Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-08
HARRISON rs OUT.
The Ex-President Declines to Be
q Candidate.
Letter In Which He Announces His
PositIon-Indiana Is Now an
Open Field for Other
Aspirants.

AAplrRnJS'
Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. AT an
carly hour Monday night, Capt. John
n. Gowdy, chairman of the republican
state central committee, called by in
vitution at the residence of Gen. Har-
rison, when the ex-president handed
him the following letter;
''HoN. JOHN X. GowDY: In view of the
resolutions passed by the state central
committee at its recent meeting, and of the
fact that delegates to the national repub
lican convention are soon to be chosen In
this state, 1 have concluded that some
statement from me as to my wishes and
purposes should now be made to my In
diana friends. Hitherto have declined TO
speak to the public upon this matter, but
scores of friends to whom j have talked
and many scores more to whom have
written will recognize In this expression
the substance of what 1 have said to them.
To everyone who has proposed to promote
my nomination have said No. There
| never has been an hour since 1 left the
white house that have felt a wish to re-
turn to Ii. My Indiana friends have been
most devoted and faithful and am their
| grateful debtor. The republican party has
twice in national convention given me Its
Endorsement and that is enough. think
| the voters of our party are now entitled TO
great and small, that has been manifested
| for my nomination, / am grateful, and of
| that wider respect and Misunderstanding
| party lines-which have been shown me in
| SO many ways, am profoundly apprecia-
| tive.
| ST cannot consent that my name be pre-
| scented to or used in the st. Louis conVen-
| ton, and must kindly ask my friends to ac-
| cept this as a sincere and final expression
upon the subject.
"BENJAM1N HARRISON,
indianapolis, Ind, Feb. g."
The politicians close to Mr.. Harrison
have feared that he would fatty refuse
the use of his name if crowded too
closely upon the subject, and they re-
gard the resolutions of loyalty"
adopted by the state committee last
week as the prime cause OF the letter.
Even in spite of these resolutions they
had continued to hope that he would
continue to say nothing and quietly
permit the use of his name. Nobody
here questions the entire sincerity of
the letter, and they regard Gen. Harri-
son as definitely out of the race.
The withdrawal lets down the bars to
all the other candidates. Indiana will
now be fighting ground. The friends
of each of the candidates are already
we'll organized, and work will begin at
once. There is reason to believe that
Gen. Harrison favors Allison, but he
will not attempt to influence the party
of his state in it's work of making and
instructing delegation. Mckinley
forces are already well organized in the
natural gas district, where a high tariff
is deemed Indispensable to prosperity
The delegation in congress will, it is
believed, throw it's influence to Reed
Congressman Steele, who was made &
member of the ways and means commit
tee, has been endeavoring for several
months to do something for Reed, bu
was handicapped by Harrison. The dis
,trict conventions will be held March 7
and betweep now and that date there
will be hustling in all the districts. Th:
friends of Mckinley will insist that tn,
state should instruct for him, and lead
ing republicans believe it is probable
that this may be done. There is no dis
, position to regard the announcement O.
. the eX-president as otherwise than final
When Gen. John C. New was seel
relative to the letter OF Gen. Harrison, h,
: said the letter meant what it said. III,
continued:
"It takes Gen. Harrison entirely out o
consideration as u candidate before the ST
Louis convention. Gen. Harrison is no
accustomed to fight behind disguises, an
, | 1t would be unjust to him to suspect ther
is offered any opportunity for reading be
, | tween the lines The latter says what h
L has said to me and others of his friend
for year. We had hoped that he Nigh
be induced to change his mind but he ha
evidently made up his mind and his declar
!. alton should be regarded as final"
For whom will the vote of the Indian
e delegation probably be cast?"
e II think that in the great manufacturin
: districts of the state the sentiment will b
for Mckinley. In some parts of Indian
: Senator Allison has following that wi
probably get him some delegates. do nc
h take it that Speaker Reed will develo
much strength
"Win Gen. Harrison be quantity in tn
o senatorial race to succeed Voorhees?"
= 81 do not have any idea that he will. I
this, however, am only speaking for my
self. Gen. Harrison desires to get ava
l. from official life and public notice.
l. wants to become private citizen again
a truth and in fact. He wants once more
be able to come and go without bein
: stopped at every cross roads and aske
q about what he thinks about every subjet
= under the sun"