The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-29
HARVEY, wATTERSON,
RYAN AND TILLMAN

The controversy over what Wilson
said to Harvey will not be as long IN
life as the anecdote of what the gov
ernor of North Carolina said to the
governor of South Carolina, but it will
be much wider.
As aforesaid, Harvey, in Harper's
Weekly, was whooping 1t up for VIII
son, to the 1atter's detriment among
democrats, who can't disassociate Har-
per's Weekly from Wall street 1t
seems from the best evidence obtaina-
BILE that Harvey asked Wilson If he
thought the support OF the Weekly
was hurting him Wilson replied that
1t was. It does not appear that Har-
vey made any roar on the receipt of
this unpleasant truth, but great one
was made for him by Col Henry Wat
terson, who evidently thought that
Wilson should have lied like gentle
man. or Harvey should be treated like
a baby.
Some days later Senator Tillman of
South Carolina pitchforked himself
into the controversy. Mr.. Tillman. who
is an ardent admirer Of Woodrow VIII
son, had heard, as has everyone else.
that the real reason Mr.. Wilson re-
quested Col George Harvey, editor of
iastic In its support of Mr.. Wilson's
candidacy for the democratic nomina-
tion for the presidency, was because
Colonel Watterson wanted Governor
Wilson to allow him to secure the aid
of Thomas Fortune Ryan in financing
Mr.. Wilson's campaign. Colonel Wat
terson has been about as enthusiastic
in his support of Governor Wilson as
was Colonel Harvey in supporting the
former president of Princeton. And
Senator Tillman SO stated in an inter
view he gave out.
Col Watterson then sent Senator
Tillman a message that had not a lit
tie the favor of a challenge. Senator
Tillman replied:
I'm your statement to the press. you
described in detail the rupture between
Governor Wilson and Colonel Harvey.
but said nothing as to what caused it.
All leading papers of the country
seem to know why Governor Wilson
severed relations with Colonel Harvey,
and you, as a leading newspaper man
ard self-confessed expert groomer of
presidential candidates, must have
known it at the time your statement
was published. I very properly con-
cluded that you knew the reasons for
the rupture. and when you made pub
lie the manner IN which 1t occurred
without giving the causes. you were
unquestionabIy concealing the material
facts"
Col. watterson replied in detail that
the report Senator Tfllman referred to
was a lie out of whole cloth. How
ever, he also said:
"At Governor Wilson's instance ]
had undertaken to assist his accredited
managers in raising the considerable
sums Of money, needful to the prose
cution Of his campaign and in this my
efforts were not wholly unfruitful AS
the business proceeded the name OF
Thomas F. Ryan not unnaturally came
into my mind. He is a democrat. He
is a Virginian. He is my friend
Knowing him to be a disinterested
man, having no axe to grind, I hoped
that / might induce him to help out
what / believed was a good cause
Governor Wilson's managers were de-
lighted with the suggestion. Colone
Harvey had nothing whatever to dc
with 1t, and, so far as I am aware
knew nothing about it. Throughout
this unhappy affair 1 have been an un-
willing witness-in it's consequences
somewhat of an innocent bystander-
having been up to the hour of the
Harvey incident a sincere believer in
Governor Wilson. He is man OF
ability. In some ways he might prove
a candidate of availability, but I fear
that il he became our president We
might discover all too late that he
possesses personal pecu1iarities which
would prove disastrous. We want in
the White House man of broad mind
as well as polished intellect. a hear
grateful and kind, no less than dar-
ing"
The publication of Col. watterson':
reply to Tillman brought the follow
ing explicit statement from Governor
Wilson:
Insofar as I am concerned, the
statement that Col Watterson was re-
quested to assist in raising money in
my behalf is absolutely without foun.
dalton. Neither I. nor any one author
lied to represent me. ever made any
such request of him.
At this writing, Col. Harvey seems
to be pouting. Tillman looks as vel
pleased as a gator who has just eater
little niger, Wilson is saving wood
Ryan is saying nothing and Col. Wat
terson bears the panied expression OF
a man who has Inadvertently monkey
ed with a huzzsaw.
MRS. KATE TAYLOR
III