The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-08
FORMALLY DECLINES VICE PREsI-
DENTAL NOMINATION OF THE
PEOPLES PARTY
HE EXPLAINS Ills POSITION
WHEN ADLAI STEVENSON WAS
NOMINATED 1T BECAME HIS
DUTY TO RETIRE
SUPPORTS DEMOCRATIC TICKET
Pledges Himself to support Bryan
and Stevenson, and Heartily
COmmends the Cause
Thanks Supporters.

DULUTH, Aug 7.-Former Congress
man Charles A Towne, who was nomi-
mated for the vice presidency by the Pop
ulist national convention at Sioux Falls,
IN May, has sent the following letter to
the notification committee:
Duluth, Mimi, Aug Z, 19OO.-Hon. P. NJ.
Rtngdal Chairman and the Members OF
tie Committee on Notification OF Cand1-
date for Vice President, of the Peoples
Party National Convention, Held at Sioux
Falls, S. D, May and IL, lgO-Gentle-
men: When, on the 5th of July, at Kan
eas City, / had the honor to receive from
you the official notification of the action
of your national convention in nominat-
ing me for the office of vice president of
the United States, 1 requested in view
Of the anomalous and delicate circum-
stances in the political situation, that
you permit me to take the subject under
careful adVisement before announcing a
decision either accepting or declining the
nomination. This request you were pleas
ed to grant; and now, after mature con-
sideraton of all the factors involved that
concern the welfare of the cause of po-
litical reform in this country and my
duty thereto, am constrained to inform
you that I must decline the nomination
rendered me by the Sioux Falls conven-
ton.
In announcing this conclusion cannot
forbear to express to you, and, through
you, to the great convention whose COM
mission you hold, as well as to that
thought which that convention repre- repre-
Sented, my deep sense of honor conferred
upon me to be the unanimous choice Of
20 such a convention for the second highest
office in the service of the republic would
be distinction for any citizen. Two cir
cumstances, however, add emphasis to
this consideration in the present instance:
First that the nomination was unso-
Hcfted by me; and, secondly, that the
convention, az in the case also of its
sr1rv,, <,F
Its own political organization to select
a candidate.
AN ENCOURAGING SPECTACLE.
To my mind this action of the Sioux
Falls convention in nominating for pres
ident q representative of the Democratic
party. and for vice president a repre-
Sentative of the Silver Republican party,
is one of the most encouraging and in
spring spectacles in recent politics. Its
unselfshness and magnanimity, its tes-
timony to the precedence of the cause of
the people over any merely partisan ad-
vantage, raised the procedure of that
true civic heroiSm. From such a spirit
as this what service, what sacrifice, could
not be asked in the name OF the re-
1t was. of course, the expectation of
your convention that its nominee for the
vice presidency would prove acceptable
to the conventions of the Democratic and
Silver Republican parties called to meet
in Kansas on the Fourth of July. The
thirty delegates representing twenty
eight states and territories, were in
deed eager to name the ticket chosen at
Sioux Falls, but to the great Demo-
cratic convention another course COM
mended itself. The name of your candi-
date was presented TO that convention
and was received with quite remarkable
demonstrations of approval by the enor-
nous number of citizen spectators and
with the utmost respect by the delegates.
But geographic considerations, and the
fact that in certain parts of the country
It was deemed wise to defer to senu-
ment demanding that the candidate
should be a man already identified with
the Democratic organization, not only by
holding its principles and advocating its
cause, but also by, name and profession.
determined the selection of Hon. Adlai
E. Stevenson, of Ulionis, a man of un-
impeachable character and of ripe poIu-
cal experience, who rs a member of con-
eress more than twenty years ago, was
a close associate and co-laborer of Gen.
J. B. Weaver. and other great leaders in
the reform political movements OF that hat
day, and who, as vice president from 1898
to 1897 distinguished himself by rebelling
against the betrayal of Democratic prin-
ciples by President Cleveland.
HIS PLAIN DUTY.
When Mr. Stevenson was nominated,
what was it my duty to do? My name
had gone before the convention along
with his, and 1 had been beaten. The
nomination had been made decisively and
with absolute fairness. The candidate
chosen was personally uneXceptionab,e;
his loyalty to our principles was beyond
question, and his career had been a long
exemplification of them. Manifestly it
was my duty to support that nomina-
ton. Acting Immediately upon this con-
Viction, went before the Silver Repub-
lican convention and succeeded In per-
euading II not to nominate me and the
vice presidential matter was finally re-
ferred to the Silver Republican national
committee with full powers. Later in the
night this committee placed the name of
Mr. Stevenson on its ticket as candidate
for vice president.
WILL SUPPORT THE TICKET.
This recital clearly develops the situa-
tion as it now is Everybody knows that
Mr. Stevenson or Mr.. Roosevelt is to be
the next vice president of the United
States I am expected to take labor
ious part in the campaign. 1 shall, of
course, advocate the election of Bryan
and Stevenson. The Democratic -conven-
tion, before which 1 was a candidate,
nominated Bryan and Stevenson. The
Silver Republican party, of which orga-
nization l was the official head for nearly
four years, has nominated Bryan and
Stevenson. In what light should 1 appear
before the American people if While ad-
Vocating the election of one ticket
should be going through the form of
running on another2 Nobody in the
United States would think I had the
slightest chance of being elected, and
nobody would believe that I cons. .dered
myself as g candidate unless at the same
time he believed me to be absolutely
such phantom candidacy deceive?
What respect should 1 deserve indeed if
in such matter 1 should attempt to de-
ceive anybody whatsoever? l know the
Peoples party to be composed of men
most. exceptionally keen and expert in
political judgment So obvious a sham
could not elude their vision. Either they
would resent my implied uncomplimen-
tary estimate of them or they would be
justified in forming one of me which
could result only in injuring the cause
which it has been the professed object of
my mistaken folly to advance Consis-
tency and candor in politics, therefore:
my own self-respect; a proper Difference
to the Peoples party; and a sincere re-
gard for the welfare of the cause af
political reform in the United States: ali
. counsel that | now respectfully repface in
your hands the honorable trust which
your great party committed to me In con
temptation of a different complexion of
affairs than that which has resulted
COMMENDS THE DEMOCRATS
In conclusion, may be permitted to
express the profound satisfaction which
feel in contemplating the present att
tude of the Democratic party In 1896
] was one Of those who, keenly feeling
the recreancy of the Republican party,
were much in doubt whether the memor-