The bee., 1884-02-16
A. WI. CLAPP and His MOB,

publican COMMITTEE that was held
on Tuesday evening at Association
Hall was one of the most disgrace
ful things that was ever witnessed
in a city like Washington. Bad
whisl1ey and rotten tobacco were
floating like water. 1t was evident
that a worse meeting could not
have been held in the fourth ward
ofPhiladelpeia. Mr.. A, M. Clapp
one of the candidates for the chair
manship Of the Central Committee
refused to put motions when regu-
larIy made, which was plainly
shown that he intended to subserve
his own interests, and toady to the
mob that was brought there from
Carsons own rum mill, who was a
special champion of Mr.. Clapp.
Delegations that had regular
credentials and duly elected by the
respectable people of the Disrictt
Of Columbia were kept out by
Clapp and his, mob. The friends
of the regular delega'es warned
them, if Clapp had the appoint
ment of the Committee on Creden-
tials, he would appoint none but
friends to himself and members OF
the committee that were preJudiced
to the contestants and favorable to
Clapp. Corruption, fraud, and
every conceivable measure of a
corruptable character were resort
ed TO by the whiskey mob. The
election of Clapp TO the Chairman
ship ofthe Central Committee by
such an element, will tend to kill
suffrage. The affair was REPETITION
of the scenes in Sayles j. Bowens'
time with some of the very men
who were his champions. Perry
Carson, who was the chief mogul
Of the Bowenites, has following
HIM the same mob. A restoration
of the right Of suffrage while this
same faction exists, is dangerous
to the respectable people of this
city. 1t is ven dangerous to life
and the liberty that we now enjoy
in this beautiful city. If suffrage
is to be restored it should be re-
stricted. Property qualification
should be one of the necessaries.
1t would be shame and disgrace
to have suffrage. restored, when
there are men who have no more
interest in the community than to
sell their votes and principles for
whiskey. The election of MIR.
Clapp to the Craftsmanship of the
Committee settles him for the con-
vention.
The respectable people of this
community will not be imposed
upon and allow regularly elected
delegates to be thrown out by a
class of worthless men. There was
the biggest kind of fraud practiced
in the fourth aud seventh districts,
Notwithstanding, the fraudulent
delegates were admitted because
they were pledged to Clapp. The
most arbitrary ruling on the part
of the chair was, when an appeal
was made from his decision and
he refusd to put it. This and 9th
er arbitrary acts were practiced
upon the members of the Commit
tee by MIR. Clapp the chairman of
the mob, Mr.. w. G. Chase had
control of the organization at the
time that Mr.. Clapp refused to
pul the motion, regulally ly made.
Every young man supported MIR.
ChBse. Clapp knew that he would
be defeated if the motion for a
temporary chairman had been put
by the chair, he would have been
defeated. By the arbitrary ruling
of the chair, Mr.. Chase declined
to allow his name to be used as q
candidate for the Craftsmanship of
the committee. Perry Carson who
has heretofore opposed Greener,
entered into a combination with
him to defeat the young men.
Carson nominated Greener for
secretary of the Committee.