Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-11-03
TUo Gents to Go to Congress

at one time of nominating for con-
gress George William Curtis. a
STIRLING Independent, or Mugwump,
because his summer home was in the
district. Finally, however, it was de-
cided that it would hardly do to maze
New Yorker, the candidate and after
much casting about julius H. Seelye,
at that time professor of mental and
moral philosophy in Amherst and now
Tat colleges president. was picked
out. Then the leaders of the indie
pendent movement called on me at my
home in Chicopee to tell me about it.
What I exclaimed Professor
Seelye, former preacher? Whatever
put that idea into your heads?'
We'll, was the reply, he is a col
1ege professor Of much reputation be-
yond Amherst; he is public-spirited
citizen; he is not in accord with
much of the policy of the Republican
party. and If we can elect him he
will be sure to be a conspicuous figure
in congress-
81 admitted that Professor Seelye
would make an ideal man in congress,
but, 1 added that he should be sent
there as regular Republican.
Never" cried my callers, and off
they went to ask the professor to let
them name him for congressional
honors
THAT good man, who all along had
been in serene and complete ignor-
ance of the move TO nominate him.
was all but bowled over by astonish.
ment when the idea was put before
him. Not he told his callers briefly,
but with emphasis, time after time,
but at last, when he was exhorted to
tell why he was so decidedly opposed
to being nominated, he replied that
both on moral and personal grounds
he was opposed to taking d political
nomination which involved the ex-
penditure of money. He couldn't afford
to spend any money to make a race,
he said. even If he could he wouldn't
do such thing; he didn't believe that
the expenditure of money in an cleo
ton was ever right. Thereupon. the
committee unanimously and solemnly
assured Professor Seelye that he
would not be asked to spend a cent of
money, and. to make a long story
short, after he had become convinced
on this point he was unwillingly
the belief that be would thereby en-
courage independent thought and &C.
ton in politics.
We'll, Professor Seelye was elected
to congress and there became conspic-
uous as his friends believed he would,
by resolutely opposing the establish
ment Of the electoral commission to
decide the presidential contest be-
tween Hayes and Tilden But to Re
the most remarkable incident in his
entire career as candidate and con-
gresham occurred day or two fol-
lowing his election. Then it was that
he sat down and wrote a letter, which
was subsequently published. in which
he declared that Re had been elected
to the lower house Of congress with
out any other expenditure Of money
than two cents for postage stamp
and that stamp. he went on to say,
he had affixed to the letter
which he sent accepting the independ
ent nomination"
For a moment Mr.. Robinson, then
on his way to enter the gubernatoriai
against Ben" Butler. looked
out of the train window
81 sometimes think that that is the
only right method of electing con.
gressmen." he said
Copyright, 1910. by E. J. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved