The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-04
HENRY GEORGE.
He Writes a Letter Declin.
ing the Nomination.

New York, Oct. 3.-Henry George has
declined the nomination for governor
on the ticket placed IN the field by the
Chicago platform democrats, and the
committee having authority to I'LL the
vacancies, nominated Henry NJ Nc
Donald, Of the county OF New York.
for the place Mr.. Georges letter Of
deciination made public tonight, is as
follows,
Fort Hamilton, N. T.. Oct. g.
Messrs. William ]. Abbott. Samuel
Seabury and Ezra A. futile; Notifica-
ton Committee:
"Gentlemen-It is great honor to be-
judged worthy Of the suffrages NJ ones
fellow-citizens, and 1t is an especial
honor to receive the nonsi aation of a
party striving for pure politics and
ciate the action Of the party
Of Chicago platform democrats
in nominating me for the high
office Of governor Of the state
of New York. But after careful eonsid-
GRAFTON, l must decline the nomination,
for l am persuaded that by pursuing
uninterruptedly the duty Of writing my
fathers biographies duty to my ia
theirs memory and TO the cause to
which he gave his life-I can 90 more
for the principles Of freedom than I
could by engaging actively in politics.
For at a time when tho two great po-
litical machines must excite public at
tention over questions of the war and
criminal scandals growing out Of II
and over the questions CT official corr
ruption and mismanagemert in the
state, the more remote, though far
greater economic questions would be
lost sight Of, and thus an independent
fight would not stand on the merit Of
its principles, but get only scant atten~
ton in the public eye as might be d.
verted from the fight over political de-
bauchery.
I should say, moreover, in justice to
myself and to those who honestly ad-
vance the silver question to the rank Of
first Importance, that I am no more
than my father was, an advocate Of
free coinage. He condemned its eco
nomic soundness, being in fact be-
lever neither In gold nor silver, but in
credit or paper money He supported
the Chicago platform, not on account of
but in spite of its advocacy Of free
silver, because he believed that in other
respects it stood for the principles of
freedom; because it took the side Of the
weak against that of monoDolists be-
cause it sided with the house of want
against the house of have. I am in
entire accord with those views, and I
think 1T proper to state them frankly,
that there may be no room for misun-
derstanding on the part Of any.
With renewed expressions of appre-
citation for the great honor conferred
upon me by your party, and with. senti-
ments of high regard for the members
Of your committee, I am
Yours very respectfully.
(Signed). Henry George, Jr.7
Henry Mcdonald, the man named to
fill the vacancy on the ticket caused
by Mr.. Georges letter Of declinRtAon,
was the chairman of the convention
which placed Mr.. George in nomina-
ton. He was born in Caledonia, Liv-
ingston county, N Y, in 1851. Left an
orphan at an early age, Mr.. Mcdonald
earned his living as a farm hand until
II years of age He attended night
schools, and at the age Of IS began to
teach school. He made money enough
to take him through Princeton college,
and was graduated from that institu-
ton in 1878. He studied law in Roches-
ter, and was admitted to the bar in 1913.
He practiced law for four years, and
then went to Pierre, S. D., where he
engaged in banking. He returned to
New York in 1891, and has since been
In various financial business here. Mr..
Mcdonald is president Of the New York
Bimetallic Association