St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-11
Convention Of White Re-
publieans' at Birming-
ham, Ala.
Protection Democrats De-
cline to Walk Into Their
Pretty Parlor.
Nathan F. Dixon at Last
Elected Senator From
Rhode Island.
Roswell P. Flower Going West
to Study the Water Stor-
age Question.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April 1O.-The
conference of white Republicans, called
together for the purpose of reorganizing
the Republican party in Alabama on
protective tariff basis, and thereby
relieve it from being called the negro
party, met this afternoon. Some
300 delegates were present. all
but few being Republicans
of many years, standing, and many of
them having been prominent as leaders
ever since the war. l.. E. Parsons Jr.
called the convention to order and
stated that its purpose was to organize
a protective league throughout Ala
bama. No negroes would be admitted
aud no white man who was rot in SYM
pathy with the movement. 1t was not
intended to drive anybody, white or
black, from the party, and if negroes
wanted to get together and reorganize
their own league, there was no objec-
ton. Col. j. I'll. Sloss. of Huntsville,
was made chairman, and a committee
was appointed on resolutions. That
committee reported a series of resolu-
tions declaring that the time had come
for the Republican party to reorgan-
iZe on the principle of protection and
that all persons who believe in that
principle should join with them.
They also reported a constitu-
iff league of the state of Alabama.
Both resolutions and constitution were
unanimously adopted. The following
officers were unanimously elected:
President, w. H. Smith, Republican
governor of Alabama in 1868; vice
president, l.. E. Parsons, Jr., a prom
Inent leader of the party in all cOnven-
tons for many years; treasurer, Charles
3. Lane, editor of the Huntsville
lndependent, an anti-negro news
paper. An executive committee
composed of two from each
congressional district was elected, and
a vice president for each county was
chosen by the executive committee.
The vice presidents are instructed to go
at once to work in their several coun-
ties and organize branch leagues
throughout the state, Several men
who objected 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 followers
of DR.. E. A. Mosely, chairman of the
regular Republican state committee of
Alabama. The negroes and whites of
the conference met separately this
morning, the negroes to the number of
130. Many speeches were made protest
ing against the effort of certain white
Republicans to exclude the negro from
the party, and resolutions were adopted
emphasizing the protest and declar-
ing that the negro constitutes the
backbone of the party in Alabama.
He is SO per cent of its voting power,
and is now capable of holding offices
and ought to have some of the offices.
A committee of nine, one from each dis
trict and one from the state at large. was
appointed to convey these resolutions
and lay the case of the negro before
President Harrison. The conference
of regular white Republicans met at
CreSwell hall, and protested against the
attempt of the others 10 constitute
themselves party, and avowed their
purpose to stand by the negro and the
old organization. A committee was ap-
pointed to invite the negroes to meet in
joint session. The white conference
this morning had none of what are
called Democratic protectionists among
its members.