Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-08-09
TONNES WITHDRAWAL
He Declines the Populist Nomilta-
tion For Vice President.
TO URGE BRYAN AND STEVENSON.
His Candidacy ns POpuIIst Nominee,
While Advocating the Election of
Would Deceive Nobody.

Duluth, Minn., Aug. SIN letter to
P M. Ringdahl, chairman, and the
members of the committee of notifica-
tion of the candidate for vice president
of the Peoples party Charles A. Towne
has declined the nomination rendered
him by the Populist national conven-
tion at Sioux Falls. The letter is of
considerable length and sets forth fully
Mr.. Towne's views in regard to the
nomination 1t is believed the Popu-
list committee empowered to fill the
vacancy caused by Mr.. Towne's with
drawal will Immediately indorse Adlai
E. Stevenson for vice president on the
ticket with William j. Bryan. Mr..
Towne's letter is in part as follows:
after mature consideration of all
the factors involved that concern the
welface of the cause of political reform
in this country, and my own duty
thereto, | am constrained to inform
you in all respect that ! must decline
the nomination rendered me by the
Sioux Falls convention. In announc-
ing 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
patriotic body of advanced political
thought that your convention repre-
sented, my deep sense of the honor
conferred upon me.
"The action Of the Sioux Falls con-
vention in nominating for president
representative of the Democratic party
and for vice president a representative
of the Silver Republican party, is one
of the most encouraging and inspiring
spectacles in recent politics. Its un-
selfishness and magnanimity, its testi-
mony Of the precedence of the cause of
the people oyer any merely partisan
advantage, raised the procedure of that
convention into the serene upper air of
true civic heroism. The Silver Repub-
licans, 1850 delegates, were indeed
eager to name the ticket chosen at
Sioux Falls, but to the great Demo-
cratic convention another course COM
mended itself
THAT convention selected Hon. Ad-
laf f. Stevenson, of Illinois, a man of
unimpeachable character and ripe po-
litical experience, who as a member of
congress more than 90 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 principles by President
Cleveland.
Everybody knows that either Mr..
Stevenson or Roosevelt is to be the
next vice president of the United
States. | am expected 20 take labor
ious part in the campaign. l shall, of
course, advocate the election of Bryan
and Stevenson. In what light should
/ appear before the American people
II, while advocating the election of
one ticket, | should be going through
the form of running on another? No
body In the United States would think
i had the slightest chance of being
elected, and nobody would believe that
] considered myself seriously as a can
didate unless at the same time he be-
lieved me to be absolutely lacking in
common sense. Whom could such
phantom candidacy deceive? What
respect should | deserve, indeed, if in
such a matter | should attempt to de-
ceive anybody whatsoever? I know
the Peoples party to be composed of
men most exceptionally keen and ex-
pert in political judgment So obvious
sham could not elude their vision"