New-York tribune., 1900-08-08
ODELL NOT A CANDIDATE.
WILL NOT ACCEPT NOMINATION FOR
GOVERNOR
SENATOR PLATT ADMITS HE WILL NOT BE
ERAL GREENE AND A D. WHITE.

ERAL GREENE AND A D. WHITE.
The position Of Benjamin B. OdeL, II, chair
nan O: the Republican State Committee. re-
Ea-ding the Republican nomination for Gov
ernor this fall has been made clear 10 the Re
publican leaders. He viii not be candidate
for the nomination. and viii not allow the noui-
nation 70 be forced upon him, or even offered 10
him. by the State Convention
Mr. Odel's decision has not been a surprise
10 the politicians, because he has been saying,
whenever he said anything on the subject, for
weeks that he not candidate for the
nomination Previous 70 the Philadelphia Con-
vention. when the politicians believed that Gov
s.-nor Roosevelt would be nominated for Vice
President IN spite Of his declarations that he
did not want that nomination the mention Of
M Odeu as the probable candidate for Gov
ernor was heard Oh au Eides. Mr.. Odeu said
then: II shall no- be a candidate for Governor,
even II Roosevelt IS named for vlce-Pregident'
After the Convention. when the talk about Mr..
Odeu for the Governorship was renewed with
vtgor, Mr. OdeI said bIuntIy: 7 an not. and
shall not be, g candidate for the Governorship."
Later the Republican State Committee met at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel and called the Repub-
Iican State Convention 10 meet at Saratoga on
September 4 The leaders who attended the
meeting of the State Committee seemed 10 be
nearly unanimous IN asserting that Mr.. OdeII
could have the nomination 1Or Governor If he
wanted Il. Senator Platr had allowed the lead
ers 10 know that he preferred Mr.. OdeIl. At the
same tine many Of the leaders expressed doubt
as 70 the possibility OF inducing Mr.. Odeu TO
take the nomination. Mr.. Odeu had become
silent on the subject, except that he said TO his
friends that he had not changed his mind He
also said 10 some that he did not want 10 be
placed in the position OF declining such an honor
as that of = nomination for Governor.
THE VISIT TO PLATT ON MONDAY.
Senator Platt continued TO believe that Mr.
Odeu could be induced 10 become a candidate
for the GoveruOrship. and he still held that be-
lief Up 10 Sunday evening, when he said at the
Oriental Hotel, at Manhattan Beach, that he
thought Il would be bad politics to nominate
so-caIIed independent Republican for Governor
this fall Nr OdeII spent Sunday with his
family n Neygburg. and when he returned TO
this city On Monday he had made UP his mind
70 put e stop 20 further talk among the Re
publican leaders as 10 his candidacy for the
Governorship. That day he had luncheon with
Governor Roosevelt, Senator Hanna and Cor
neI.us y. Bliss al the Union League Club In
The evening he went down 10 the Oriental Hotel
and had z long talk with Senator Platt. He
-oId the Senator that he had decided not TO
allow further talk among the Republican leaders
about his possible candidacy. He explained his
reasons, and Senator Platt understood that II
would be useless for him TO seek 70 change MI
OdeTs mind on the subject
On Monday evening The Newburg Journal
the Editor Of which is Mr.. Odells friend and
reghbor. published an editorial. declaring N
r7osfrfve terms that Mr.. Odeu was not 70 be
candidate for the Governorship. The editorial
exn1ained Mr.. Odeus recent silence as follows;
The Only -bing that caused him 70 waver at all
before reschtnE a final decision was MS conVlcIoG
trst s-aIWart Republicanlsn should Lol oe q 80 s
70 party Dreferrnenr. and that ne, as a -
owed il 70 the other young men q ne 5eS as
show that political activity should De
& incentive rather than q par 20 .a LlS aN'
q the young men OF the organization
Mr Odeu said at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yes
terdav that ne had not inspired the editorial
but he would not deny its substantial correct
ness His comment upon the article was; 'Ihey
.sks ne ser,ousIv up there which IS more than
some of you do down here They know IN New
burg +bot when say thing I mean IT,"
M- Oseu. when pressed make for publica-
tiou son,e nos.tive statement as 70 his position
On the Grovernorship question. merely said; /
VIII merely say that I have not changed my
position 7 stand Just where stood weeks ago
HIS ANSWER TO A LEADER.
To the politicians who were close to him Mr..
OdeIL sgcke positively. One leader, who went
70 the State headquarters and told Mr Odell'
I have had my delegation pledged 10 support
you for Governor" was answered, Have the
delegation instructed otherwise. for could not
be forced 70 take the nomination.
Senator Platt admitted yesterday that Mr.
Cdeu was not 70 be named by the Senate Con-
venriOn. he said he had no candidate he de-
gden was not to be named by the State Con
for refusing TO be the candidate Some OF MT
Continued on fhfrd page.