The San Francisco call., 1896-03-12
The Third Congressional District
Committee Unable to
Agree.
THE QUESTION OF PRIMARIES.
Earl, Taylor and Morrow Determinedly
Arrayed Against Ingler, Nor.
rison and Long.


deadlock in the Alameda Counto members
| of the Republican Third Congress
sional District committee. For two
hours they tried 10 get motion through
deciding what they shall recommend to
the committee next Saturday as the ex-
preston of the views of this county re-
garding the appointment of delegates to
go to the State convention to name dele
gates to st. Louis, and each time the vote
was even.
The proceeding were somewhat of a sur
prise to those who had been led to believe
that the committee stood five to one
against primaries. 1t was developed that
there had been no change in the opinions
of the members since last Saturday and
after many vain attempts to arrive at a
recommendation the attempt was aban-
doned and the members adjourned to the
call of the chair.
There was some probability of motion
dispensing with primaries prevailing, but
Just before taxing a vote County Clerk
Jordan handed in a petition asking for
primaries signed by over two hundred
prominent Republicans
G. l.. Ingler attem pied to throw discredit
on the petition by saying he had spoken
to some of the men mentioned and they
had spoken differently. This somewhat
nettled Frank Jordan, and after he was
given permission to speak he made a
speech that completely disoraganized any
attempt to put through resolution giving
the committee the power OF appointing
the delegates to Sacramento.
81 presume you want to hear both sides
of this question:" said Jordan, land l
represent, | am sure, the opinions of thou
sands of voters OF this county when say
that you six gentlemen cannot afford to
delegate to yourselves the power that be-
longs to more than 5000 Republicans of
this county. If you do not call primaries
you will arouse indignation and dis
trust, and tell you candidly you cannot af-
ford to do it. The voters will not peacefully
and tamely submit to your acting for them.
This is an important matter, and is one for
the voters to decide. l have tested the
pulse of public feeling and ! know that
! two-thirds of the voters want primaries.
By shutting off the voters you are acting
unwisely. 1t is just such actions in the
past that have brought into existence
numerous non-partisan movements that
have helped to disrupt the legitimate Re-
publican party of this county. All am
asking in this matter is fair play. / am
as desirous of harmony as any one
and am as good Republican. and I wish
to repeat that you cannot afford to ignore
the rights of the voters on this occasion.
AS citizen and as voter demand fair
play, and with thousands of others l OBJ
Ject to your usurping the power that by
right belongs to US. We want voice in
naming the men who shall name our next
Republican President, and if we are to re-
main a united Republican county you
must do nothing to excite distrust."
T. NJ. Fisher followed and told the COM
mittee tnat if they took upon themselves
the naming of delegates TO the State con-
vention to nominate the delegates 10 the
st. Louis convention they would be doing
something for which they were not elected.
He deprecated IngIer's suggestion that it
was "a small matter" and said: "Twice
through such tactics as you propose to
pursue l have seen the Republican can
didate for Mayor in this strong Republican
city receive less than 1000 votes. Con-
slider we'll what you are doing. This is the
first gun in a big campaign. Fire it
honestly and truly. Give the youngest
Republican a chance to register his vote"
Miles Doody and F. A. Campbell! spoke
against primaries, but it was evident that
the first speakers had created a powerful
impression. All kinds OF attempts were
made To frame resolution that would at
least convey some idea TO the Congression-
al committee as to the general desire of
this county, but they all failed. The
rollcall always showed Earl, Taylor and
Morrow voting against Ingler, Morrison
and Long. Morrow said that he would
vote against primaries providing the other
side would agree to select the delegates
from names suggested by the various dis
trict clubs. This could not be agreed to
and the only motion passed was one to ad-
journ. The Alameda men will go to the
meeting of the Third Congressional COM
mittee in San Francisco next Saturday, but
they will have no report to make.