Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-02-20

National Conventions. This does moi
apply to my candidacy. With the
present state of affairs, which. exist
In this district, we want every vote
that we can get. If MIR. Cook is nomi-
mated ] want to see him elected and il
1 am nominated I want to be elected.
In my experience | have found that
running for Congress in this district
IS no funny undertaking. 1t is hard
work.
when | ran against Mr.. Norton in
1892 he and I we're both afraid to
meet a county candidate on the same
block. Neither of us would walk or
ride with candidates for county offices.
ION one occasion / did ride with
one, because he knew the road and 1
didn't, and the next day it was re-
ported that we had formed a combina-
ton. In my situation / think l am en-
titled to fair treatment. l want a
chance to make a canvass of the dis
trict and of Audrain county, and hope
you will grant it. 1t has been report
ed by friends of Mr.. Cook that he can
carry eight out of nine counties in the
district and have a fighting chance in
Pike. If this is so 1 do not see what
his objection IAN be in giving me a
chance to make a canvass. On Mon
day next the Pike County Circuit
Court will convene and be in session
three weeks. l shall have to be there
every day and you car see that I will
have little time left In which to make
a canvass.
81 am and always have been a
Democrat and if I am not elected /
want to see the next best man elected
and will work for him. I made a rec
ord in Congress which, sc far as I
know, was satisfactory to every Dem
ocrat in this county except one, and /
am sure I a satisfy that man
except by dying, and then l don't
think he would be satisfied unless he
knew I was in the lower regions.
GA report has been circulated that 1
have lost strength in Pike County. In
regard TO this and TO settle the ques-
ton forever, | will make this propo-
sition: 1 am willing to have a pri-
mary in Pike and Audrair. between
Mr.. Cook and myself to see which of
us shall go before the district conven-
ton as a candidate. These counties
have nearly the same number of
Democratic votes. If | do not beat
him by more than q thouand majority
in addition to the surplus Democratic
vote which Pike has over Audrain, /
will give my bond that l will lever be
a candidate again go long as I live.
In cloaing, ! will say that / do not want
to ALLEVIATE any member of any Demo-
cratic committee. You hold it in your
hands to say whether the next Con-
gresham from this district shall be a
Democrat or not, and / believe you
will do what is right"
Mr.. Cook then made a few remarks,
after which the amendment vas sub
mitted to the committee and adopted
by a vote of II to 6, the vote being
as follows: Yeas, DR.. Blankenship,
proxy for G. w. Newgent, H. G.
Berry, W. B. Fern, proxy for r. T.
Freeman, l.. N. Bass, proxy for W.
K. Potts, j. E. Sims, J. NJ. Daniel, T.
c. Bolts, H. Weber, N. Dix, r. H.
Brown, J.. R. Britton, J. R. Bratton.
Total, u.
Nays, J. J. Steele, j. s. Hanna, r.
d. Atkinson, proxy for II. B. Bush, j.
L. Pierce, j. F. Green, A. E. Jenkins.
Total, 8. The final question of the
date was then voted on and April 18th
was selected by a vote of II to 6.
A. E. Jenkins, y. M. Daniel and J.. j..
Steele were then appointed a Com
mIttee on Finance and the committee
adjourned.
Delegates to the State Convention,
which will be held in Sedalia on April
10, will also be selected on April IL.