The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-31
wATTERS0N UTTGRS LAST WORD
STATEMENT OF THE KENTUCKY COLONEL THAT THE NEW
JERSEY GOVERNOR is MODERN ANNANIAs.

Colonel Henry Watterson in a state
ment issued and intended to bring a
'~'distasteful episode" to an end SO far
as he was concerned. declared that the
issue between him and Governor
Woodrow Wilson was solely as to
which one had lied" Colonel Wat
terson said he had engaged conclu.
sivelN to show that Governor Wilson
a lied and charged that the New
Jersey executive. dared not face the
facts" Colonel Watterson declined te
make public any proofs in his posses.
sion. He denied that Thomas T.. Ryan
had ever been approached for CAM
paign contributions for Governor Will.
son. but stated that the matter had
been talked ove with Governor Will.
son and the latter had expressed the
fear that if the knowledge of a con.
tribution from Mr.. Ryan get abroad
it might do more harm than good.
Colonel Watterson's statement, ad-
dressed TO the Democrats of the
United States" follows:
The time limit set upon my stay in
the national capital being about to
expire. n Governor Wilson having
refused my offer as to the issue OF
veracity he has raised between us to
submit proof of the truth of my aver
ment to party associates competent to
!"ose poli us c~IidIdclei dnu Lue eA.
pediency of it's publication, l shall
bring this most ~distasteful episode to
a close. as far as I am concerned.
The claim that I must rush into
print with this proof emanates either
from the perverse OF the malignant.
! have 1t, am ready under proper su-
pervision, to produce it, and can be
asked in reason to do no more. II l
should publish it the very men who
are demanding that 1 shall would be
first to accuse mi of reckless disre-
gard Of what they would call party
prudence and private rights. The sole
issue is whether I have lied, as Gov
ernor Wilson SAYS I have. OF he has
lied which l have engaged conclusive.
ly to show. He dare not face the
facts.
With as brief a review as may be
OF the circumstances to which ! owe
the misfortune Of having made Cover
nor Wilson'S acquaintance, not to
mention my endorsement Of his
plausible but specious p%retensions, l
shall cease to trouble the public with
a controversy nowise OF my seeking.
During the early summer Of 1910,
! was passing n week end with Colonel
George Harvey. an old friend. at Deal
Beach. his home in New jersey. There
arrived for dinner DR.. Woodrow Will
son. then president Of Princeton. and
the Hon. James Smith. Jr.. late q sen.
ator In congress. DR.. Wilson / had
never met before. The talk at table
was mainly about the prospective
nomination of a Democratic candidate
for governor of New Jersey. Drawn
into the conversation I ventured the
opinion that If nothing more than a
governorship was in sight, 1t would be
a sacrifice for DIR. Wilson to quit his
exaltd station at the head Of a great
university and get down into the bull
ring OF politics to struggle for prefer
ment go ephemereal and uncertain.
THAT was probably what Colonel
Harvey, who seemed under some spell
wrought by DIR. Wilson, had planned.
Mr.. Smith declared that he wanted
nothing for himself: only to see the
state redeemed; that no one but DR..
Wilson could redeem 1t. and the like.
I'm due season. DR.. Wilson was
nominated and elected.
Not long after L was called to New
York. The situation In New Jersey
was explained to me. / was told that
Mr.. Smith wished to return to the ZEN
ate. despite his declaration that he
wanted nothing for himself, that there
had been n primary election, which
had gone by defaMlt, in which a person
Of the name Of MARITIME, represented as
wholly UNIT. had obtained Q rather