The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-03
If1ERsOM's STATEMENT.
SAYS WILSON CONTROVERSY is
QUESTION OF vERACTTY.
Kentucky Colonel Goes On to Tell OF
Being ''Dragooned" Into, Relations
With New Jersey Executive.


night, intended to bring ''distaste-
full episode TO an end, so far as he
was concerned, declared that the
issue between him and Gov. Wilson
was solely as which one had lied. Col
watterson said he had engaged con-
clusively to show that Gov. Wilson
had lied and charged that the New
Jersey executive" dared not face the
facts"
Col. Watterson declined to make
public any proofs in his possession.
He denied that Thomas F. Ryan had
ever been approached for campaign
contributions for Gov. Wilson. but
stated that the matter had been talk
ed over with Gov. Wilson and the lat
ter had expressed the fear that If
the knowledge Of contribution from
Mr.. Ryan got abroad it might do
more harm than good"
Col. Watterson's statement, ad-
dressed ITO the Democrats Of the
United Ststes," follows:
"The time limit set upon my stay
in the national capital being about to
expire, ard Gov. Wilson having re-
fused my offer as to the issue Of YER
acity, he has raised between us TO
submit proof OF the truth Of my aver
ment to party associates competent
to Judge both Of its character, and
the expediency Of its publication.
shall bring this most distasteful epi-
sode to a close. as far as I am con-
cerned.
"The claim that / must rush into
print with this proof emanates either
from the perverse or the malignant.
have ii, am ready under proper su-
pervision to produce it, and can be
asked in reason to do no more. II
should publish 1t, the very men who
are demanding that I shall would be
first to accuse ma Of reckless disre-
gard Of what they would call party
prudence and private rights The sole
issue Is whether I have lied. as Gov.
Wilson says / have, or he has lied,
which 1 have engaged conclusively to
show. He dare not face the facts.
with as brief review as may be OF
the circumstances to which I owe the
misfortune Of having made Gov. Will
:. sons acquaintance. not to mention my
Endorsement Of his plausible but spe-
cious pretentions. shall cease to
trouble the public with a controversy
nowise Of my feeling.
During the early summer of 1917
i was passing a weekend with Col.
George Harvey. an old friend, at Deal
Beach, his home, in New Jersey
There arrived for dinner DR.. Wood
row Wilson. the president Of Prince
ton, and the Hon. James Smith, Jr.,
late a senator in congress. DR.. Will
SON I had never met before. The
talk at table was generally Of the
prospective nomination Of Demo-
cratic candidate for governor Of New
Jersey. Drawn into the converse
ton. / ventured the opinion that If
nothing more than governorshlp
was in sight, it would be sacrifice
for DR.. Wilson TO quit his exalted sta
ton at the head of q great university
and get down in the bull ring of poll
tics to struggle for preferment so
ephemeral and uncertain.
THAT was probably what Col
Harvey, who seemed under some spell
wrought by DR.. 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 it. and the like.
In due season DR.. Wilson was nomi
mated and elected.
"Not long after / was called 10 New
York. The situation in New Jersey
was explained to me. was told that
Mr.. Smith wished to return to the
senate, despite his declaration that
he wanted nothing for himself; that
there had been a primary election
which had gone by default. In which
a person Of the name Of MARITIME, rep
resented as wholly unfit, had obtained
q rather meagre vote; that Gov. Will
son held Senator Smith to his bond
and stood by the party pledge touch
ing primary elections. In this he was
clearly right.
THE presidential campaign to
which the gubernatorial election had
served as prelude began. In man
par have been dragoOned, i Will not