The San Francisco call., 1896-06-19
PROCEEDINGS IN BRIEF.
Review of the Work of the Re-
publican Convention.

The National Republican Convention at
st. Louis assembled on Tuesday at noon
in the Convention Hall, being called to
order by Senator Carter, chairman of the
National Committee. Rabbi Sale offered
prayer. The call for the convention was
read, and the temporary chairman of the
convention, Charles w. Fairbanks of In
diana, was elected, the choice of the
National Committee being ratified.
Mr.. Fairbanks made an opening address,
reviewing recent history and saying, "The
Republican party is a party of convic-
tions." He also paid attention to the
protective tariff and the money question
at length. At the close of his remarks he
was presented with gavel fashioned from
log taken from the cabin which was
built at New Salem, ILL.,, by Abraham
Lincoln in 1882.
After a vote to abide temporarily by
the rules of the last preceding Republican
Convention, the committees on perma-
nent organization, on rules and order of
business, on credentials and on resolu-
tions were named. 1t was voted to sub
NIT all resolutions in respect to the plat
form to the convention without debate.
At 1:47 the convention adjourned to
meet Wednesday at 10 A. NJ. Prior to the
opening of the convention the National
Committee sat and began to make up q
temporary roll for the convention, decid-
ing contests in which large number of
delegates were concerned.
Y The committee on credentials, at its first
meeting, decided to adopt the roll pre-
pared by the National Committee Gas the
true and correct roll of the delegates and
alternates to the convention" and also
voted to hear only the contests referred
by the National Committee to it. WI
Hepburn of Iowa moved a substitute in
structing the secretary of the committee
to secure all papers and documents con-
cerning contested seats that had been filed
before the National Committee, and that
the committee on credentials should then
proceed to dispose of all contests in alpha
betical order of the States. This substi-
tute was voted down, II to 19.
The Higgins delegation from Delaware
was seated, 81 to 21. by the committee on
CATION from Texas.
A minority report was prepared, which
was signed by w. A. Hepburn of Iowa, G.
S. Blackett of Maryland, Forrest Goodwin
of Maine and sixteen other members OF
the committee. This minority report set
forth that the National Committee did not
attempt to consider the merits of the
cases of any OF $50 odd contestants; that
only in two cases, to wit, concerning the
delegations from Delaware and Texas. had
there been any hearing concerning the
facts involved by any competent tribunal;
that the National Committee had per.
sistently voted down propositions to in.
vestigate the cases from Texas other than
those from the State at large-those from
California, from Louisiana, from Ala
bama and from the Twelfth District of
Missouri; that it is a dangerous precedent
to permit the National Committee to mass
final judgment on the election and ouali-
tcation OF delegates to the National Con-
vention. and also that in the consideration
OF contested cases before the Republican
National Committee 1t was distinctly and
repeatedly stated that the contestants
would have an opportunity to be heard
before the committee on credentials with
their testimony.
The National Convention ca me together
again Wednesday at 10 A. NJ. John M.
Ihurston, who had been selected for per-
manent presiding officer, was escorted to
the chair by Senator Seweil of New Jersey
and Serene E. Payne of New York.
Mr. Thurston delivered an address after