Butler Citizen

MR. MARSHALL'S VIEWS.
He Gives the Reasons Why He Cannot Go to Harrisburg.

PITTSBURGH, June 15.-Hon. Thomas M. Marshall to-day addressed the following letter to the editors of The PHILADELPHIA PRESS, TIMES and Pittsburgh Dispatch :

PITTSBURGH, June 15.--You have requested me to communicate in public way my purpose touching Convention which I learn by the newspapers is to be held on the 21st of this month. Having received no official notification of the assemblage it may be proper that I give the reasons which control my action:

The Convention of the 10th of May nominated a candidate for Congressman-at-Large after positive and express notice that he would not accept office.
That Convention, as I understood, dispersed without formal vote of adjournment, and without making provision for its own recall. Dispersed without providing means to meet contingencies such as sometimes occur under the most careful management. If that Convention, as has been suggested, has still vitality for the purpose of completing unfinished business, that vitality must exist in its own body, I should say in its executive—Hon. George Lear. If this vitality exists the sign of life should emanate from within and not borrowed from an outside paper. It appears, however, that a stranger to the Convention has assumed authority on the premises and issued his call.

THE STATUS OF MR. COOPER.
Who is Mr. Cooper? From Whom does he derive his authority? His name does not appear on the roll of Convention's membership, nor was he one of its officers. He was chairman of the State Committee, which expired with the organization of the convention of the 10th of May. Mr. Cooper, having no authority from the Convention, is acting beyond his sphere.
A call from a chairman of a dead committee is more than void. The fact that a new State Committee has been partially provided for does not help the case. The stream cannot give life to the creator.
Moreover, the new State Committee has not met or organized, and the semblance of excuse for the call of Mr. Cooper does not exist in that direction.
It seems to me that the gentleman who has assumed the grave responsibility of requiring 251 delegates to leave their homes and business at his pleasure has been swift to meddle in a matter not of his concern. It is an act not sustained even by the usage of party machinery in Pennsylvania, and singularly unfortunate, in view of the temper of the times.
I shall treat this call as unauthorized and take no notice of the demand.
This is not a small matter. It is a vital question of power. I believe that self-respecting men who were delegates should refuse to sustain the call by their presence or cooperation on the 21st of June. Those desiring to fulfill the bidding of the projectors of this call may attend and enroll themselves in service In my judgment, this kind of management has almost come to an end.