The San Francisco call., 1896-05-05
THE STATE COMMITTEE.
A Ruling That Proxies Can Be Held by
Members or Convention Dele
gates ONLY.

0AcHhOcrs OF convention Del6-
gates Only.
SACRAMENTO. CAL, May 4.-The Su.
preme Court room in the State Capitol was
filled with tobacco smoke tonight when
Chairman P. B. Cornwall called the meet
ing of the State Central Committee to
order.
The calling of the roll by Secretary STEP
pacher revealed the fact that great many
proxies were present, and after a whis-
pered consultation with the secretary
Chairman Cornwall announced that of the
ITO mem bers Of the committee there were
fifty present, the remainder being repre-
sented by proxies for the most part in the
hands of outsiders.
"The invariable custom and the law OF
the committee" proceeded Mr.. Cornwall,
'has been that proxies could not be re-
ceived except by members of the commit
tee. am not passing upon any rule to-
night, but it seems to me to be a very
improper thing for less than majority of
the committee to sit here and receive
proxies that might outvote the members
of the committee present"
Samuel NJ. Shortridge moved that a
committee of three be appointed to exam
anime and report upon proxies. The
chair ruled Mr.. Shortridge out of order,
on the ground that he was not member
of the committee.
"Then," continued Mr.. Shortridge, "as
Republican and having the welfare of
the Republican party OF this State at
heart, / desire to say that I acted at the
meeting of February 29-"
a. Ruef of San Francisco excitedly in
terrupted with call to order.
II. P. Sonntag moved as an amendment
that the committee consist of seven, and
that only proxies in the hands of MEM
bers of the committee should be cousid-
cred. Mr.. Cornwall hastily put the mo-
ton and declafed it carried, notwithstand-
ing that there were noes enough to war
rant division. The chair began naming
the members of the committee in accord
ance with the motion. and some one
cried as a suggestion: Frank Rhodes of
Sacramento"
81 don't know Mr.. Rhodes" said Mr..
Cornwall, in tone cold enough to skate
upon; 'if the gentleman will excuse me
will appoint the committee myself"
This being sarcasm, as Bill Nye would
say, was greeted with laugh.
Then the committee went into recess
with basket of proxies. The members
OF the committee were: II. P. Sonntag of
San Francisco, G. q. Ross of San Mateo,
J. ". Snyder of Mariposa, A. B. Lennon
OF Sonoma, Asa r. Wells of San Francisco,
Arthur w. Kinney of Los Angeles and A.
Ruef OF San Francisco.
Judge Walling of Nevada was not
pleased with the chafrman's decision and
expressed his mind freely to Mr.. Cornwall
to that effect.
I'VE are as good Republicans, ;" said the
Judge, "as the members of the committee.
You allow outsiders to hold proxies to
the State Convention, and the convention
is higher than the committee. for the com
mittee is the creature of the convention.
Mr.. Shortridge also expressed his disap-
proval OF the chairman's rulings, as being
inconsistent and illogical Thus was the
recess whlled away during the time con-
sumed by the committee in examining the
sixty proxies.
After the committee had been out about
quarter of an hour 1t reported that the
following proxies be accepted: Haskell of
Los Angeles to Kinney. .Gassen of San Diego
to j. c. Long, R. ]. Northan to J. c. Daly. w.
c. Johnson to A. Ruef, G. F. Weber to ]. d.
Spreckels, w. w. Montague to J. d.
Spreckels, ]. III. Dawson to j. D. Spreckels.
/. Uphdm to ]. d. Spreckels, C. A. Hug TO
]. D. Spreckels, Fl. L. Dodge to I'D.
Spreckels, William Cluff to j. D. Spreckels.
Bundschu to Manwaring, w. e. Sanborn
to D. E. Knight. G. H. Umbsen to Man
waring, ]. p. Merrill TO Ruef, Reeves to
Kinney, John Whicher to E. K. Taylor.
G. c. Earl to ]. NJ. Mannon.
The following were recommended for
rejection: Brown to Walling, Reed to
Beckman, Dinwiddie to Meacham, Aver to
Bowman, Chickering to Dimmick, P. ].
Barber to Taggart, Somers to Martin.
Hughes to Dare, Reese to Wood, Hooking
to bennett, Reynolds to Gleaves, Craig to
Scipio Craig, Martin to Borland, FairchiId
to Mcclure.
On motion the report was divided, and
that part recommending the seating of
certain delegates was unanimously
adopted.
Then came Up the question of the adop-
ton of the latter portion of the commit
tees report.
Judge Walling was given hearing, and
after explaining that he was delegate to
the State Convention he was admitted.
upon motion. to a seat as a State Commit
teeman.
Ross therelpon moved that wherever
member of the State Convention held the
proxy of a State Central Committee mem
ber, the proxy should be accepted, This
was adopted, and, after it was amended TO
cover also those holding proxies to the
State Convention, Beckman, Meacham.
Bowman, Dimmick, Taggart, Wood and
bennett were admitted to seats and Mar
tin, Dare. Gleaves, Craig. Borland and Nc.
Clure were rejected.
When Martin asked to be seated as hold
ing proxy for member of the State