The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-08-28
The Congressional Middle.

In our news columns will be found a
full report of the Congressional Con-
vention at Columbia.
No fair-minded man can read the re-
port without feeling that there was a
well-planned purpose on the part of the
Whitthorne leaders to give their man
the nomination regardless of what the
vote in the primary showed. The
Whitthorne leaders went to the Con-
vention with the purpose of organizing
it, fairly or unfairly, and the revolu-
tionary tactics of Chairman Stewart, of
the Congressional Committee, in refus-
ing to give the Cox men a hearing in
making nominations for temporary
chairman, and then arbitrarily declaring
Cheairs the nominee, fully sustains us
in the above assertion.
The Cox men did the only thing any
self-respecting body of men could have
done under the circumstances. What
was the use of staying in convention
where they were to be deprived of a
voice in that convention? They plead
ed in vain for fair play, and if the Whit
thorne men had votes enough to nomi-
nate their man, as they claimed, there
was no necessity to resort to such revO-
lutionary methods as were practiced
against the Cox men.
Many of the Giles County supporters
of Whitthorne, while condemning the
action of the Cox men for retiring from
the convention, say openly that Chair
man Stewards arbitrary action was I'M
fair and unjust, and open to the sever
est censure. In fact, every Whitthorne
man we have heard express himself
takes this view of it. To be entirely
consistent, then, they should have
Joined the Cox men in demanding that
Cheairs surrender the gavel and allow
the majority of the Convention to elect
Chairman in accordance with well
established parliamentary rule.
The result of the unfortunate outcome
of the Convention, if both candidates
remain in the race, will be to elect q
Republican to represent this district in
Congress. The success of the Demo
cratic party must be placed above the
ambition or personal advancement OF
any candidate, and the differences be
tween the two Democratic candidates
must be adjusted before November
The matter should be submitted to the
State Democratic Executive Committee
for arbitrament. In our opinion, thu
fair thing to both candidates would bt
to call another Democratic primary il
the entire Congressional District anC
the candidate receiving the hignes
number of votes before the people, to b,
declared the nominee.
Neither of the candidates, if he re
ally desires Democratic success, coulC
object to this plan, and the choice of tn,
voters of the district could thus be as
certained, without having to again sub
nit to the disgraceful scenes enacted a
Columbia last Tuesday.
In justice to Maj. Ewing, permanen
Chairman of the Whitthorne Congress
ional Convention, it may be stated tina
he made three distinct efforts to get al
adjournment after the Cox men retired
in order that an effort might be made t.
heal the breach that had been precipi
tated by Chairman Stewards arbtrar.
action.
The Cox men offered to allow u. w
Ewing, Whitthorne man, to be mad
temporary Chairman, in place o
Cheairs, but that did not suit tn
Maury County contingent, who pre-
ferred the success of their man t
Democratic harmony.-Giles Count,
Record.