Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-10
Skeptics Were Convinced.

Repeatedly we were asked to make
promises in Chicago that would be bind
ing upon our candidate but We refused
always. l recall one man of consider
able importance in his state. who in
sisted that We should promise for Gen.
Harrison that certain friend should
be given high position, and who listen
ed skeptically to our statements that
we were not making promises, had been
forbidden by our candidate to make
them, and that he would not keep them
II we SO far forgot ourselves as to make
them.
Noting his skeptical bearing when
these statements were made we suggest
ed that he go to Indianapolis and talk
the subject over with Gen. Harrison
himself. and he left our headquarters
day following he came to US and said
that he had been to Indianapolis and
had met with polite but positive refusal
to make any promises or authorize any
of his friends so to do. After. the con.
vention was over Gen. Harrison said
repeatedly to close friends of his that
more than one effort had been made to
induce him to make promises but that
he had refused without exception, and
he said that he felt particularly pleased
that the nomination had come to him
IN such a way as to leave him absolute
~ unmortgaged as to the future.
IF Senator Elkins has any letters
such as he speaks about from memory
in his interview yesterday, I should
be glad to see them printed, in order
that the public may know just what
they contain. If Gen. Harrison made
any promises or gave any authority in
those letters for the making of promises,
they are utterly out Of harmony with
letters given by him to his law partner,
John B. Elan of Indianapolis. and to
myself. This is the letter given to me:
indianapolis. June II. 1888.
Hon. l.. T. Kitchener:
My Dear Sir-I have today and here
tofore fully explained to you my views
upon certain questions and you are au-
thorized on occasion to explain them to
other friends. Sincerely yours.
BENJAMIN HARRISON
THE letter to Mr. Elan, so Gen. Har-
risOn told me. was exactly the same as
the above, with the difference in name
Mr.. Elan and myself were authorized
to state the views Of the candidate on
certain public questions, particularly the
Chinese question, which was one that was
of special interest to the Pacific coast
at that time. and our letters related only
to public questions. On two occasions
during the convention period l showed
my letter to gentlemen who wanted to
know what the views of our candidate
wer. on public questions and wanted to
be sure that | had authority to state
them. and the letter was not shown or
used on any other occasions.
Had New York Support.
AT various times since the nominal
ton of Gen. Harrison we have heard
much about an alleged deal made he
tween Senator Elkins and Senator Plat
on the Sunday preceding the nomination,
and il has been assumed by those who
did not have clear recollection Of what
transpired i'm the convention or had not
studied the convention history that Har-
rison had not received any support from
New York until the day following that
supposed deal. The facts are to the con-
trary-
when we went to Chicago we had
hoped that We could get the principal
portion of that delegation by exerting
our persuasive powers upon Plat, De-
pew, Hiscock and Miller, the so-called
Big Four of the delegation, but we
seemed unable to make any impression
In that quarter, and thereupon we turned
our attention to the individual delegates
and in day or two we became salts
fed that If Senator Depew should with
draw his name we would get a good
cation as a matter OF conviction. Friday,
June %, the gentlemen engaged in study
ing the New York delegation reported
that fifty three of the delegates were
READY 10 support HARRISON, IL the name
Of Mr.. Depew should be withdrawn His
name was withdrawn at the night SEES
sion, and on each of the two ballots
taken Saturday, June %. New York cast
fifty-eight votes for Harrison. and, the
roll being called, Platt, Depew, Miller
and Hiscock were recorded as voting for
him.
why. then. should there have been
any unusual anxiety to secure the sup
port of Senator Plat Sunday? Why
should any one have taken 1t upon him
self to promise Mr.. Plat place in the
cabinet IL he would throw the New York
delegation to Harrison, who already had
IS out of II, and who was morally GER
tain to get the Blaine votes-eight in
number-when Mr.. Blaine should take
himself out of the way, as he did the
next day. for it was we'll understood
that Mr.. Blaine and his closest friends
were favorable to the nomination Of Har-
rison? Those who think that a sup
posed deal Sunday brought the New
York delegation to Harrison are mis-
taken. F'ifty-eight of that delegation had
fired their shots Saturday and were thor
oughly committed to the support of Har-
rison.
From Saturday evening until mid
night Sunday the activities OF the Har-
rison supporters were great and unflag-
gins. Not only was attention given to
the fourteen delegates in the New York