Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-07-04
Wants no Middleman.
CHAIRMAN MAFFITT WILL HAVE
NO Go-BETwEEN HIMSELF
AND COUNTY CHAIR
MEN.
Requests Must Come to Him-Refuses
to Recognize Any Except Those
Authorized to Act-About
Twenty-Fi Re-
quests.
Wants no Middleman.
From the St. Louis Republic.

From the st. Louis Republic.
There seems to be no limit to the
amount of surplus energy being ex-
pended by those who are determined
to have a State Convention called in
Missouri. An indefinite number of
schemes have been formulated and
numerous individuals who have vol
UNFAIRLY taken upon themselves the
authority to act r proceeding after
a diversified fashion to bring the con-
vention about. From st. Charles
comes the report that Mr.. E. r. Britt
has in his possession almost enough
letters from county chairmen ssto in
sure a convention" This means that
Mr.. Britt has or expects to have in a
day or two So letters from chairmen of
county central committees, a major
ity of the chairmen in the State.
These letters are supposed to be ad-
dressed to Chairman Mafitt of the
State Central Committee, and in view
of the animated correspondence grow
ing out of the developments at the
Planters Hotel meeting of county
chairmen it would be well to get down
to the facts. There has been no end
of agitation and inflammatory letters,
but these r side lights and cut very
little figure in the case.
In the interview between Chairman
Maffitt and Mr.. Farris just prior to the
Planters Hotel conference the chair
man of the State Central Committee
stated that he would call a meeting of
the State Committee when a majority
of the county chairmen requested him
to do SO. Mr.. Mafitt interprets that
language to 9 that the request
must come to him and not outsiders.
He does not consider a petition mailed
to another person as bearing at all on
the question at issue. When informed
last night that Mr.. Britt, the secretary
of the Planters conference, had re-
ceived 55 letters, he stated his posi-
ton with much emphasis and suff-
Gent clearness for anybody|to under
stand it who cares to do SO.
81 do not know,'he said, chow many
letters have been received by MI.
Britt, nor do I care l do not propose
to recognize outside persons acting
without authority in any of the steps
looking to the calling af a State Con-
~vention. I shall be guided in that mat
ter solely by the number of letters ]
receive.
est is not necessary for anyone
to act as middleman between the
chairmen of the County Central COM
mittses and me. Whatever sugges-
tions or requests they may have tc
make can be submitted directly to me
The position which I assumed in call
ing the Central Commute was a con-
cession to those who were demanding
it, and, in view of this fact, I do no
care to have any outsiders acting IL
the capacity OF going between, no
will I consider them. Whatever com
munications the county chairmen SCI
fit to send me will be, of course, con
| sidered."
at has been stated that you woult
not consider requests for State Con
vention submitted prior to June 1. Il
that c%orrect?"
"No; the statement should not have
been made in that shape. ! did no
say I would not take these petitions
into consideration. / said that mas.
much as the request had come for
second meeting of the State Contra
Committee, it was only fair that the
county committees which had acted
prior to the State Committee meeting
should again be convened. There
were in all requests from IL counties
received prior to the meeting, May 81
Now that the State Committee haI
acted, it would seem only consisten
for these counties to renew their re-
quests"
elbow many requests have you re
ceived up to this timer"
81 cannot state exactly, but nothing
like a majority. l do not think TIT
number will exceed g. although I an
not positive as to the exact number.
Because of the misinterpretatiol
which has been placed upon all the ut
terances of the chairman Of the Stat
Committee it would be well to put i
concise language the position whicI
he will assume. Here it rs and simpl
enough to be understood:
If a majority Of the Democrat
County chairmen want the State Com
mittee reconvened and will inforr
the State chairman in a regular way
will then be called. But no outsid
agents will be taken into considers
ton.