The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-04-07
WITHDRAWAL OF JUDGE WILLIS.

The Irish Standard is exceedingly
glad that Hon. John w. Willis
has withdrawn from the mayoralty race
i'll ST. Paul The day after his nomina-
ton by a wing OF the Democracy he
addressed a note to the rival candidate
and offered i'll the interest OF harmony
to retire from the field, provided the
other nominee would do the same. His
proposition elected no response from
eN-Mayor Smith. Seeing that con-
tinuance of a split in the Democratic
party would insure victory for the Re-
publicans the friends OF Judge Willis
who are legion, prevailed upon him to
retire from the contest. 1t is the best
thing he has ever done. Such sacri-
flee on his part has elevated him in the
esteem OF the reform forces OF the city
and state. He has again demonstrated
his fidelity to Democratic principles
For more than twenty years he has
been the champion OF popular rights
and the terror of the monopolics. In
every campaign his eloquent voice has
been heard on behalf OF the masses
against the privileged classes, and by his
unceasing advocacy OF Jeffersonian doc
trines he has cndearcd himself 10 the
plain people OF the commonwealth. He
is worthy Of any office in their gilt and
is capable OF filling it in the most eff
cient manner He is scholar and a
gentleman and is recognized as such be-
You'd the confines OF the state The po-
sition OF mayor OF St. Paul would not
confer much honor on man OF his at
tainments. He ought to be occupying
d seat i'll congress, where his ability
would bring him into national promi
nence. We are sure that in this presi-
dental year the Democratic party will
be more than willing to compensate
Mr. Willis for his display of unsel6sll-
ness at this juncture. The party with
which he has been identified SO con-
spicuously and whose principles he has
always advocated SO ably and SO fear
lessly, owes him a debt or gratitude for
his disinterested patriotism on this oc-
cason.
In an open letter to the Democracy
of St. Paul Judge Willis says in part:
II am informed by the Democratic
state officials, by the chairman OF the
state central committee and by his as
sociates thereon, and, also, by the latest
candidate OF the Democratic Citizens
local party for mayor, as we'll as by
many other men whom the Democratic
party in general has placed in positions
which give weight to their several
views, that my duty in the present
emergency lies in the direction of re-
tirement from the contest for the may
orally; and that they entertain this
opinion because of the eminent desira-
bility of removing all factional discord.
They desire, above all else, to have but
one Democratic candidate in the field;
and the rival claimant for the nomina-
ton having obstinately refused even a
fair consideration of propositions for a
compromise, they implore me to with
draw for the sake of the party. They
affirm that division in the ranks of Our
local Democracy would cause wide
spread encouragement among the Re-
form forces in this state and in other
states and that patriotic and public
spirited Democrat can best serve his
country and his party at the present
juncturc, by giving UP any aspiration
for public preierment which might
clash with the great object OF desire
harmony. Yielding to this view and to
the counscls. retire from the contest.
This course is adopted because OF devo-
ton on my part to the larger public in
terests involved, and to a sense OF duty
which I hope will ever govern my con-
duct"
Well done! In behalf OF the Democ-
racy OF Minnesota, whose true exponent
this paper has been during the entire
period OF its publication, we commend
this act OF abnegation on the part OF
| Judge Willis and thank him sincerely
for restoring harmony, as far as in him
lies, in the ranks OF the ST. Paul
nernocrocv