The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-08
Knowing that If Elected the Latter
VIII EndeavOr to FOist Free
Silver on the Country.
REASONS GIVEN AT LENGTH
MIR. TOWNE'S LETTER TO THE NO.
LITIGATION COMMITTEE.
MIR. Edmisten's Views Concerning the
MartyrdOm Of the Populisr
Party's Candidate.

DULUTH, Mimi, Aug. 7.-Charles a
Towne, who was nominated for the vice
presidency by the Populist national con-
vention held at r.oux Falls in May. has
sent the following letter to the committee
of notifications:
Hon. P. NJ Ringdahl, chairman, and the
members of the committee on notification
OIL the candidate for Vice President of the
Peoples party national convention held
at Sioux Falls. s. D.. May and 10, 1900:
'Gentlemen-When on the 5th OF July at
Kansas City L had the honor TO receive
from you the official notification of the
action of your national convention in nomi-
mating me for the office of Vice President
of the United States / requested, in view
of anomalous and delicate circumstances
in the presidential situation, that you per-
NIT me to take the subject under careful
aiSe before fba
tion This request you were pleased to
grant, and now, after mature considera-
cern the welfare of the cause of political
reform in this country and my own duty
thereto, i am constrained to inform you in
all respect that 1 must decline the nom1na-
tiOn rendered me by the Sioux Falls con-
vention.
I'm announcing this conclusion 1 cannot
forbear to express to you and through you
TO the great convention whose commission
yotf hold. as well as to that patriotic body
of advanced political thought that your
convention represented, my deep. sense of
lt.
nous choice of such convention for the
second highest Office in the service of the
Republic would be a distinction TO any
citizen. Two circumstances, however, add
emphasis to this consideration in the pres
ent instance. First. that the nomination
was unsolicited by me, and, secondly, that
the convention. as in the case also of its
nominee for the presidency. went out of its
own political organization to select a candi-
date. To my mind this action of the Sioux
Falls convention in nominating for Presi-
emf ron ant I've of he nann n In
party and for Vice President a representa-
tive of the Silver Republican party Is one
of the most encouraging and inspiring
spectacles In recent politics. Its unselfish-
ness and magnanimity, its testimony TO
the precedence of the cause of the people
over any merely partisan advantage raised
the procedure of that convention into the
serene upper air Of true civic heroism.
From such a spirit as this what service.
what sacrifice can be asked in the name of
the Republic.
ACTION AT KANSAS CITY.
"It was. of course. the expectation of
your convention that its nomination for
the vice presidency would prove acceptable
tc the conventions of the Democratic and
Silver Republican parties called to meet in
Kansas City on the 4th of July. The Sill
yer Republicans, 1880 delegates. represent
ing twenty eight States and Territories,
were. indeed, eager to name the ticket
chosen at Sioux Falls, but to the great
Democratic convention another course COM
mended itself. The name of your nominee
was presented to that convention and was
received with remarkable demonstrations
of approval by the enormous number of
citizen spectators and with the utmost re-
spect by the delegates. But geographical
considerations and the fact that in certain
parts of the country it was deemed wise to
defer to sentiment demanding that the
candidate should be man already identi-
fled with the Democratic organization not
only by holding it's principles and advo-
eating its cause, but also by name and pro-
fession, determined the selection of the
Hon. Adlai +. Stevenson, of Illinois, a man
of unimpeachable character and of ripe
political experience, who, as member of
Congress more than twenty years ago. was
close associate and colaborer of Gen. j.
B. Weaver and other great leaders in the
reform political movements of that day,
and who. as Vice President from 1893 to
1897, distinguished himself by rebelling
against the betrayal of Democratic prin-
ciples by President Cleveland
when Mr.. Stevenson had been nomi-
mated, what was it my duty to do? My
name had gone before the convention along
with his, and had been beaten. The NOM
ination had been made decisively and with
absolute fairness. The candidate chosen
was personally unexceptionable; his loyalty
to our principles was beyond question and
his career had been a long exemplification
of them. Manifestly IL was my duty TO
support that nomination. Acting upon this
conviction / went before the Silver Repub-
lican convention and succeeded in per-
suading 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.
This recital clearly develops the situa-
tion as 1t now is. Everybody knows that
either Mr.. Stevenson or Mr. Roosevelt is
to be the next Vice President of the United
States. I am expected to take a laborious
part in the campaign. | shall, OF course,
advocate the election of Mr. Bryan and Mr..
Stevenson. The Democratic convention. be-
fore which i was a candidate. nominated
Bryan and Stevenson The Silver Repub-
lican party. of which organization / was
the official head for nearly four years, has
nominated Bryan and Stevenson. In what
light should appear before the American
people if. while advocating the election OF
one ticket. | should be going through the
| form of running on another? Nobody In the
United States would think i had the slight
est chance of being elected. and nobody
would believe that l considered myself
seriously as a candidate unless a the same
time he believed me 10 be absolutely lack
ing in common sense.
NO ONE, MR.. TOWNE.
Whom could such a phantom candidate
deceive? What respect should / deserve
indeed. If in such a matter l should at
| tempt 10 deceive anybody whatsoever?
know the Peoples party to be composed oi
| men most exceptionally keen and expert In
| political Judgment. So obvious a shame
could not elude their vision. Either they
would resent my implied uncomplimentary
estimate of them or they would be justified
in forming one of me which could result
only In injurins the cause which 1t had
hea he ~ s,.tof 4
| folly 10 advance. Consistency and candor in
politics. therefore. my own selfrespect: q
proper Difference TO the Peoples party and
| a sincere regard for the welfare of the
cause Of political reform in the United
States, all counsel that ! now respectfully