The morning news., 1889-04-11
SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS.
The Effort to Organize Party Among
the Whites.

BIRMINGHAM, ALA, April 10.--The con
ference of white republicans, called to-
gethor for the purpose of reorganizing the
tective tariff b isis, and thereby relieve it
from being called the negro party, met at
Subett hall this afternoon. Some 300 dele
gates were present, all but few being re-
publicans of many years standing, and
many of them having been prominent as
leaders ever since the war.
OBJECT OF THE CONVENTION.
L. E. Parsons, Jr., called the convention
to order, and stated that its purpose was to
organize a protective league throughout
Alabama. No negroes would be admitted,
and no white man who was not in sympa-
thy with the movement. 1t was not IN
tended to drive anybody. white or black,
from the party, and if the negroes wanted
TO get together and reorganize their own
league, there was no objection. Col j. H.
SlosS of Huntsville was made president.
A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS.
A committee of eleven was appointed on
resolutions. The committee reported a
series Of resolutions declari & that the time
had come for the republican party to or
ganize on the issue of protection, aud in
vite all persons who believe in that princ-
Pile to join them. They also reported "a
constitution for the white republican tariff
league of the state of Alabama. Both the
resolutions and constitution were unani-
mously adopted
THE OFFICERS.
The following officers we're unanimously
elected: President, w H. Smith, republi-
can governor of Alabama in 1868; vice
president, l.. K. Parsons, Jr., a prominent
leader of the party in all its conventions for
many years; secretary, Robert Barber the
United States commissioner for many
years, and until now at montgomery; treas
urer, Charles B. Lane, editor of the Hunts
vile Independent, an outspoken republican
auti-negro newspaper. An executive com
mittee, composed of two from each con-
gressional district was elected, and a vice
president for each county was chosen by
the executive committee. The vice presi-
dents are instructed to go at once to work in
their several counties and organize branch
leagues throughout the state.
DIVISION OF SENTIMENT
Only one scene was enacted. 1t was at
the beginning, when several men who OBJ
iected to the exclusion of the negro, made
their protest and retired. One had to be
threatened with election by the police. a
rival conference was called by the negroes
and the followers of DR.. r. A. Mosely,
c airman of the regular republican state
COInnlLLee OF Alabama. Inc negroes u lQ
whites Of the conference met separately
this morning. Negroes to the number Of
100 met in the Knights Of Labor hall.
SPEECHES OF PROTEST.
Many speeches were made protesting
against the effort of certain white republi-
cans to exclude the negro from the party,
aud resolutions were adopted emphasizing
the protest, and declaring that the negro
constitutes the backbone of the party in
Alabama. He is 90 per cent. of its voting
power, and is now capable Of holding Office,
and on ht to have some of the offices. A
committee of nine. one from each district
and one from the state at large, was ap-
pointed to convey these resolutions aud lay
the case of the negro before President Har-
rison.
THE REGULAR WHITE REPUBLICANS.
The conference of the regular white re-
publicans met at Erswell hall and protested
against the attempt of others TO constitute
themselves a party, and avowed their pur-
pose to stand by the negro and the OLD or
ganzation. A committee was appointed to
invite the negroes to meet in joint session
at night. That joint conference is now in
session.
The white conference this morning had
none Of what are called the democratic pro-
teciionists among its members.
The executive committee met tonight
and elected Hon. Charles Turner, an ex-
chancellor, chairman. 1t also appointed a
vice president in each county who will pro-
ceed at once to organize leagues.