The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-14
PARKER, OFDYER COUNTY,
MAKES ANSWER TO CAPT. II. l.,
F0WLKES,
And Says, Like a True Democrat as
He IL, That He Will Abide
by the Majority.
To tbo Democrat, Of Dyer County.

To the Democrats Of Dyer County.
The Memphis APPEAL Of Sunday,
October 10th, contains PROPOSE ION
from Capt. II. L. Fowlkes, the lnde'
pendent candidate for Representative,
10 me asking that we submit our
claims to primary election OF The
Democrats OF Dyer county to decide
who shall remain on the track, the
object of the offer being to avoid the
danger Of eleCting Rspublican-Mr.
Sinclair being the Republican nomi-
nee for the place.
1t seems little strange that this
proposition should have been sub
mitled through the medium OF a news
paper instead of TO me in person, or to
the Executive Committee OF Dyer
county. 10 dsclipiI g the offer | VIII
state few reasons for 30 doing.
Fira.-When the Executive Com
mittes OF Dyer county met in August
the chief item of business before 1t
was the method Of selecting delegates
to the Congressional Convention, del
egates to the Senatorial and Floteris.
Convention, and the selection OF a
Democratic candidate to make the
race for Representative. The commit
tee was composed OF j. w. Lauderdale,
chairman; NJ. NJ. Marsha ], secreiarI /;
A. b. Heskins, A. G. Harris, j. ii.
Hall, d. +. Parker and II. L. Fowlkes.
Toe question was submitted by the
chairman, whether the plan should be
primary elections or conventions.
This question was prompted by the
chaiIm ans knowledge that some p ~
tions Of the county desired primary
elections; in fact he stated to the com
mittee that he had been requested by
parties who wanted primaries to bring
1t up before the committee. Capt.
Fowlkts, among Others, spoke against
primary elections, and the committee,
after deIiberdtlug, decided unanimous
ly to call district conventions on
August 2Sth and county convention
on September LIST, which call was duly
and regularly made. In the incipi-
ency OF my race | expressed myself
as being willing to make the
race before the Democracy under
either plan. When the action OF the
Executive Committee was made
known by publication / announced
subject to the action OF the Demo
cratic Convention then called. Capt.
Fowlkes also announced subject to a
Democratic Convention, and thus we
with others, made the race. When
Capt. Fowlkes found his nominal on
was doubtful he refused to 90 before
the convention he had called. Now
it seems rather inconsistent and late in
the day for him 10 demand what he
as a member OF the Executive Com
mittee, two months ago refused tc
others who were asking fora primary
election; seems very much like assum'
ine,to dictate TO the Democracy 10y say.
ing, after he has tried one system o.
organization and is not successful
That another must be Immediately in.
situted for bis benefit. What as.
dlrance have l that he would abide
the action OF primary election when
Hhe would not abide by his own con-
vention2
Second. He claims that my follow.
ers are not Democrats; l maintain
that they are. So we could not agree
to the terms of the election, and il
should beat him the same cry Of un
fairness would arise.
Thrd.--It would be treating witt
contempt the Democratic party which
nominated me thus to abandon my
nomination at the request OF an in
dependent candidate.
Fourth 1t l were to accept thu
offer and defeat Capt. Fowlkes in {
primary election, how many other de
mands would there be to make thu
same kind Of race between this ant
November 2dP And II l accept thi
offer, how can l refuse similar de
mand from any other person?
FUth.-I am n t responsible for Sin
clair's nomination, but Capt. Fowlke
in his race Is responsible for the dan
ger OF Sinc,air's election, and tn
blame is upon him. This offer is onl
an effort on his part to clear his skirt
OF the Just cenEure that would b
against him iu the event OF the cleo
ton of John Sinclair.
Sirih.-I am the regular Democrat
nominee OF the regular Democrat
County Convention, and canno
afford 10 thus trfle with the Demo(
racy of Dyer county. Capt. Fowlks
admitted the regularity of the CONVEX
ton when he said he would not run
Mai. A. G. Harris or Justice John 1
McCorkle either was nominated, bu
would run il John Parker should b
nominated" which plainly shows the
but for a personal feeling against m
be would not have made the Iudt
pendent race, and for that reason m
self respect will not permit me {
humor this whim Of his. II Bo
Taylor or any other nominee Of an
convention within the State shout
resort TO primary election race wit
any OF the defeated aspirants, h
would thereby forfeit the confdenc
aud respect OF the party.
Seuenth.-No one man can be hear
to say whether the action OF a CONVEX
ton is exactly right, since it is hard I
, suit all parties in any convention
especially one who had announced hi
Independent race an hour before tn
convention met My Democrac
/ teaches me that the win OF the majo'
ty is the index. / rely upon the non
nation Of the Democracy OF Dye
, county, in regular, legal and delegate
i convention assembled, and that, toC
! the largest and most thoroughly rel
I resentative one ever held in the coul
ty, aud that, too, creature Of IL. ]
I Fowlkes's own making.
Eighh-Taking into considerable
, the fact that II. L. Fowlkes never az
J n0unced his candidacy until on III
day that the district conventions wei
a held, and that 1t was not known pos
{ lively in more than two or three di
triCts, at the time OF holding the di
4 trct conventions, that he was a cal
! didate, therefore he OF all men in ii
4 race for the nomination had the ea
1 cause to complain that he was not I'll
4 nominee, even II he had seen fit
! submit his claims. Hence his of
a deserves no more consideration this
4 that OF any other man who had new
a announced himself in the race. Il
the above reasons and many others
shall undoubtedly continue the IA
as the Democratic nominee until Il
| y