Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-06-18
CANDIDATE WOOD
CALLS BUTLER LIAR
ISSUES REPLY TO THE
CHARGES MADE BY THE NEW
YORK's DEFEATED PREsIDEN.
TTAL CANDIDATE.

CHICAGO, June 15.-Maj. Gen.
Leonard Wood in a signed statement
tonight characterized as "a vicious
and malicious falsehood" a declara-
tion by DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler
of New York that "a motley group
OF stock gamblers, oil and mining
promoters, .munition makers and
other like persons" backed the gener.
ais campaign for the republican pres
idential nomination
The statement follows:
II have just read the statement Is.
sued in New York by Nicholas Murray
Butler to the effect that a motley
group of stock gamblers and others
tried to buy the presidential nomina-
tion for me, and that the forces who
were defeated in their insolent at
tempt to buy the nomination repre-
sent all that is worst in American
business and political life
'The statement is a vicious and
malicious falsehood l would ignore
it if, it were directed at me alone,
but I cannot remain silent when my
loyal friends and supporters are viii
lifted.
"COl. William Cooper Proctor, who
was chairman of my campaign COM
mittee, is man of extraordinarily
high character, known throughout the :
length and breadth of the land for
his absolute integrity and honesty.
His associates were men Of like char
acter, most of whom responded to
their country's call during the war.
They typify group Of progressive
Americans. The attack upon them is
infamous.
''The forces which brought me be-
fore the convention with preponder-
ant force were hundreds of thousands
of patriotic men and women in every
walk of life who have indorsed me
at nationwide state conventions, ma
tion-wide state primaries and in q
nationwide poll of unprecedented
size.
This action of Nicholas Murray
Butler is an attempt to ingratiate
himself with certain elements which
exercised determining influence at
the convention and possibly to ex-
plain his own political weakness. 1t
is a self-seeking. cowardly attack,
made under the cloak of an alleged
public service. which was intended
or rendered.
What President Butler Said.
Following are the charges made
by Professor Butler. who apparently
is trying to make it appear that the
sale of the nomination was stopped,
and was spontaneous outburst Of
uninfluenced will of the delegates.
NEW YORK. June discharges
that "a motley group of stock gamb-
lers, oil and mining promoters, NUM-
tion makers and other like persons
seized on so good man as Gen. Wood
and with reckless audacity started ont
to buy for him the presidential NOM
ination" were made in statement
given out tonigh. by Nicholas Murray
Butler, an unsuccessful republican
candidate.
at was the cause of genuine
sorrow to me as to many others of
Gen. Woods personal friends" he
said, 80 see him put in this unhappy
20 ition There was nothing to do
to save the republican party but de-
feat the band of men behind him
with their bank accounts. This
meant we had to defeat Gen, Wood.
The forces defeated in their inso-
lent attempt to buy the nomination
represent all that is worst in Amerf-
can business and American political
life. 1t is really too bad they hit upon
Gen Wood as their choice. They
should have found some one to sup
port for whom the country has less
respect and less regard.
was to prevent the sale of presidential
nominations at auction to the highest
bidder Had this not been done, the
party faced not only certain defeat
but crushing dishonor The 6S New
York delegates who voted for me on
the first ballot were the chief factor
in stopping the Hindenburg drive to
overwhelm the convention by the
power of unlimited money and by
strong arm methods in preferential
primaries.