The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-14
Hearing of Contests by the
Committee Continued.
THE USUAL TEST APPLIED
Only Those Favoring the Ohio
Candidate Seated.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONTEST
The Lilly Whites" or Anti Mckinley
Delegates Turned Down and
"ReguIars" or MeItonites
Seated.

SAdNGGs
-. Louis. Mo, June 12.-The mem
bers OF the National Republican COM
mittee were not very prompt in get
ting together to-day after the long
and somewhat trying session OF yes
terday.
The Tennessee contests were prompt
ly taken mp, the first contest presented
being that from the Sixth district Of
that State, which includes the city Of
Nashville. The contestants were j. C..
Crawiey and Daniel Shofner, and the
contestees j. b. Bosley and IL. l.. w.
Cheatham. All were for Mckinley.
On motion of Mr.. Manley Bosley and
Cheatham were seated.
From the Ninth district, which fol-
! lowed, David A. Num- and Henry 4,
Austin were the delegates chosen by
one faction, and }. II. Walker and
Robert II. McNeeley, those OF the 9th
the latter two appearing as contes-
tants. Num- and Austin were seated.
/ They are for Mckinley.
/ From the Tenth district w. NJ Ran
idolph and Zachary Taylor were seated.
/ hey were contested by w. y. Fields
j iand William Porter.
/ The Seventh South Carolina contests
were then taken up. The entire dele
CATION, including four delegates at
( large and fourteen district delegates,
were contested. 1t grows out OF the
question Of organization. There are
/ two distinct organizations in South
! Carolina. That which is known as the
i"Kegular' is headed by L. A. Webster,
the chairman of the State committee.
( The other organization is known as
the Lilly Whites and is headed by
+. l.. Melton and f. NJ. Brayton, mem
bers Of the Nation0l committee The
delegates of the Webster faction were
admitted at Minneapolis four years
4 ago. The State committee did not
call a convention in 1894 or nominate
a ticket, and therefore, assume that
they still exist as the State committee,
since the State convention was held
in 1894. 1t was by the call of this old
committee that the convention was
held which elected the regular dele
CATION, all of whom are for Mckinley.
! The delegates of the Lilly White
faction are in most cases anti-McKm-
ley men. The same question involved
In the case of delegates at large was
3
/ An arrangement was therefore entered
upon to group them and have the en-
tire case presented in one hearing.
giving half an hour to each side.
Mr.. Melton appeared in behalf OF
the delegation headed by himself. He
contended that there was but one or
ganization, that the committee had
power to hold over. If it could do that
+ It could perpetuate itself. Where. in
that event, would the power end
Clearly IN the face of this state of af-
fairs there was nothing left for the
mass OF Republicans to do but to oct
together in mass-meetings and re-or-
game, the Webster people having re-
fused to call a meeting.
Mr. Melton said that while his or
ganization was known. as the "IiIv
/ WHITES, the organization has encour-
i agement and cooperation of the color
j ed people who had been recognized
] two to one in the convention. He said
the re-organized party had undertaken
j TO rescue the State for the Republican
party and was accomplishing that in
good shape. He declared that MANY
prominent white men had come into
the party since their organization was
perfected. He said they had one club
OF 2,l00 composed entirely of white
men.
Judge Thompson, of Ohio, represent
! ed the Webster faction. He asserted
/ that in view of the condition of affairs
in South Carolina, which rendered it
, impossible for the Republican party to
make tangible showing in that State.
no State ticket had been nominated
! Tor the past twenty years. Hence the
party had fallen into the practice of
not holding State conventions and al
lowing committees to hold over. The
Webster committee had held on under
these precedents and it was a direct
( descendant of the organization effect
ed first in 1866
/ Robert Smalls, the well-known col
ored politician, supplemented Judge
ThompsOn's statement. He asserted
I that the Meltonites had no standing as
Republican organization in the State,
and no excuse for coming before the
National convention as claimants for
seats. He admitted that there were
some Democrats who had professed
willingness to call themselves Republi-
cans, but this was because of their adj
vocacy of Republican doctrine Many
of them were favorable to the gold
standard and protection as against
free silver and free trade. and many
who objected to the liquor laws of the
State.
Mr.. Brayton,a "A member of the Nation
al committee. and one of the contest
ants for seat in the convention. rose
IN the committee Mr.. Hahn objected
on the ground that he was contest
ant. Mr.. Fessenden contended for Mr..
Brayton's right to speak as other mem
bers under similar circumstances had
been permitted to do.
"Fair play is jewel, he said
Mr.. Rrayton was allowed to pro-
ceed He defended the new organiza-
tion. Tie explained the club system,
which had been adopted in imitation
of the Tillman style, and said it had
worked admirably Those clubs are
both white and black, and have mem-
bership OF over 10000.
The system had been of special heue-
fit because IT allowed a division Df the