The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-10
UNCLE LOREN BIDS
POLITICS I AREWELL
VETERAN CONGRESSMAN AN
NOUNCEs Els RETIREMENT.
Declaration Made at Dinner Attended
by Members Of the Campaign Com
mittee-Mr. Fletcher Denies Any In
tention of Influencing the Choice Of
His Successor.

Congressman Loren Fletcher will not
be candidate for denomination. He
gave verifcation last night to the ru-
mfrs of his retirement, in speech be-
fore the republican county campaign
committee. Friends Of his have been
predicting his retirement for several
days, but the general public was incred-
the declaration caused distinct SEN
sation of surprise at the meeting Of the
committee. Mr.. Fletcher had been look
ing over the ground since returning
from Washington. with serious inten-
tions of running For another term, but
in the last two or three weeks be has
experienced a change of heart.
. In his speech to the committee, Mr..
Fletcher aroused considerable enthusi-
debtedness of thereommittee, SO it can
start in on the Campaign work with a
clean sheet. There is no intimation that
he has other political ambitions at this
time, tho he was cautious in making his
announcement, and said: IT am with
drawing from the race for congress,
and shall retire from politics, at least
temporarily, as far as l now know
He disposed Of rumors which say that
as his successorsfb saying that he
would take no part in the selection Of
congressman, and had no mantle to
| drop on the shoulders of anyone else.
He reviewed his ten years in congress
and the things he has secured for the
district. ..' ..% 4
The committee took dinner at the
Nicollet last evening, and the speeches
came afterward. i'll Major W. D. Hale
Fletcher with expressions Of high, re-
gard for the congressman s character
and services. Nearly all members Of
the committee spoke briefly. The COM
mittee held routine session, and de
cided that precinct committeeman in
the eighth and thirteenth wards where
precinct lines have been changed, shall
continue to serve for this campaign
taking hold Of the work in the. new
precincts where they happen to live.
Lind on. Fletcher.
John Lind expresses the opinion thai
CONGRESSMAN Lofen Fletcher has not
been fairly treated by his fellow citi
ems and the press He was out on the
Pacific coast when congress approved
the Minneapolis postotfice* bill and n
read the various ARTICLES published by
the papers at the;-time. - -.@- ~
cit ought to be well known that NJ
such postoffice appropriation bill a
was passed could have been put thru
4 unless the congressman of the distric
was not only actively supporting it
but was doing a~great deal of persona
work. said Mr. Lind today. "Fron
my knowledge of the way business
done in congressional by acquaintanc
with John E. Andrus, I know that MI
Fletcher is entitled to a great deal o
credit and Mr.. Andrus to very little. /
"Mr. Fletcher Has been, a faithfu
servant and I don't think that he s,ha
been rightly. treated, particnlaT ass:
understand that sas bag DO ro.
Gas. far as the postoffice is COZ
cerned it makes no difference who
sent to congress. The government
committed to the proposition and Mil
neapolis will have a creditable post
office secured thru the efforts of Cor
, gressman Fletcher. It may be possibl
: Of course to have the appropriation il
| creased, but the big, work has bee
done.''