The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-24
WOULDN'T DECLINE.
Col, WatersOn Would Accept Presi-
Dental Nomination.

But Should Much Prefer Another Man
Candidate Must Be One Favorable to
Present Administration.
New York, August 23.-The New York
Herald pulishes an interview with Col.
Henry Watterson had with that gentle
man in Geneva.
Mr.. Watterson was first asked whether
he would accept the nomination.
The question:" he replied, "places me
in the dilemma which the Kentucky
pioneer had to face when he ascertained
that ''injuns' were on the upper road
and death upon the lower. To decline
what has not been offered, and what no.
body has right to offer, is presumption.
To accept it Is solicitation, and to refuse
to speak is to invite Misrepresentation.
Immediate ly after the Chicago oon-
vention l wrote to Messrs. Whitney, Car
Isle and other friends at home, repre-
senting the need Of another convention,
platform and ticket. That by any chance
my own name might be considered as q
nominee did not OCCUR to my mind, and
gave reasons, which seemed to me
sufficient. why Carlisle should take the
leadership of this movement toward good
government and sound democracy. In
his default the names of General Palmer
and General Buckner and General Bragg
and Secretary Morton readily came to
me.
''It is N ereIy agsimpleEquestion I ask
you, Mr.. Watterson, in want OF q simple
and direct answer. /"
"Qnite two years ago." answered Mr..
WatGerson, Il withdrew from all person.
al relation to party politics, which Cir
cumstancesIand not inclination forced
upon me. have not now and never have
had the faintest political ambition. If
anything could move me to bolt the
forthcoming indianapolis convention it
would be my own nomination. But /
have never urged any man to do what
burst not myself attempt, and when the
convention meets, and if it decides to
put ticket in the field, and is unable to
induce any of the other gentlemen have
named to take up the thankless post of
duty,I would take it if knew iolead me
to the stake.
but am clearly of the opinion that
no such ticket should be put in the field
and no citizen placed in such a position
unless 1t be with the warm and active
support of the administration. for whose
vindicatton the movement and It's 1nomi-,
nees must be largely enlisted and will be
cid responsible ~ ssF -a seAa-s
81 can only hope, so far as my own
nomination is concerned, that no such
contingency will arise, for to me- 1t
would fall little short Of a catastrophe" !
"Have.you anything to say about the
campaign SO far rs it has gone, Mr.. Wat
terson?"
"I rhink 1t extremely unfortunate,
was the reply, that SO many of those
who favor sound money, but who would
not otherwise support the Republican
ticket, have declared for Mckinley. 1t
was precipitate, to say the least of 1t.
We can always surrender, but to swallow
McKinleyism, with all that it implies,
hide, horns and tallow, without consider
ing any alternative or waiting to see how
far sound money might be really In
danger, was surrender. 1t was done in
panic, take it, for capital and
property are proverbially timid. There is
no silver craze representing the majority
of voters in any except few Southern
States. misled by the race question, and
their fear of negro domination. and in
silver mining camps Of the Ear West. A
majority for honest money in most o: ths
old states north and south may be
counted on. The rest is sheer assertion
and noise, which fearless and energetic
campaign of education will dissipate
SIN my Judgment there Is no immedi-
ate peril, for 1 believe that the Chicago
ticket will in any event be disastrously
haatan ,, tf