The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-16

vsntion. He said: "No, do not think
my time has yet come. can only be
considered as possibility in the light
or a dark horse"
He then said to ne: "It will not do to
nominate Grant for third term
said: 'whyp He replied: 'Hs will surely
be defeated at the polls looked at
General Garfield in astopisbment, ana
said BY whom He replied: BY Re
ubli osns. l said: What If he receives
the nomination in Republican oonven-
tionP You astonish me- He said; wen
this matter has been talked over by the
party leaders in Washington and this Is
Just what wanted to tell you about.
You must remember, Mr.. Conger, tbet
the right Of suffrage is beginning to rest
more lightly upon the shoulders of our
people said to him: Do you mean
to tell me that IL Grant is nominated by
regular Republican convention the
members of our party are not bound to
support him9' His answer was That
is Just exactly what l do mean TO tell
you, and the Republican party must not
allow itself to be put into that shape or
condition. Then be gave me many
reasons why he thought Grant could not
be elected, and why 1t would be unfair
and dangerous to the PARTY and to the
country for him to
ACCEPT A THIRD TERM.
II then asked him If Mr.. Baine, Sena-
tor Sherman and the other candidates
knew this, aud he said Yes, and that
many of the leading members of the party
throughout the Est, many Of the lead
ing newspapers, and the general feeling
was that 1t wonld be mauifestly unjust
to the young m membsrs uf the party, and
that the putting together Of all these
things would bring about the defeat Of
the party. 1 said: Now, General, If
such thing were to take place; II the
leaders openly repudiate nomination
made, and advised members Of the party
to vote against 1t, what is to become Of
the party organizations You have al
ways taught me as young Republican
to stand by the party organization
General Garfield hesitated for some mo
ments, and then said 1T is very hard to
ask man to vote the party ticket when
ne has personal objections to the nomi-
nee. In other words, believs 1t Is right
for man to decline to support the nomi-
nee If he believes it to be against the
interests of his party or his country, or
If he even has personal objections on JUS
tiff ible grounds l said to him. Well,
as the write hitoly Of our party stands
today we have no precedent by which the
party leaders would be justified in ecom
mending to the voters such course"
General Garef1ld put his hand on my
shoulder and said : Well, Conger, then
we will make Is precedent. Then and
there Was conceived by General Garfield
the idea that afterwards made him presi-
dent. He commenced from that moment
to prepare FIR the great debate which
afterwards took place between him self and
Copkliu in tie convention Of 1880, in
which Garfield won. 1t was a memor,
able contest bet Heen two giant states
men. The thought was conceived in that
railroad ride. Evidently General Gar
field had prepared his mind on the ques
tion, for he got the better Of Senator
Conklin on the proposition and Carried
the convention with him. This in the
future will be the written law Of the party
and will give the free and independent
right to every Republican of the country
to support the nominee or not, according
In other words, Gar rfiold's victory fur
nIshes the prec. dent wherein the man
hood of the Republican leaves 1t for hin
and him alone to determine whether Of
not he will vote or decline to vote for any
candidate upon the ticket, and his Re
publicanism cannot be
LEGALLY QUESTIONED.
This precedent given us by Genera
Garfield is especially Important to younl
! Republicans, and in this interview
want to address myself largely to tn
young Republicans of Ohio and tn. ma
tion, into whose hands the responsible!
Of the affairs Of government must sooI
be transmitted, aud who must before lonl
become responsible for the management
of national affairs and the safety Of ou
institutions I am great believer II
what Uncle Patrick Henry orce said
that the best way to judge of the futur
lay in the history Of the past. 1t is righ
that the young Republicans should av
the political history of the party laid he
fore them occasionally. as a guide to tn
future"
Colonel, you're charged by tire Han
ma bureau with having opposed McKin
ley" said the reporter.
"That is untrue" said Colonel Cor
D ger. Mckinley never had hard pol
: tical fight in his life that was not !
= the midst Of 1t and In the front rank
Take for instance his congressional figt
3 when he run for congress against HoI
d. r. Paige. Paige told Mckinley at tn
Chicago convention in 1888 that he woul
have beaten him In that CONTEST If it ha
not been for Colonel Conger's work
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