The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-09-04
CONGRESSIONAL.
The State Committee Offer
Their Good Offices,
TO wHLTTHORNE AND cox.
The Question will he Finally Dis
posed of Next Tuesday.
INashville American, Sept. !.


Committee met yesterday at the
Maxwell House and held three ses-
sions-morning, afternoon and night.
There were present in person Chair
man j. M. Coleman, of Shelby; S.
A. Champion, of Davidson; ]. w.
Childress, of Davidson; Bancroft
Murray, of Jackson; VIM. Caswell,
of Knox; John 7. Essary, of Ham
blen; VIM. Nixon, of Hamilton; S.
M. Young, of Smith; James G..
Aydelott, of Coffee, and George H.
Armistead, of Williamson.
John j. Vertrees and b. A. Enloe
had proxies.
Reports from Congressional Dis
tricts as to the party outlook con-
sumed the greater part of the morn
ing, and were of an encouraging
characte". General plans for cam
paign work were discussed and
much matter of a business nature
disposed of.
The most interesting topics taken
up were the contests in the three
Congressional Districts-the Sew
enth, Eighth and Tenth. Concern
ing the first two, Capt. j. w. Chill
dress moved that the "Chair appoint
committee of three to confer with
Hons. N. N. Cox and w. J. Whit
thorne and offer their good offices to
them in adjusting the unfortunate
state of affairs existing in the
Seventh Congressional District,
wherein each of them is claiming to
be the nominee of the Democratic
party in said district
The motion was adopted, and
Messrs. Nixon, Murray and Essary
were appointed on the committee.
The same committee was APP
pointed and the same motion car
ried with reference to the contest in
the Eighth District, where Messrs.
Enloe and Sims are the contestants.
Later on in the day this sub-com-
mittee made the following report:
We, the undersigned sub-com-
mittee, appointed to see Hons. N. N.
Cox and w. J. Whitthorne under
the above resolution, report as fol-
lows:
Col. Cox said he was ready and
entirely willing to accept the good
offices Of the committee in assisting
in the adjustment of the complica-
tions in the Seventh District He
made the following propositions:
|. That the State Committee take
the case and render its decision as
to who is the nominee, and that he
would abide by the result.
2. That il the State Committee
was in doubt on the question of
jurisdiction or eXpediency as to thus
disposing of the matter, that the
case might be submitted either by
this committee or the candidates to
the National Congressional Com
mittee for its decision as to who is
the nominee, and that he would
abide by its decision.
3. That the State Committee may
fix rules and regulations under
which new, direct primary cleo
ton be held for the nomination.
4. That the State Committee may
recall the delegates of the recent
convention and select a Chairman
therefor, and that he would abide
by the result Of the convention.
He further stated that these
propositions were submitted for i'm
mediate action, or that they might
remain open until next Monday
He also pledged himself that, in the
event that either of the foregoing
propositions were accepted and the
decision be against him, that he
would on the next day take the
stump for the nominee, whoever he
might be.
The whitthOrne Response.
The Hon. w. j. Whitthorne sub
mitted the following statement in
writing:
Gentlemen: j appreciate fully
the motives actuating the State
Executive Committee in making the
offer mentioned in the resolution
which you have presented, based, as
it is, upon the statement made tC
the committee by the member from
the Seventh District, Mr.. Armistead
Knowing myself to be the regu-
lar nominee of the Democracy OF
that district, and yet desiring tC
manifest proper consideration fol
the kindly tender of the committee
L feel it due to that regular Democ.
racy that / should consult with them
as far as possible before accepting OF
declining this offer. This I shall dc
at the earliest moment practicable
and report to your committee the
result of this conference. 1t is need
less to assure you and the com
mittee of my desire to see the
Democratic party successful in State
and national contests, and of my be-
lief that success in both can alone
be attained by preserving party
organization"
Mr.. Whitthorne, in handing the
above communication to us, stated
that he would be ready to report hi;
decision in the matter to the com
mite next Monday.
The committee informed Mr.. Whit
thorne that his intimation that tbs
member from the Seventh District
Mr.. Armistead, had made any state
ment of the case to the committee
was incorrect, and told Mr.. Whit
thorne that Mr.. Armistead haC
made no statement whatever, eX
cept upon call of the roll of dis
tricts for reports, when he called the
attention of the committee to the
unfortunate condition of two can
didates in the field for Congress, bu
expressly refused to discuss thu
merits of the controversy. Mr.. Whit
thorne accepted this explanation
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