Evening star., 1920-03-14
EDWARDS DECLINES
PRIMARY CONTESTS
Permitted to Withdraw in H.
Iinois-Wants Convention
DELEGATIONS UninstruCted.

SPRINGFIELD. ILL.,, March Is (By
the Associated Press).-In response
to a request from Gov. Edward /
Edwards Of New Jersey that his name
be left of the democratic ballots at
the presidential preferential primaries
in Illinois April 13. today the secre-
tary Of state sent tho New Jersey
governor a message that his request
would be granted
Following receipt OF a telegram from
Gov. Edwards today the secretary OF
states office obtained an informal
opinion from the attorney generals 8
Office that the name of the New Jersey
| candidate could not be withdrawn A
telegram was sent to Gov. Edwards
to this effect. Later officials of the
attorney generals office consulted by
telephone with Attorney General Grun-
dage in Chicago and a new opinion
was prepared holding that Gov.
Edwards should be allowed to with
draw.
Another telegram was sent to the
! New Jersey executive telling him the
attorney generals decision and in
| forming him that his name would not
be presented to the voters at the
April primary.
Withdraws Name in Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, March 13.-Gov.
Edward ]. Edwards of New Jersey.
whose name was filed as candidate
| for the democratic nomination for
President in the Indiana primary. has
refused his consent to the use Of his
| name. according to a telegram re-
ceived from him by the secretary of
state.
| The telegram follows:
"If nrmed to run as candidate for
! President at democratic primary.
please be advised cannot consent.
Letter follows
William l.. Elder of Indianapolis.
representing Vice President Thomas
| Il. Marshall. announced that if Ed
wards name was Withdrawn that of
the Vice President also would be re-
moved.
TRENTON. y. J.. March 15-Gov.
Edward ]. Edwards. who asked that
his lame be left off the presidential
| primary ballots in Illinois. announced
today that he had sent similar re-
| quests to his supporters in other
states.
| The governor set forth his reasons
for not wishing his name placed on
the primary ballots in letter to Ira
l.. Sawn- an Indiana supporter, which
he made public here.
| 1T is my opinion the governor
wrote that the national convention
| should be made up of unpledged
choose as their standard bearer that
man who most fittingly represents the
| principles for which the party stands.
When I say the principles for which
the party stands, l mean, necessarily.
those things which are best for the
nation. Nomination for the office of
President. which no one can decline,
should not be made dependent upon
! the personal equation. but rather
upon the convictions of and the prin-
ciples for which the candidate stands.
Will Take Issues to Convention.
There are certain questions upon
which / have pronounced and decided
views, and I shall do all that ] can
to induce the convention to incor-
porate in the platform of the party
declarations on those subjects. AS
you well know. one of them is the
matter of the eighteenth amendment
| to the federal Constitution. 1t is my
mature judgment that l should not al
| low my name to be submitted to the
people in any primary. for the reason
stated. Furthermore, wherever ! have
been placed in nomination it. is my
purpose to request that the nominal
ing petitions be withdrawn"