Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-03-15
mo KzOrr wIrEDRAws
win Nut Be in the Race fsr Secretary
Of stzte-Fied Clear far San

- @
Col John A. Knoss, edisor Of the
Hannibal JourNa1 yesterday an
nsunced his w1thdrswL from the
fsce for the Democratic nouns-
ton for Secretary Of State BIS rsa-
sons are 81 forth In the following
letter, under q Hannibal date:
For the past two months especially,
1 have been actively engaged IN p0sh-
ing my candidacy for Secretary Of
State. I have met warn friends every
whers.and placed on equality with ny
cpponeuhI believe that / could have
secured the nontnfkieA Bat after
months Of preliminary work. Sa1
When the campaign was opened, ".
ehislds McCHnue Of tbis coErty,
visited Palnyra ana formally an
nounced himself . ckndidEie for
L~isxtenAut Governor. Mr. McClintie
had Q year previously voluntarily
called At my ONCE and stated that be
would not be q candidate for any
State position, and relying upon that
statement, / advised my friends OF my
ambition, and scores OF Newspaper
brethren and other friends rallied to
ny support.
AZ soon a. Mr.. McCIintic announced
his candidacy o1ciAIly, aboat . month
ago, I realized that his action would
greatly. Il not fatally weaken me n
the State. To be perfectly fair with
him, supposing be wa candidate Ia
good faith, ! proposed that We sub
nit our names to the Democratic
voters OF Marion county At 9 primary
election for the purpose OF determin-
ing who should have the undivided
support OF the county ct the State
convention. This proposition be
refused to consider.
continued my canvass and Was
met In every county with the quss-
ton: HWhat is your county going to
do with you and McClintie-v1l you
20 to the convention with = divided
deIegntiou?" etc, etc.
My answer, Of course, was that /
had asked Mr.. McCIintic to permit our
own people to pass on the matter At 8
election; that he had declined
the proposinon,And that I was certain,
all the circumstances, I would
have the undivided and cordial sup
port Of Marion county. But II was an
unsettled problem, and as such
worked to my injury everywhere.
The question Of supremacy cannot
now be determined before the first or
middle Of April. The County Commit
tee viii not meet until the 18th. 1t
will then be necessary to give two
or three weekF notice OF the time Of
holding the convention, and In the
meantime 9 large number Of counties
viii have selected delegates and in
stEucted on the Office, thus rendering
It practically impossible for me to
succeed. Had I known of this
complication, / should not have
placed my good friends in the attitude
they now find themselves. regret ii
more than they possibly can, but it
would be both unjust to them and to
myself to continue q battle that, under
the unfortunate oircumstan ees over
which I have no control, must end in
defeat.
Thereto 70 here and now announce
my withdrawal from the race for
Secretary OF State, "with good-w viii
toward all and malice toward none"
To be Secretary Of State Of Missouri
has been the ambition Of my life, but
that ambition, with all others political,
i bury here and now.
Iheye given my life TO the service
Of the Democratic party, but thank
God, not actuated by mercenary
motives. have not been q Demo.
crat for revenue, for those who know
me best know that / have never been
appealed to In vain for funds to sup.
port my party, and that / have never
received Q copper in any way al g
party reward. Iconfess that q is not
pleasant to make this announcement.
II is drinking deeply Of the dregs of
disappointment, but / am still Demo-
Graf, stronger In the faith than ever
before and ny pen, my scanty means,
my voice and my limited influence are
dedicated anew to the service of my
have been building fires for the
best-lookiDg cook in Missouri for the
past twenty years, and / viii permit
no Democrat in this State to build =
bigger bonfire for Secretary of State
Sam B. Cook. following the Novem-
Der election, than 1.
l have not words to thank my
friends for their loyal and unselfsh
support. am at home to them from
day until the Master calls, to
serve them at any time day or night.
And IL had a thousand lives to live l
could not repay them as I would wish
for their Partially to me in this con.
test. JOHN A. KNOTT.