The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-14
A FREE HAND OR l DO NOT
WANT TO BE GOVERNOR


slider Your inquiry at all impertincat
aud shall be as frank with YOU as
nave been with all my friends regard
Ing the matter.
Early In February. the Republicans
OF Branch county al their annual ban
queL unanimously expressed their de-
at the recent Republican convention
which sent delegates - Bay city with
faetlonal feeling az high as I'm any part
of the state, all factions uniting.
unanimously expressed their desire
that | enter the race.
! have received most nattering as
surances OF good VIII from friends In
all portions of the state but zap To this
time | have neither verbally nor by
letter asked any man for his support.
I have hesita.ed because | have not
cared TO enter the campaign III IL must
be under conditions that have existed,
I'm Michigan for the last twelve years.
want TO be entirely sincere with
you I'm my answer 20 your inquiry, and
I'm doing so permit me TO say that last
week the publishers OF newspapers OF
this county brought TO my office letter
from Mr. Nj. VI. DeFoe, your publicity
agent at Grand Rapids, onering 20
furnish them free publicity plate mat
ter for the campaign In your interest.
This was 10 he sent from time TO time.
express prepaid, and with no expense
10 the publishers Mr.. DefoC also sug-
gested that he would soon be able 10
call upon the publishers and invited
.
/ Rapids.
! Nok. friend Musselman. IL is not diff
/ ficult TO interpret the meaning OF this
| kind of campaign There are nearly
or quite one thousand papers tn hiehi-
/ gan. and have no doubt but that other
counties are being favored by the same
offer that has been made To the editors
| OF Branch county. and by the use OF
| little arithmetic one can easily multi
/ ply TO tens Of thousands, the expense
or the proposed campaign.
| II has been solely and alone for this
| reason that 4 have not announced my
| candidacy and have so stated many
times. In my opinion, no can can at
| ford TO suhsidIr the press 10 secure
I the office Of governor or any other
| office and | am of the opinion. too,
| that the people are getting on TO this
| method of campai gning OF one thing
] am sure. that the purchasing OF
| Offices by the lavish use OF money has
embarrassed the party in the last few
i years
! Now. ! desire 20 make n suggestion
and | have sufficient faith in you 10
| believe that IL acceptable in form or
| substance that il viii be carried out
| Tho salary OF the office or governor
! for the two years is ten thousand dol
! lars. Suppose we agree that, not 10
! exceed ave thousand dollars shall be
| spent by either or us In the primary
| campaign or by others In our behalf.
ana that t,miZed reports be made by
( each OF US either to "A committee TO be
! agreed upon or by a committee con-
! sisting OF one member for each can
! dtdate. ard these reports to be mad"
| weekly. l appreciate fully that one is.
TO a great extent the property OF the
| press OF the state but | would rather
+, have the support of one newspaper.
I sincerely believing in my fitness than
10 nave the support OF hundred
/ through 'canned-stuI prepared ana
! circulated through the local press
| through purchase OF their columns
How would IL do TO 20 hack To some
I OF the good old methods of iifteen or
! twenty years ago, when yuch men as
! Governors Luce, Rich and others SEE
| not exceeding one or two thousand doll
| lars?
Suppose we dispense with these
| methods that, ] belieAc the people do
not approve. and allow the press OF
( the state 10 either commend or criti-
ctZe US as they believe We deserve?
! ] presume ! am suggesting old fogy
I Ideas, but they are my own, and
propose TO follow them. believing that
! there is more honor In private life than
Z in public life improperly secured.
I / wish you would consider this mat
ter and write me letting me know
whether you do not think that both OF
US owe this to the party as well as TO
ourselves. Much Will depend with me
| upon what course must he pursued In
the campaign as 10 whether | become a
candidate. IL | had million dollars
10 throw away, l would not resort &C
some OF the modern methods OF CAM
paigninS.
sincerely yours
.Dss.