The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-19
WATTERSoN AND BELMONT.
THEIR CORRESPONDENTS ON KEN
lucky POLITICS.

and Nashville Directors Refused to
Keep Hands or, Claiming the
Right to Protect Their Property.
WhaI1en Was Their Agent.
Louisville. Feb. 1s.-Milton II. Smith,
president OF the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad Company, has given out the fol-
lowing correspondence, mention of which
was made in a recent editorial of Henry
Watterson regarding the Kentucky elec-
tion;
Telegram to President Smith from Au-
gust Belmont:
New York. Feb. i5, 190O.-M. II. Smith,
president, Louisville and Nashville Rail-
| road Company, Louisville: Persistent al
| lusions to the correspondence of Col.
Watterson and myself of July last, and
a tendency, to misrepresent its supposed
contents, compel me to authorize the pub
lication by you of the entire correspond
| ence as well as the minutes Of the meet
ing of the board of the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad Company. copy of
which was sent to Col. Watterson at that
time. The reasons for my hesitation to
give the correspondence to the public.
apart from my already expressed feeling
that it was not an opportune time in the
| present state of the public mind in Ken
lucky, were that felt reluctant without
Col. Wattersons consent, to publish the
| letter of a gentleman in Col Watterson's
| position and for whom have always en-
| tertained a personal regard containing
| the bald statement made before the act
nj Sat ~,
| election was not to be left to chance
! which meant, OF course, that the will of
| the people was not to determine the result
of the contest. Coming from him,
recognized as he was then
and has since proved himself
| to be, an influential supporter Of Mr. Goe-
| bel, such statement was well calculated
| to alarm ALI invested Interests in Ken
! lucky to which Mr.. Goebel and his adher-
| ents were known to be hostile, the proper
| ty confided to my supervision being espe-
cially singled out by them for assault and
destruction IL their public utterances dur
| Ing the past campaign and since are to be
| taken as an index.
| LAS to the correspondence, IL speaks for
| itself and must so stand for / say now
and do not propose 10 be drawn from the
| position / feel my official duty and trust
| that / will under no circumstances enter
| into a controversy with Col. Watterson or
| his newspaper, feeling that the abuse of
| both the officers of the Louisville and
| Nashville Railroad individually and the
| corporation itself does not even now, and
| certainly will not later when cool judg-
| ment reviews the past, meet with the ap-
probation of the thinking people of Ken
| lucky at large. 1t is useless TO attempt to
| stem vituperation which has become both
| q habit and a political convenience. The
| public will in due course appreciate II and
| the Louisville and Nashville win continue
| as heretofore to attend to its business and
the share it has In the welfare of the
state (Signed)
| August Belmont, Chairman"
Letter From Col. Watterson.
Louisville, June 80, 1899 My dear Mr..
| Belmont. AS your personal friend, and as
| a friend of the Louisville and Nashville
| Railroad l venture TO write you this let
| ter.
| I'm my judgement the local administra-
| ton of the road is entering upon a course
| which if II does not tend to destroy the
property will greatly burden and impair
| IL.
''The Democratic state ticket just nomi-
| mated will certainly be elected. Under the
| operation of the GoebeI law the result is
| not left TO chance. In It's purpose to beat
| ayers have already expended large sums
| Of money in turtle attempts TO do this
4 they have not only made themselves re-
| sponsibIe for two unpopular and unin-
| fiuential newspapers, but they have set up
| as their visible and accredited represent
| tative a man by the name of Whallen, the
| proprietor of a variety theater and un-
| doubtedly the most odious personality In
| the city and in the state. At every turn
| they have met defeat and they will sure
| ly meet 1t next November.
For thirty years the Courer-Journal
4 has been the steady disinterested friend of
the road. Believing It's a public instltu-
| ton of the greatest usefulness and most
| important factor in all our affairs, Mr..
| Haldeman and myself have supported 1t
at every juncture requiring support. This
| has never cost the road penny. But
under the policy now adopted war of
| extermination is made upon US through
| the two newspapers in question and the
| man Whallen, backed up by the money
| OF the road. The end Is as certain as
/ the day of election. The issue as it now
| stands Is the Democratic party VS.. the
| louisville and Nashville Railroad, and on
| that issue the road could not win even
| If its newspaper supporters were ham
| died with capacity and discretion. But
| they are not so handled. They are the
| merest partisan concerns without circula-
| ton or influence, conducted apparently
with no other purpose tnan 10 abuse the
| Courier y ournal. If you will cause to be
| sent you the Dispatch and Evening Poet
/ for single week and will look over them
| each day you will be able to see for your
| self how the matter stands.
| ION that showing alone should be Will
| ing to rest the case. In my judgment the
| situation Is both momentous and critical
| and ought to arrest the serious attention
| OF those who control the policy of the
| road.
LAS said IN The beginning. write as
! friend. The Courier-Journal has nothing
| 10 fear from the conflict forced upon IL by
| the managers of the road. On the contra
| ry IL has something to gain, but neither
| Mr.. Haldeman nor myself want to profit
at the expense of the road.
| "If halt be not called upon the pro-
| ceedings It's evil consequences are as Sc
| rious as the coming of the next session OF
| the Kentucky legislature.
(Signed) Sincerely your friend,