The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-02
"vHaT MUDDLE THAT WOULD Be
The County Executive Committee Holds
Meeting and Annuls All Former Acts
The Reformers Seem Not to Know
just Where They Are At-Some
Lively Debate.

The Kefor,ners Seem Not to Know
just Where They Are At-Some
Lively Debate.
The Herald and News regrets that 1t
was not present at the meeting of the
County Executive Committee last
Saturday. 1t seems that some of the
leading Reformers are not altogether
pleased with certain developments Of
the reorganization of clubs under the
call issued by the Executive Commit
tee. Everything has not been alto
gethpr lovely aud to suit some OF the
leaders of reform. 1t is great pity II
they are beginning to see "boogers'
already, but such seems to ne the facts.
A certain prominent Reformer was
very active in writing letters to have
the committee called together and
urging Remembers to attend, and ad-
viSing what they should do when as
sembled. The meeting was held and
the former action Of the committee was
annulled.
We shall see after while what all
this means. There is something be-
hind this action that has not yet COME
to the light, but the search light Will
he thrown Oh ere long and the tue iu-
wardness will appear. What harm
could he dom by holding convention
we do not see. If the clubs do not or
ganize in April they shall not be entl-
| tied to representation in county con-
ventions, is what our county constltu-
ton says, and this provision is not IN
conflict with the State constitution,
| which does not specify any particular
! time at which the clubs shall organize.
| It looks to a man on the fence very
| much like the leaders were getting
| afraid that the people were getting
tired of being led abort by the nose IN
order to give the leaders office, and
they hope little longer yet to pull the
wool over the eyes of the people.
We understand that one OF the little,
insignificant, would-be politicians un-
dertook TO rebuke the newspapers in
the course of the meeting. So far as
We have observed the newspapers or
this county have been very conserva-
tive and have not said very much
about county politics, except to pub
lish the facts as they exist. So far as
this youth and his criticisms are con-
| cerned, The Herald and News does not
care snap for his opinion, and will
not dignity him by a meDtlon OF hls
name or further reference to him.
Chairman Blease called the meeting
to order and then made the following
statement:
STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN BLEAss.
"Gentlemeu of the Executive Com
mittee:-You are called together to-day
for the purpose of considering the call
that YOU made at our last meeting for
q county convention and the reorganl-
zation of the Democratic party OF this
| County. Those of you who were pres
ent on that day remember that read
! both the County and State Constitution
and stated that County Convention
| for Nav was useless as the State Con-
stitution was superior TO the County
and that wien there was conflict the
| State Constitution would rule, but that
as the County Constitution provided
for reorganization in May, that it might
be held that this Committee did not
call convention in order to keep itself
in office until August, and therefore II
might be good idea to call the con-
vention and let the delegates decide
this ooint and amend the County Con
stitutiou 80 as 10 be consistent with the
State Constitution. You decided to call
that convention, upon motion OF MI.
Capers. and every member that voted,
voted for the clubs to meet April "A, and
for the County Convention to meet 1th
Nav. in accordance with the provisions
of the County Constitution, hence Ii
obedience to your decision and order
called the CLUBS TO reorganlze under Sec
tiou 9, and the convention to be held
under Section of the County Constltu-
tion. And hold now as did then
that the call is in obedience to the
County Constitution and that while 1t
is entirely useless to hold convention
that it is clearly constitutional under
Section ; of the County Constitution.
The attempt that is being made To
blame this Committee with the lrregu-
larity of the reorganization of the clubs
of this county is very wrong, because
the plan IS clearly set out in the Con-
stitutlon which each club should have
followed. The fault is in the man who
drew the County Constitution and this
attempt to blame this committee IS
only to shield another and an attempt
to let some one "try again" AS for
nv part I have acted in obedlence 10
your order and any attempt to make
it appear that wanted this convention
individually is as false as 1t IS malicious.
[ have no interest in an early conVen-
ton or late one, but have an Interest
in the Democratic party and hope to
| ~;
minority the right to cry out unfair
treatment at the hands OF the majority.
I am a reformer and as true to the Far
mers' Movement as any man III tnls
county but as chairman OF this commit
tee | must and will obey its decision
and act not rs partisan but for the best
of the whole people"
Mr.. Capers moved the call made tor
the organization of clubs, and the call
for Nav convention, be resclnded and
that the action under said calls be null
and void. He advocated his motion
aud said that he was responsible Tor
the calls. aud that he was willing TO ac-
knowledge his mistake. If the reader
will compare This statement with the
extract from Mr.. Sligh's letter be will
see what good disciple Mr.. Capers Is.
Mr.. Hunt opposed the motion, ia king
the position that while the committee
mig bit annul the call fora convention,
1t could not anDul the action OF the
clubs. in reorganizing, nor could II
legally or rightly change such action.
After good deal of debate the mo-
ton prevailed by vote of seventeen to
four.
Mr.. Hunt then moved that Mr.. c. D.
Hunter be placed on the roll as mem
Der of the Executive Committee from
st. Luke's club, Mr.. Beden baGgh hav-
ing withdrawn from the club. Mr.
Bedenbaugh still claimed membership
in the club, though it will be remem-
bered that at the meeting for reorganl.
zation he withdrew with number OF
others. MIR. Hunts motion was lost
The following is an extract from
letter written by Rev. Mr.. Sigh to
Chairman Blease, and which we under
stand was read to the committee:
EXTRACT FROM REV. J. A. SL1GH
LETTER.
ttTbo Stato ConstitutiOn of the Darty