The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-24
HARRIS WANTS PEACE
Doesn't Want POpulist Nominal
ton If 1t Makes DiscOrd.
VIII Take Tt But viii Not
Fight For 1t.
Col. Harris Lauds Senator Teller as
One of the Few Real Statesmen
This Country Possesses.

Col W. A Harris, eX-congressman-
at-large from this state, was in To-
peka last evening. Col. Harris is a
candidate for the Populist nomination
for governor and is backed by Chair
man John Breidenthal Of the state
central committee.
Col Harris was seen by a Journal re-
porter and asked concerning his can
didacy- He said in answer to the di-
rect question as to whether he was a
candidate:
Il am not a candidate for governor in
the sense that I am seeking it, or max
ing a fight for it. should consider it
a great honor. indeed, to head the
ticket of my party in Kansas this year,
but 1 shall make no fight for the place.
L am one Of those partisans who for a
mere nomination do not desire to in
dict myself upon my party against the
wishes Of large number Of the mem
bers Of the party.
IF it seems that can get the nomi-
nation without causing discord or dis
sension. then I might make an effort
to secure the nomination. Otherwise,
I should prefer to stay out of the race
altogether
Col. Harris was asked whether in his
opinion the silver forces of the cOun-
try would unite upon a candidate for
president this year. He replied:
81 think there might be such thing
as a union of the silver forces"
Would Senator Teller be most likely
to be the combine candidate for presi-
dent, if fusion We're accomplished? %
Indeed L do not know. There are
few men in the country who are the
equal Of Senator Teller. I regard him
as one Of the few real statesmen that
this country possesses. But I think it
Id
the nomination. 1t would then be said
that his sole reason for leaving the Re
publican party was because he wanted
to run for president, and I think that
the single ambition of Senator Teller
is to be again elected United States
senator by his state"
What do you think of the POpulist
address prepared by some representa-
tives of the party from St. Louis the
other day in which Teller was urged as
a candidate for PRESIDENT"
why, I do not think much about it.
The P0puists, you know, are impul-
sive people. They admire Senator Tel
Ter because of his devotion to the cause
of silver, and because he had the man
hood to walk out Of the ST. Louis ma
tional Republican convention. There
fore the enthusiastic ones in our party
begin to push him for president I do
not regard that letter from St. Louis,
to which you refer, as being particu-
larly significant"
do you think the Democrats viii
nominate Senator Teller at ChicagO?"
well, you can't tell. The Demo
Gratis are queer people and likely to
do almost anything They might do
this, and they might not"
provided that the Democrats did
nominate him, do you think the Popu-
lists and silverites would endorse him
at st. Louis at their national conven-
tions?"
"That would be hard question to
answer. think, however. that If the
Democrats did do that, thus showing
their sincerity towards the silver
cause the Populists might be likely to
follow"
Senator PETER said the other day in
Washington that Mckinley would be
elected president this year; that the
real battle between gold and silver
would not occur until 1900. What do
you think OF that2'
Senator PETER is a good man and a
good Populist. but think he had better
come out to Kansas and get in touch
with the western spirit. You see he
has been so long in Washington's Sc
ductive atmosphere that he has rather
lost his grip on the prevailing senti-
ment of the west. The fact is, no mat
ter who the man may be, if there is
union among the silver forces this
year, triumph viii follow it viii come
four years sooner than 1900"
Col. Harris says he may be a neigh
Dor to Topeka. One of his missions
here last night and this morning was to
confer with some business men with
whom he is negotiating for the pur-
chase of property some few miles west
of this city.