The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-07-20
MI Irvine Obiects to Our Oritioisns

Mr Irvine Objects to Our Criticisms
To the Editor of the Banner
Your visions and indefensible attack
upon the senatorial executive commit
tee,and directed especially at me, indi-
Gates spirit of malice and an effort
to create the impression that some
great wrong has been perpetrated.
You insinuate that it was effected by
methods SO crafty as to be suggestive
of creased pole, and no doubt pre-
sent it in that light as another crying
necessity for the support of the ire
formers.n
This is corroborated by the fact that
you could easily have obtained every
particular from any of the gentlemen
censured. A few hours after the
meeting you joined group composed
of Messrs. Reardon, Wilson and my
self, and the subject was brought up
by you and discussed for several min
utes. You mentioned no point of dis
satisfaction, but stated wherein you
agreed with my position fully.
But for the implications involving
Messrs. Long and White, who were
solicited to attend and serve on the
committee, should treat the attack
with the contempt it deserves.
An outline of what actually occurred
is about as follows, and can no doubt
be verified by Messrs. Chitty, Long,
White and others as to the parts with
in their knowledge.
About an hour before the time set
for the meeting met Mr.. Chitty on
the street, and, in hurried converse
ton on the subject, he inquired if any
arrangements had been made for fill
ing the vacancies and to have the par
ties present to avoid delay. / replied
that so far as knew there had been
none.
He then asked if Icould suggest two
good men who could render material
assistance in the work. / told him /
could think of only one, Mr.. Long,
who had served on the preceding COM
mittee and was familiar with the de-
tails.
Just then saw Mr.. White on the
Ocala House piazza, and calling Mr..
Chitty's attention to him, said he
would make a good member, if we
could only get him to serve. Mr..
Gritty then proposed that should go
and see Messrs. White and Long, and,
in case they declined, to secure 9TH
ers- / obtained their consent, and
also invited Messrs. F. E. Harris, w.
x. Zewadski, Gen. Dickson and per.
haps Others to attend the meeting.
No mention was made at any time of
how anybody stood upon any question
likely to come before the meeting.
Whether Messrs. Long and White ia
vored or opposed primary elections /
did not know then and do not know
now. The question was never formal
~ before the committee and could not
properly have been entertained. 1t
was simply suggested by Mr.. Harris
and informally discussed. No execu-
tive committee has a right to deter
mine such measure, unless special.
ly empowered by the convention cre-
ating it.
This committee was created by
convention four years ago and clothed
with no such power. Where could it,
since that time, derive such author
ity? It's work virtually ended with
the campaign for which it was crea-
ted, and nothing remained but the
perfunctory duty to call the next con-
vention. When it assemblies, fresh
from the people, if it finds they desire
the primary election, it can easily or
der it and adjourn.
But from the Banners sapient
standpoint of party jurisprudence, we
are told lit did not seem to occur to
the committee that they could estab-
lish" precedent. Does it appear to
the Banner whether precedent would
have been established or violated?
And whether the committee would
have become party Lawmakers or
law-Dreakers? ID. III. IRVINE.