The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-13

Easton. Pa. Sept. 12.-General Frank
Reeder late last night gave out the
following statement of his side of the
disagreement with Governor Hastings,
which led to his resignation. The gen
eral refused to make comment of any
kind on what he had prepared, He
says:
Il have waited since last Wednes-
day, the eighth inst" for Governor
Hastings to give to the public the rea-
sons which actuated him in asking for
my resignation as secretary of the
commonwealth. This he has failed to
do. /, therefore, feel entirely justified
in presenting to the public full and
complete narrative of what occurred in
the interviews which l had with the
governors private secretary, and the
governor himself This shall do with
out any comments of any sort, leaving
1t for the people of the state to inter-
pret these interviews for themselves.
ION the evening of Sept. 9, the gov
ernors private secretary, Lewis f.
Better. called at my house in Easton,
and, with all of the thoughtful consid-
Grafton and courtesy possible in the
performance of an embarrassing duty,
demand for my resignation, which has
already been given to the press. l at
once expressed my willingness to COM
ply with the governors desire, and
stated to Mr.. Beitler that / would af-
ter giving my resignation, go to Har-
risburg by the first train in order that
] might have from the governor some
explanation of the reasons which led
III 1t NJ "a
Piled that he was instructed by Gov
ernor Hastings to inform me that the
governor declined to see me or to af-
ford me any interview. l said: You
must be mistaken as to your instruc-
tions. as Governor Hastings is a gen.
tleman, and l am a gentleman, and no
gentleman declines to receive another
gentleman He said: I can only re-
peat the governors instructions to me. :
i said: There was but one interpre-
tation to be put upon such instructions,
which was that the governor meant
to decline all further acquaintance with
me, but that 1 would go to Harrisburg,
Notwithstanding, and put the gover-
nor to the necessity of declining to re"
ceive me-
THE next morning I took the train
for Harrisburg. Mr.. Better being on
the same train. Before reaching Read
ing, Mr.. Beitler received a telegram re-
questing him to join the governor at
Philadelphia, coming directly to that
city from Reading. Shortly after my
arrival at Harrisburg / was called to
the telephone in the executive office
and was informed by Mr. Beitler, who
was at the Philadelphia end of the
mia NLAN l.
Governor Hastings to say to me that
he (Beitler) had misunderstood his in
structions relative to the governors in
tention to deny me an interview, and
that he had been directed by the gov
ernor to see me personally and arrange
for an interview at such time and place
as would be agreeable and convenient
to the governor and myself, and that
Mr. Beitler would meet me at Reading
at o'clock that evening for that pur-
pose. At our meeting, Mr.. Betler re-
peated that the governor had dis
claimed having given him any instruc-
tins to tell me that an interview would
be denied and an interview was ac-
cordingly arranged for the following
Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Harrisburg.
"On that day, between 12 and 1
o'clock, presented myself at the ex-
ecutive department, and an interview
took place.
Il said: Governor, | desire to pre-
face what have to say by conceding
your clear right. not only to ask for my
resignation at your own pleasure, but
also the broader right of removing or
dismissing me from your cabinet with
out assigning, or indeed having, any
cause for such action. You had this
right If you did not like the cut of nv
clothes or If l was personally disagree
able to you If you wished to repla ce
me with somebody preferred over me,
or for any other whm or reason
whether logical or otherwise. In rec.
ognition of this right, / at once re.
sponded TO your request by tender OF
my resignation; but l feel, now thai
my resignation is in your hands, that
i have the right to ask you to inform
me of your reasons for this STEP The
governor replied: General Reeder,
expect this will be the most painful in.
terview that have ever had, but