Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-22

Sims, Melville II. Stone. William How
ard Taft, Charles II. Hughes, Vice
President Marshall. Secretary Daniels
and Postmaster General BurleFoh.
a few months prior to the issue Of
the 'Marse Henry Edition" in 1918,
Mr.. Watterson sold his interest in the
Courier journal to fudge, Robert W.
Bingham, Of Louisville. who also pur :
chased stock Of other owners. and Wat .
terson retired from editorial respon .
sibility and place. accepting for several
months the title Of editor emeritus. In
tho spring Of 1919 he resigned that po.
sition and since then he had been living
q wholly retired life. interrupted only
occasionally by letter TO a newspaper
on public topic or an interview granted
to some rowing reporter.
His Appearance With Patti
In the Looking Backward" mem Z.
oirs, which in the early months Of 1919
formed an attractive feature of the
Saturday Evening Post. Colonel Wat
tcrson pictured many Of the most inti-
mate events Of his private life. as well
as Of the stirring politics, all OF which
! he saw and much of which he was.
One of these pictures revealed the fact
that in his youth he was n musical
| prodigy" As juvenile pianist Of 10
mean prctcnSions, young Watterson was
! thrown into contact with little AIDE.
lima Patti" who became the world
famed diva.
The venerable editor naively described
an occasion in which he appeared in n
recital with Miss Patti md won
cnconiums alike from her and from the
audience on the admirable way in which
he accompanied the singer. He also
| explained that an accident to one Of
his hands made continuance Of his
piano practice impossible. or at least in
convenient, but he never lost his love
! for music and he remained good friend
of Patti throughout her celebrated
career and up to the time of her death.
Goes to Congress Tor Tilden
! lie was a natural politician. an ar
dent Democrat. but untinged with the
| Bourbonism typical of considerable
element Of his party in the I0s. SOS and
up to comparatively recent years. He
was largely instrumental in efecting
the Liberal Republican Democratic fu-
sion Of 1872. which backed Horace
Greelcy's disastrous candidacy for the
Presidency. In 1876 he was n red
hot supporter Of Samuel j. Tilden both
for the Democratic nomination and at
the election. II was at Mr.. Tilden 8
personal SOnPIlHJIOn 'Ubl W Nhileisoh ".
cepted an election to Congress in the
year named. and on the floor of the
House during the memorable dispute as
TO whether Hayes or Tilden had received
majority Of the Electoral College.
Wattcrson bitterly opposed the creation
of the Electoral Commission as extra
constitutional, illegal and fraught with
grave danger 10 national institutions
incidentally he predicted that it would
spell the end Of Tilden's chances of be-
ing declared the President q lect: a
prophecy which the commissions find
ings verified by its vote Of 5 to on
every question considered.
100, 900 Unarmcd Kentucliians
During the hectic times rar king the
period in which doubt envclopcd the re-
suit Of the election Watterson was ac-
cusrd Of fomentiny treason by threat
cning to take 100. 900 armed kentuck
iaus" 10 Washington for the purpose OF
preventing The inauguration of Hayes.
This charge was untrue. What the
fiery colonel actually said was that un-
less Justice were done 100000 un-
armed Kentuckians" were ready to
march up on the national capital to
protest against the consummation oil
what he denominated "the great fraud.
Nothing came Of the defiant ful NINA
tion. Kentuckians. armed and un-
armed. stayed at home and the inau-
guration OF General Hayes was un
marked by any untoward circumstance.