The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-08
STANDS TOR WILLIS
w. w. ERWIN WILL CAST HIS
VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATE
HE, HAS HIS MORAL SUPPORT
peal of Another Man, Who
Claimed the Tall Pine" Was
Under Obligations to Him, He
Decided Not TO Appear on the
Platform Last Night.

st. Paul. Mimi. Nov. T. 1S9S.-Hon. John
w. Willis st. Paul-My Dear Sir 1 sincerely
regret to write you that l must decline, at
this late hour, to speak in the First ward, as
promised you yesterday. Mr. Beardsley,
whom / understand, is running on the Popu-
list ticket for congress, was, during all last
springs campaign my constant and ardent
friend. His influence undoubtedly secured for
me the nomination for mayor by the Peoples
party.
This afternoon Mr.. Beardsley called upon
me claiming that he had strong hopes of be-
ing elected, charged me with ingratitude to-
wards him and his friends in proposing to
make speech antagonistic to his interests in
the First ward. where all of his personal
friends by him brought to my support
in the spring campaign.
l most earnestly desire your election and
sincerely hope that you will succeed in OBJ
tanning the endorsement of the people Of
this district. You shall have my vote, but
feel that it is due to myself that no man
shall ever be able to charge me with personal
1ngratitude for friendship and favors shown
to me in the past. This is an unpleasant
delemma but. I have decided that whatever
influence l could have with the audience this
evening. it will be much better that l pro-
tect myself from the censure which will
ever follow man who forgets his friends.
Therefore please do not call for me. Yours
very sincerely. w. w. Erwin.
The foregoing letter explained the
nCn-appearance of w. w. Erwin at the
final rally for the Democratic ticket
in the Second ward which took place
last evening at Lucker's hall. 1t was
one of the notable meetings of the cam
paign. Every seat in the hall was oc-
cUpied, and there were a couple of
hundred men who remained standing
throughout the meeting, the crowd eX-
cs+,, 30
trance. The occasion was, moreover,
distinguished, by the presence among
the audience of several ladies.
The meeting was called to order by
MIR. Arthur NJ Hull, who was unani-
mously chosen as chairman. Among
those on the platform were Mr.. j. G.
Michael, candidate for district judge;
William Platte, the Democratic candi-
date for auditor; Anton Nielsen, the
candidate for county treasurer; John
Cavanagh, the candidate for judge of
probate; James NJ. Meade candidate for
clerk of courts, and Edward Peterson,
the candidate for state senator, all OF
whom addressed the audience briefly
on behalf of the entire ticket, state and
county.
Mr. Michael spoke with much feel
ing and effect, and expressed his cor
dial thanks to those in attendance at
the meeting, as we'll as to the devoted
Democratic masses throughout the
county for their devotion to the prin-
ciples of the Democracy. He was un-
der deep obligations, he said, to them
for their goodness to him, and he re-
lied upon them for his election to the
important Office of judge of the district
court, which he felt was assured. He
wanted no more from them than they
gave to all other candidates of the
party, and he knew that they would
extend that much to him. His expert
ence in the past gave him the amplest
assurance that he would receive that
much Mr.. MichaePs address was di-
rected more to the consideration of the
practical work which remained to be
done tomorrow. He believed that men
had already concluded how they would
vote, and it remained for Democrats
now only to see that no effort was
spared to secure a polling Of the en-
tire vote of the friends of the Demo-
cratic ticket.
Mr. Michael was followed by the sew
eral candidates present in succession,
all of them speaking but briefly and
all of them urging the audience to give
their loyal support to every Democrat
who was a candidate for office. Mr.,
Peterson. the candidate for senator
against Sheehan, spoke more at length
than the others and appeared to leave
very strong impression on his au
dience. He declared his purpose, if
elected, to fight all through the first,
and if necessary, the following session
for an honest primary law, and dwalt
somewhat strongly on the Importance
of having an efficient educational sys-
tenn. In the operation of no other de-
partment of government, said Mr.,
Peterson, was the commonwealth so