Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-13
SUGAR GOT IN THE GROOVES
The Republican National Committee See-Saws
 on the Louisiana Contests.
KELLOGG SEATED AND THEN CALLED BACK
The Planters Score a Victory and Split the Delegation in Another District.
 Last Alabama Contest.

St. Louis, June 12.-Every member of the national committee was in his seat or represented by proxy when that body reconvened at 10:30 o'clock As soon as Chairman Carter had called his asso- ciates to order Committeeman H. B. Scott of West Virginia asked the commit tee to give it's serious attention to the fact that while this was the third day of the session, only sixty contests had so far been passed upon and 10S still re- mained upon the order of business. This, he said in view of the short time remain ing to the committee, was a serious out look and it became absolutely necessary to accelerate the business. He therefore moved that from now on each side in the contested delegations be allowed but ten minutes for presentation of it's case. Ob- jeetions were raised in every part of the room, but on a standing vote the motion was adopted by vote of 25 to IT. The selection of an official stenographer for the convention was the first special or der.
 The names of James Francis Burke of Pittsburg, assistant secretary of the com mittee, and George Thornton of Brooklyn were submitted and Burke was chosen by an overwhelming majority.
 Secretary Manley announced that the contest in the Eighth Virginia district had been withdrawn by letter and the names of w. B. G. Shumate and H. Y. Vale were placed upon the temporary roll. Both are instructed for Mckinley, while the contestants were divided between Reed and Allison.
 The matter disposed of, and the chair having again announced that the selec- tion of temporary chairman would be the special order for o'clock on Satur- day, consideration of the Mississippi con- tests was resumed
 Ex-CongreSsman Lynch appeared for the contestees. J. w. Randolph and Sam D. Young, both colored and General Thompson of Ohio spoke for the con- testants, c. A. Simpson and George F. Bowles, colored. There was no debate in committee and the two last named were promptly seated by unanimous vote. With equal celerity the contest ants in the Seventh Mississippi district, James M. Matthews, ST.. and George c. Cranberry, colored, were placed on the roll to the exclusion of J. M. Matthews and Thomas E. Richardson. In each of these cases both contestees and contest ants were McKinleyites and presidential preferences cut no figure in the decisions. This concluded the business from Missis- eippi.
 Next the committee took up the case brought from the First district of Ala bama, which had been laid over from - testants were s. M Murphy and D. H. Prentiss, both colored, and favoring Reed as first choice, and the contestees, Samuel s. Booth and John Harmon, col pred, both for Mckinley. Murphy made a clear and explicit statement in his own behalf, and Harmon, the colored con- testee, who followed suit, charged that Murphy took the stump for Grover Cleve- land and the democratic state ticket at the election of 1894 and urged the com Y1tt fn in xx0 hafnro fad O negro democrat in republican national convention. National Committeeman Youngblood of Alabama told in an enter taining way of the local troubles that had brought about the contest and de- scribed amid laughter how, the day be- fore the district convention, emissaries of presidential candidates from Maine, Pennsylvania. and elsewhere opened up headquarters over negro stores and en- deavored to get in their work among the colored delegates.
 When the room had been cleared Con- mitteeman Sutherland of New York moved that in view of the conflicting statements that had been made the affi- davits in the case be submitted to sub- committee of five, three to be named by IIr. Youngblood and two by the chair, with instructions to report tomorrow morning. This was ruled out on the ground that the committee had pre- viously refused to refer contests to sub committee. A reconsideration of the vote by which this action was taken was de- feated on roll call by 29 to IS.
 Settle of North Carolina then pro- posed that both contestees and contest ants be excluded from the temporary roll A prolonged and warm debate ensued Settles motion was defeated. The com mittee refused to seat the Reed delega- tion by vote of 12 to 31 and Booth and Harmon were placed upon the tempo rary roll.
 Senator Gear of Iowa declared that this vote would have bad effect upon the country"
 All o'clock a motion to take a recess of an hour was vigorously resisted by many of the delegates. who desired a contin- uous session until midnight, but it pre- vailed by close vote.
 Immediately upon the reassembling of the committee for the afternoon session the contest from Delaware was called, but it was announced that MT. Addicks would not arrive until p. m., and it was passed for two hours. Meanwhile the contest upon the delegates at large from Louisiana was taken up. In this case the Tepress ntatives of the regular republi- can party of the state, comprising Will Ham Pitt Kellogg, Albert Leonard (white Reedites) and Henry Demas and James Vance (colored McKinleyites), claim to be entitled to be placed upon the roll Against them are the nominees of the na~ tional republican sugar planters conven- ton, A. McGinniss, E. N. Cornay, An thony Doherty and R. H. Hackney, all white McKinleyites In addition, Leon ards seat is independently contested by Andrew Herr, Jr. The McGinniss quar- ss5S 9s Ps slss a sesSR5af nes sstsT sElfSs& Ss that it was regular, and its proofs were presented and argued by William Behan of New Orleans He took the ground that if it gave its countenance to the su- gar planters element Louisiana would go republican at the next election.
 0eIeRa- tion to reply, the committee went into executive session and promptly seated the Kellogg delegates by unanimous vote. It was suggested, however, by sev-