The Portland daily press., 1892-07-18
CARTER WILL LEAD.
The Montana Man Chairman of the Ma
tiOnaI Committee.

New YORK, July 16.-The national
executive committee of the Republican
party today elected Mr.. Thomas II. Car
ter of Helena, Mont, to succeed Mr.. Viii
liam j. Campbell as chairman Of the Re-
publican national committee. The men,
bers of the committee who arrived last
night, together with Secretary Rusk,
Senator Sawyer and other friends of the
administration, labored with Mr. Henry
G. Pavne to get him to consent to take
the position, but to no effect
Before the committee went into ses-
sion it was understood that the chair
manship would first be offered to Sena-
tor Proctor, and if he would not take it
then it would be given to Garrett A. Ho-
bart of New Jersey.
The meeting was called to order by
Secretary Carter and William A. Suther-
land of Rochester, N. z, was made tenn
pory chairman. All the members were
present, except Hobart of New Jersey
and Bradley of Kentucky. They were
represented by proxies, William Birth
acting for the former and Joseph Sparks
for the latter.
Whitelaw Reid was called in consulta-
ton by the committee, and an adjourn
ment was taken about o'clock for two
hours. The committee and some of it's
advisers went to lunch. Before discus
sion of coffee and cigars had been COM
pleted, the Gordian knot had been cut.
Thomas H. Carter of Montana had been
prevailed upon to take the craftsmanship
himself.
This decision being reached, the con-
ferees returned to the Fifth Avenue Ho-
tel to place the official stamp on the So
luton of the craftsmanship puzzle. The
news spread like wild-fire, and with it
the announcement that Mr.. Carter's
place would be filed by Chris Magee.
This proved to be premature, however.
Mr.. Carter made brief speech of ac-
ceptance. On motion of Mr.. Clarkson,
Mr.. J. f. Burke of Pittsburg was APP
pointed secretary pro tenn. 1t was agreed
that the appointment of the permanent
secretary be left to the discretion of the
chair.
On motion of Mr.. Fessenden, the chair
man was authorized to appoint sub
committee of five to be selected from
Republicans not members Of the COM
to the national executive committee.
On motion of Mr.. Clarkson a commit
tee of five will be appointed by the
chairman to secure headquarters in this
city. 1t was also unanimously agreed to
continue Mr. Campbell as member of
the executive committee. Mr.. Camp
bell will take charge of the branch head
quarters at Chicago.
Mr.. Carter, the newly elected chair
man, has had remarkably successful
career in politics. He is but 3S years
old. He was born in Scioto county,
Ohio, and in 1865 moved to Pana, ILL.,,
where he lived until 1875, when he
moved to Burlington Iowa. He
studied law in Louisville, KY,
and Illinois, and was admitted to the
bar in Nebraska. In 1882 he moved to
Helena, Montana, which is now his
home. He was elected territorial dele
gate to the 51st Congress. After the adj
mission of Montana as state he was
elected to Congress as first representa-
tive He was renominated in 1890, but
was defeated. In March, 1891, he was ap-
pointed by President Harrison as United
States Land Commissioner.
When Mr.. Carter was asked if his ac-
ceptance of the craftsmanship entailed
the resignation of his position in the
Land Office, he replied: Il shall resign
at all events.'' He said the work would
begin at once. Monday he will announce
the committees at headquarters, and
probably the advisory committee.