the coinage
issue. ] believe IN the good. Old Demo
cratic doctrine OF the joint, free and
equal use OF gold and silver. This doc
trine IS as far removed from the single
Use OF gold which enables spectators
10 tuggle with its value. as 1t Is from
mat other principle which seeks 10 estao-