The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-17

Attorney F. w. Fleitz returned yes
terday from Detroit, where he made
such a phenomenal run for the Of
flee of president of the National League
of Republican clubs. He received 791
votes against S22 cast for L. j. Craw-
ford, of Newport, Ky, the successful
candidate, and would have won easily
had the college league of clubs kept
faith with him. Mr.. Fleitz's candidacy
was genuine surprise to his friends
in this city, and no little pride was
taken in the splendid showing he made
in the balloting.
When Mr.. Fleitz was seen by a Trib-
une reporter yesterday afternoon in his
Office in the Mears building he did not
look as If he was much cast down by
having the presidency of the National
League of clubs practically snapped
out of his hands.
My candidacy for president" said
Mr. Fletz, was not announced until
twelve hours before the convention met
and l think in the light of that fact
the vote l received demonstrated that 1
had the workers of the convention with
me, even If i did not have the organ.
iZation at my back. l had no thought
of running for any office when / start
ed for Detroit. on the boat from Cleve-
land to Detroit were many of the
Pennsylvania delegates, and the fact
was commented upon that Pennsyl-
vania had never had a national officer
of the league of clubs, and it was sug-
gested that as l had done some SER
vice for the party while secretary of
the Pennsylvania league, that become
a candidate for secretary. / had no
6esire to become secretary of the Ma
tional league, and said so, and then
the Pennsylvanians said: Well then
you will have to be our candidate for
PRESIDENT
FOUR CANDIDATES.
when we got into Detroit on Mon
day we found that there were four
active candidates for the Office of pres
ident. They We're: l.. ]. Crawford, of
Kentucky, who was the favorite Of
President Woodmansee; A. NJ. Higgins,
of Indiana Congressman McEwen, of
New Jersey, ana Marcus Pullaskey, of
Illinois. Theodore Roosevelt of New
York; Ned Green, of Texas, son of Mrs.
Hettie Green, the New York financier,
and Colonel Stone, of California, were
also willing to be struck with presi-
for-all fight and the Pennsylvania DEL
egation decided to make a fight.
Monday night John r. Tanner, Of
Illinois, Chauncey NJ. Filley, of Mis-
souri,, and Ex-Governor Merriam, of
Minnesota, came to me and made the
proposition that they would do their
utmost to secure my election if l de-
o;ded to announce my candidacy. They
were opposed to Crawford and seemed
to think 1 was the most available man
TO concentrate their forces on. A. NJ.
Higgins also waited upon me, and said
that if he discovered in the conven-
ton that he had less strength than l
had he would swing his support in my
favor. Major Everett Warren was ex-
pected on Tuesday, and l decided not
to make a definite answer until 1 had
an opportunity of consulting him.
THE New York delegation also was
not expected until Tuesday, and I
wanted to learn what they would do
before committing myself. Major War
ren. when he arrived, advised me to
go into the fight, and the New Workers
told me they would stand by me, and
accordingly on Tuesday afternoon my
candidacy was announced. We had no
badges, cards, headquarters or litera-
ture of any kind, but nevertheless went
to work with a will and soon had
large number of delegates promised.
THE COLLEGE MEN.
'In less than four hours my election
seemed assured for the New York,
Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois, Min
nesota. Nebraska, Maryland, Louisi-
ana, West Virginia, Alabama, Wyom-
ing, Oklahoma and South Dakota dele
cations We're for me solidly and I had
scattering members of delegations from
other states. The College League Of
Clubs Is entitled to forty-eight votes
and twenty-four of these they prom
ised to give to me. The other "a were
to go to Crawford. All of the pledges
made to me were religiously kept with
the exception of that which came from
the college men.
"Wednesday morning in the conven-
tion my name was presented by Major
Warren in a speech which won new
laurels for him as an orator. He spoke
of Pensylvania's prominence, her glo-
rious history and the still more glorious