The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-22
A GENERAL PRIMARY CALLED.
The Result of the Meeting Of the Demo.
cratic Primary.

The Result of the Meeting Of the Demo-
cratic Primary.
Ne,ps and Courier.
COLUMBIA, May 15.-This has been a
day of much discussion and speculation
as to what would be done by the Demo-
cratic Executive Committee, which was
called by Irby with the idea that through
it he could control the action OF all Demo-
Gratis in the State.
The Executive Committee did not meet
until 8 o'clock, and Immediately upon
calling the meeting to order Chairman
Irby announced that he had invited Mrs.
Neblett, of Greenville, to appear before
the committee, az she had expressed q
desire to speak to the committee.
Upon motion his action was approved
and Messrs. Donaldson, Watson and Mo
Sweeney were appointed to invite the
visitors to appear before the ommittee.
Upon motion of Mr.. w. D. Evans an
invitation was extended to Senator Till
man and Governor Evans to appear be-
fore the committee. A committee, con-
sisting Of Messrs. Evans, Lyles and Jor-
dan, waited upon the two leaders and
they sent back word that they were en-
gagged with the Executive Committee OF
the Winthrop board, but would be glad
to attend il requested at any particular
time during the meeting.
Mrs. Neblett appeared before the COM
mittee, accompanied by Mrs. Badham,
Miss Rion and Miss Feaster, the local
officers of the Woman's Rights Associa-
ton, and said that, 30 far as she knew, it
was an entirely new thing for woman
to appear before the Executive Commit
tee, but that she hoped that it would be
the herald of a glorious day when the
women of South Carolina should take
part in the serious business of the State.
hThe women offer themselves to you and
want you to do with them as is best for
YOU to use them. They have the interest
Of the State as much at stake as anyone.
They have at stake their property, their
husbands and their children and the
honor of their State. We are willing and
anxious to help the State in its dire dis
tress and believe that We can do 3d."
Mrs. Neblett, with this little talk, bade
the committee adieu. What she had to
say was received with applause.
Senator Irby then said that as chairman
of the committee he would say that it was
not necessary for him to now state the
reasons that induced him to call the COM
mittee together; that at the beginning OF
this session, that would probably last
long in the night, the Democracy was
confronted with the gravest crises Of its
existence in South Carolina. The strength
of our position as well as its weaknesses
should not be discussed in public and i
therefore take the liberty of suggesting
that some member Of the committee
make motion that this committee meet
with closed doors.
Mr.. w. D. Evans moved that the meet
ing be held in secret, which was carried:
Chairman Eby then stated that he had
taken the liberty Of inviting Col. Robert
Aldrioh as well as the Attorney General
to advise with him on the legal phases of
the situation, and he had also taken the
liberty Of inviting them to the session OF
the committee. Upon motion this was
approved and Messrs. MCGOWAN and
Jones were appointed on q committee to
invite them. Upon the invitation to
County Chairmen to attend the meeting
Mr.. Henry, Of Chester, attended.
The roll-call showed that all of tho
members Of the committee except those
from Beaufort, Charleston, Chesterfield,
Georgetown and York were present.
The committee first invited Attorney
General Barber to discuss the situation,
but he said that he had not given the
matter very much consideration but was
inclined to the opinion that the election
was under the Act Of 1894, but that he
would admit that it was very delicate
question. He was free to admit there
might be something in the contention
that the election could not be held under
the existing laws without raising ques-
ton.
Col. Robert Aldrich, who has studied
the question, was called upon at the out
set and later on during the evening ex-
pressed his views. First of all he wants
the decision of Judge Golf reversed, and
he believes that It will be when the mat
ter is tested before the Federal Courts.
He thought this most urgent, but as that
could not be done in time, 1t was his
opinion that the best thing to do was to
call the Legislature together to act. What
the Legislature should do, he thought.
was to repeal so much Of the Convention
Act as was touched by Judge Goff's
decision, and leave the Act without OBJ
lection from that source.
It was better to remove any cloud of
uncertainty, argued Mr.. ,Aldrich, by re-
moving the registration law, and then
simply say that whereas, cloud has
been raised, that the registration features
be repealed, and that an Australian, Mas
sachusetts or any other system that was
wanted could be adopted, but first Of all
the cloud should be removed. The cost
Of an extra session was worth ten times
any doubt as to the legality of the Con-
yention. The present law as 1t stood re-
quired registered voters, and he did not
see how it could be overcome except as
indicated. He complimented Mr.. Barber
on his splendid argument and was ap-
plauded on that. The Convention should
meet under undisputed right. He spoke
for fully half an hour.
Mr.. Ira Jones took something like the
same position.
Mr.. Efrd took the position that an
extra session could do no good. The
Legislature, if it met, could not amend
the Convention Act, as the Constitution
said that all regulations for Convention
must be made by the Legislature next
following the calling Of the Convention,
the terms being: "The General Assem-
bly, shall at their next session provide by
law for calling the same" This, he
thought. precluded the idea Of doing any
thing at this time to help the situation.
Mr.. Finley thought that the Legislature
would not be powerless to help the situa-
tion.
Chairman Irby said that there was no
question that the Pope crowd wants to
prevent the holding Of the Convention
and that fact might as well be apprecia-
ted.
There was little talk about inviting
Governor Evans and Senator Tillman into
the meeting, and finally they were sent
for by Mr.. w. d. Evans. Upon the arri-
val Of Governor Evans the matters were
presented to him and it was said that the
talk of an extra session was not intended
as any reflection on him or to force him
to do 4nything, but that the committee
merely wished to consult about that mat
ter.
Governor Evans went over the same
views he has already expressed, which
are emphatically against the calling Of the
Legislature, but said that If the necessity
arises he would call the General Assem-
bly,, but he did not regard that the occa-
sion had arisen. The condition, as he
saw 1t, vas that there was now no quail
6cation of the voter, and that everyone of
age could come in and vote, and that the
Federal authorities could not possibly OBJ
jeot to that plan.
Governor Evans went on to argue that
an extra session would only tend to put
8 cloud on the work and that no good
could come of it. He said that the white
people would get together In the election
Of delegates and that there would not be
10 nyonaoifInYr ou hr1f