The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-09
POWDERLY EXPLAINS
WHY HE WROTE LETTER
Gives Reasons for Advocating
Claims of Mr.. Porter.
FOLLOWED M'KINLEY'S WISH
GoverEoTshiP Of Connecticut the Desire
of the Late Presidents ex-SecTetary
and the Commissioners General Of I'm
migration Sought to Aid Him.

short time since there appeared in
public print a letter which Mr.. T. ".
POwderIy. Commissioner General OF I'm
migration, addressed TO Mr.. Fitchie. Com
missioner of immigration at the port
Of New York, in which the former re-
quested the latter 10 use his influence
for Mr. Porter. formerly private secretary
TO President Mckinley. in his aspirations
for the Governorship or ConDecticCt In
defence c. his acticn Mr. POwderly this
morning ave cut the following signed
statement explanatory OF the setter;
Il wrote the letter TO Mr.. Fitchle as it
appeared in a Boston paper OF February
18th nd IN other papers en- the 4th Of
april. 1902 The circumstances under
which that letter was written are as fol-
lows.
"on the eth Of August, 1898. ] had an
interview vita President Mckinley. and
as / was about taking my departure he
said, Mr.. Porter wishes to taIk with
you before you go out and hope you may
find way TO help him As near as my
memory serves me. that was his language,
at any ra;e. il was substantially what he
said
4 saw Mr. Porter; he informed me that
he was candidate for Governor Of Con
.necticut: that the contest at the primaries
would be very close, and that = great deal
depended upon the vote In Bridgeport He
said that 4 e result either way would show
a very small majority and asked IL I
could not help him I told him that
was so busy that I could not get away
just then, and he suggested my writing
some friends in his interest. I complied
with this request. among those / wrote to
heing Mr. Fitchic.
That part Of the letter which reads
in Bridgeport they have taken snap ac-
tion in calling the caucus fo- tomorrow
night was the exact language Of Mr
Porter. and in The letter to Mr Fitchie
that sentence should have been enclosed
in quotation marks. Ny reason for sug-
gestiug that Ar. McSweeney endeayor 10
induce his Democratic friends to 90 to
the caucus was that they would b. entitled
TO vote thereat If they agreed to comply
with the rules Of the Republican party
and vote for the nominees o. tEe -couven-
tion. did not consider that it would be
wrong 10 ask Democrats 70 participate in
Republican primaries. il they w.RIId agree
TO cast their ballots for the nominees OF
the Republican convention az The general
election.
n believed that II il was right for me
20 use pen and voice in behalf OF the
men and pr r-uciples OF the Republican
party il would not be wrong 10 commit
DemOcrats 10 the principles and nominees
/ or the pa 'ty in advance by having them
attend IN. primaries and there become
Identified with the party.
( Previous to that time Mr.. FitcEie had
| intirnated 20 me that Mr. McSweeney had
identified himself with the Republican
Z party / had no direct personal interest DO
! Connecticut politics. and cid not intruce
! voluntarily In the matter, : believed that
4 10 was the wish Of President hcKinle5
/ that ] should assist M-. Potter and in
the short time In which ] had 70 operate
/ did the best ] could
The wish Of William Mckinley was
/ law with re. In all the years OF my ac-
/ quaintance with him I never knew him q
| advocate. or ask anyone else TO advocate
I that which was not right, Believing hin
/ 10 be right. respecting and hCnoring hin
I as my chief and believing that he de-
/ sired that Mr. Porter should be nomi-
( mated. I contributed my effort 20 the ac
/ complishment Of that object.
/ Perhaps II was not the wisest thing 4
I do. but ! wrote the letter and under thS
/ circumstances detailed above
! Il may add in conclusion. that ] would
prefer TO be the author Of such a letter
/ written under the circumstances recited
than exchange places with the mar
I who could successfully smother his out
ragged political feelings for nearly foul
1 years. until both the witnesses. 10 those
/ circumstances had passed beyond th'
/ reach Of earthly inquiry, and then hn'
( fl consistent with his sense Of proprieD
! TO give out for publication a personal let
| ter. T V. POEDERLI-'