The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-08-17
WITHOUT A NOMINEE
Mr.. Towne Declines to Be Candi-
date Of Populists.
HIS Letter Giving Reasons for RE-
fusing 60 Accept Nomination for
the Vice Presidency-Praise
Democratic Platform.

Democratic Platform.
Duluth, Mimi, Aug s.-Formcr Cow
gresham Charles A. Towne. who was
nominated for the vice presidency by
the populist national convention. held
at Sioux Falls In May. has sent the
following letter to the committee Of
notification;
Hon r NJ Rlngdai. Chairman. and the
| Members OF the Committee or Notification
of the Candidate for Vice President OF tho
Peoples Party National Convention. held
az Sioux Falls. = D. MAY and 10 1900
Gentlemen; When. on tho sth OF July az
Kansas city. I had the honor 20 receive
from you the Official notification Of the ac-
ton Of your national convention In nom
mating mo FOR the once OF vice president OF
the United states. requested. In view OF
anomalous and delicate circumstances In
the presidential situation. that you permit
me 20 take the subject under careful adj
/ Nisement before announcing a decision
either accepting or declining that nomiua-
/ ton. This request you were pleased 90
grant, and now, after mature confederation
OF al the factors involved that concern the
welfare Of the cause OF political reform In
this country, and my own duty thereto
am constrained 90 Inform you. in an re-
spect that must decline the nomination
rendered me by the sioux Fails convention.
IN announcing this conclusion. cannot
forbear 20 express 20 you. aud. through
you. 20 the great convention whose COM
mission you hold, az well as 10 that patriot
/ &C. body Of advanced political thought that
your convention represented. ms deep
sense of honor conferred upon me. To DO
| the unanimous choice Of such convention
for the second highcst once On thc service
Of the republic would b. "a distinction TO any
/ citizen.
Two circumstance. however add en-
phasis 10 this consideration iu tht present
Instance; First that the nomination was
| unsolicited b. me. aud. secondly that tho
convention. a. 10 tue case also of o. nom
NEE for the president, went out Of az own
| political Organization 20 select a candidate.
20 my mind this action % The Sioux Pals
convention la uominating Tor president
reproscnta ave 81 the democrats party.
and for vice president "a Representative ~
the silver republican party. u orc of the
most cncouraging and Inspiring sprCtaclra
iu recent politics. ita uuacinahntaa ans.
masnanimivs ita testimony 10 thr prcocV
dcnce 90 tht cause uf thc people oyer any
merely partisan udNaEtHEf. raised .hU pros
/ Ceuurc VI that convention into she hrrru0
upper Ar % true eiyic hcroism. Prom such
nce can b. asked Ia The name "a tho ~
pubucf
GctIoR of the Democrats.
II was. q eogrse. me eHpeetauon %
Vice presidency would prove acceptable 20
the conventions OF thc dtmoC ratiC and sil-
tsf republican psrus.s called TO nee, ~
yer republicans. i1u delegates. represent
Ing = states and tsrritoucs were indeed
sa.rt o. name the ticket chosen az Sioux
F-i.t. uut Oh the swat democratic cunyrn-
ta- 4uofnHr course CummUfdrd ifHrlf The
me-. ui youf nominee vas pr scntgd 90
tLlt convention. aud wee received With rs-
markahlc demons tratiuua 90 approval ~
the "noI NOUS nsmbtr % clusen spectators
eafos But gsosfaphicaf eonaidsrations.
and the saei that M certain parts % ne
sentiment demanlins that TIE candidate
| should be- a niaa already idsnfined win the
democratic organization. rot only 81 hold
Ing ~ principles and advocaiinE tts cause.
but also ~ name and profession. dee
termincd the selection Of Hon. Adiai =.
Stevenson. % Illinois. a man OF unimpoarh-
ence. Who a. a member u congress more
than - years ago Vas close associate and
| great leaders Ia the reform political move
meuts Of the day, and who. nn vice pTcsi-
| dent from isQ 20 1897 distinguished himself
BY rebeiling against The betrayal q demo-
/ cratic principles by President Cleveland
when Ar. stevenson bad been nom.
mated, What was u my duty 90 do7 My
name had gpns before he convention along
with hts. and had been beaten The nom
ination had been made eecisively, ard With
was personally uuexccptionable. hls loy-
atty 10 our principles was beyond question
I a
cation u them Manlfestly n was my euty
20 support that nomination Acting upon
this conviction. ! went before the silver re-
publican convention. and succeeded in per-
suading u not 10 nominate me and 10
vice presidential matter was anally -
ferred 10 the silver republican national
committee, With tail powers Later In the
night this committee placed the name 81
Mr. Stevenson on Its ticket a. candidate for
why Hs Declines.
sfsrHla ragifal eliza Isf tI..s.Ior. m. .ft...-
ton az Il now Il. Everybody knows that
either Mr.. Stevenson or Dir. Roosevelt Is
20 b. the next vice president OF the United
states. | am expected 20 take laborious
part In the campaign. ! shall OF course. ad-
vocate the election Of Bryan and steven
son The democratic convention, before
which was a candidate. nominated Bryan
and Stevenson. The silver republican
party. Of which Organization was the ON
cial head for nearly four years. has nom
mated Bryan and stevenson. In what
light should ! appear before the American
people n. while advocating the election Of
one ticket should he gong through tho
form Of running on another Nobody In
the United states would think ! had the
body would believe that ] considered my
self seriously as a candidate unless At the
lacking in common sense Whom could
such a phantom candidacy dcceiNc2 What
respect should I deserve indeed n In such
matter I should attempt TO deceive any
body whatsoever? / know the peoples
party TO be composed OF men most eNcep-
tiOnally Keen ana expert IN pplltital 1uuE-
ment So obvious a sham could not eiuda
their vision. Either they would resent my
implied unComplimeutary estimate OF them
or they would be Justified Ia forming one
OF me which could result only iu injuring
the cause which II had been the professed
object OF my mistaken folly 10 advance.
Consistency and Candor IN politics. therefore.
my own sclf-respects a 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 replace In your hands the hon.
Orable trust which your great party COM
mitted 10 me In contemplation Of a differ
ent complexion OF affairs tnan that which
has resulted.
Elm conclusion. I may be permitted 10 ex-
press the profound satisfaction which
feel In contemplating the present attitude
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 memorable democratic
convention at Chicago. Ia adopting Its
splendid platform and nominating William
T. Bryan for the presidency. was actuated
by an impulse or by a purpose. The mag
nificent achievements AZ Kansas City have
settled all possible doubt on that subject
The platform adopted not only reenacts
the principles OF 1896. but. I'm language
whose force. dignity and beauty have never
been equaled In similar document. re-
spends 10 the new Issues presented In the
growth OF the trust-monopoly and the Inn
oerialistic policy OF the administration, by
an appropriate enunciation OF those sub