The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-10-20

ing from Baltimore-three days be-
fore the Grand Rapids state conven'
ton. 10 be exact-the governor met me
In Alma and very confdentially asked
n would support Wood and Shields
In Grand Rapids IL they would come
! TO me In person and guarantee 10 sup
port his candidacy and do everything
In their power to obtain his election
as governor. never was more shock
ed In my life.
The answer that gave Mr.. Ferris
was that | could give him hundred
reasons why could not support either
! Wood or Shields. / told him that
either one OF two things would hap
pen, they would agree 10 support him
and then cut his throat politically, or.
! II he were elected, he would be forced
TO cut our threats, meaning the PRO-
gressiye Democrats. Later develop
ments have proven that he had TO DO
! just what I predicted at that time.
! II might add that the members or
the present organization In Michigan
stated to me that Gov. Ferris was not
fitted for governor: that he was not a
Democrat, but Socialist; that he
would not do anything In state cam
lpaign without being paid for II unless
+, he was on the ticket himself. Mr.. Fer.
ris has told me practically the same
thing about the organization, both In
writing and In the presence OF others.
He called them political crooks.
Later developments have proven
that both sides knew what they were
talking about.
I i",rhe mine owners OF Michigan, two
years ago. bitterly assailed the gov
ernor. They are now organizing Fer
ris for governor clubs In the interests
OF his candidacy. | think this tells
the story OF his change of heart.
'I am informed by an attorney for
the LIQUOR interests OF Detroit that Mr..
Ferris was called to a conference In
Detroit some three weeks before the
election two years ago. In the confer.
ence he explained to the liquor deal
ers that he had. at no time. favored
prohibition; that he had never favored
local option except in his own county
OF Mecosta, where there was large
number Of boys attending school who
had no one TO take care OF them. The
liquor dealers were assured at this
conference that IL they would indorse
Ferris candidacy for governor. there
would be no liquor legislation initiated
by him.
III Mr.. Ferris sympathies were the
liquor interests OF the state he had a
God-given right so TO express them.
Just to show the position that he
took, however, ! will say that I had
two months ago. We discussed who
Ia ~
II stated that the mine owners were
supporting him without doubt and that
he would have the liquor interests. but
/ thought Mr.. Osborn would get the
dry vote. Mr.. Ferris replied that he
did not know why Mr.. Osborn should
get the dry vote and declared that he
should get II himself. He said that
last spring local option was submitted
In Mecosta county and that he came
out In the campaign and made speech
es favoring local option there. Now,
mark you, this shows the game work
ing both ends against the middle.
II also take exception to many Of
Mr.. Ferris appointments believe
that many of them have been an abso-
lutte discredit. to the Democratic party
and the people Of the state OF Michi-
fan for some Of his present appointes
are men that the governor himself told
me were an absolute disgrace to the
Democratic party.
THE governor Is appealing to the
electorate on the grounds OF clean pol
itfcs and IL also appealing to the unit
ed Democratic support on the same
grounds. but I wish to state that no
man who has broken the number Of
pledges that Gov. Ferris has broken
and who has betrayed the very ele-
ment In the party that made him gov
ernor as badly as Gov. Ferris has, has
any right to expect the support of the
clean element Of any party and he will
not get any support OF mine.
Il have lived In the same congress
sional district with Mr.. Ferris for
many years, and I wish to add that
anything that was to be done In his
interest politically was always gladly
done, and my attitude towards Mr..
Ferris was about the same as II was
toward m own mother. believed him
TO be just mas and believed him to
be above political trickery. When he
told me the present Organization In
Michigan should be expelled from the
party and that he would do everything
within his power to do so. I believed
him.
Il might also state that In the pres
ence Of three other gentlemen, ]. w.
Helme came to me before the cleo
ton two years ago. after the Demo
cratic state convention and made this
statement: That the Governor told
him that he was sorry that I was
not on the state central committee.
but not to worry about II because =
he were elected and Woodrow Wilson
were elected president, the other ele-
ment would never control any part
OF the patronage. This has caused
me to wonder why Mr.. Helme made
the statement. Had the governor
misled him or had Mr.. Helme tried
deliberately to mislead me? I be-
lieve that Mr.. Ferris deliberately
nisled Mr.. Helme.
Il might add that I was one OF
the 0onfIopneu who oaIlad unnn Mr.