New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-22

AN INTERESTING TALK WITH JOHN R.
LYNCH. OF MISSISSIPPI.
THE CONGRESSMAN THINKS ALL PARTIES
MUST UNITE AND OVERTHROW THE
DEMOCRACY BEFORE THEY CAN HOPE

DEMOCRACY BEFORE THEY CAN HOPE
FOR HONEST ELECTIONS.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNEl
Washington. April 21.-Ex- Congressman John r.
Lynch. of Mississippi who was the Fourth Auditor
OF the Treasury during the Harrison Administration.
and who had the honor OF being the temporary chair
Of the Republican National Convention OF 1884.
has been for some time In this city after spending
several months In Mississippi in eectng delegates
favorable to Mckinley to the St. Louis Convention.
There was a spirited rivalry between Lynch and
"Jm'' Hill to which should lead the delegation TO
the big convention AS result there were elected two
sets Of delegates and Lynch is now here preparing
his case for submission to the National Committee
and the National Convention. Hill the Post
master at Vcksburg under Harrison, and Is the
member OF the National Committee for Mississippi.
There similar contest from that State four
years ago. and the National Convention decided II
by admitting both delegations and allowing them
half votes each. Both delegations are for Mckinley
for the Presidency and will doubtless be admitted,
the delegation four years ago. although Mr.
Lynch is preparing a very strong for his side.
and will demand that his side be allowed full repre-
sentation. Lynch is being assisted In the prepara-
ton OF his case by r. II. Terrell his law partner.
Mr. Lynch talks freely on the merits OF his case
and Republican politics In the South. He
spends half of the year down South, looking after
his cotton interests. He comes in contact with the
the trend OF things political Mr.. Lynch is now
looked upon the political leader Of his people
since Frederick Douglasss death. He Is conserv-
ativc man and enjoys the confidence and respect OF
the leading men OF the party. He feels confident OF
his success at St. Louis. is sanguine OF McKinleys
nomination for the Presidency. Is confident that the
Republicans will win In November. and believes that
the Solid South will be smashed Speaking Of
Mississippi politics he said:
THE IIiIl faction not only defeated In the
election OF delegates TO the State Convention. but
II was defeated In every district In the State. Still
there will be frivolous contests from every Congress
district. as we'll as from the States at large. Sew
enty-four out Of seventy-nve counties In the State
elected delegates to the tate Convention-S2 In
number or the 262 Delegates the Lynch faction
elected cOi1 and the Hill faction 57 The delegates
were elected on February %. and the convention
held March
THE Hill faction had a small majority on the
State COMMITTEES. subcommittee OF the State
Committee TO prepare the roll OF delegates. met
on March Between February q and March
persons sent over the State to work up bogus
delegations and fictitious contests In counties car
ried by the Lynch faction When the sub-commit-
met March contests had been filed from
seventy counties. involving the seats OF slxty-eght
delegates. The committee not only refused TO en-
roll the OF ffty-two OF these delegates. but
1t did the unheard OF and unprecedented thing OF
placing on the roll the names Of hfty-two persons
who had never been elected. In other words. the
committee elected hftytwo delegates In lieu OF those
who had been elected by the people. To prevent the
original nfty-two from taking part in the con-
ven,ion It was provided that admission to the hall
should be by cards. the cards to be issued by tho
chairman OF the subcommittee who a Hill
MY friends including the chairman OF the State
Committee. refused 10 accept tickets. The chair
Of the committee. with about one hundred
art q Iflo bad hail n
a body and found the doors guarded by the police
when the chairman was refused admission to the
hail by the peace officers Of the city he announced
the delegates that the convention would be called
to order by him in the hall where the sessions Of
the subcommittee had been held. When the roll
was called II was discovered tina. OF the 262 votes
the roll made by the State Committee. delegates
representing 1854 votes present and partici
pated in the convention. The IIill convention was
therefore composed OF persons representing but l2Sh
OF the 2s2 upon their own roll.
THE Lynch or regular convention. therefore was
composed Of ls7h voes-i35a exclusive OF the ffty-
two which the State Committee refused TO include
In its roll The Hi irregular convention there
fore wal composed OF persons representing l26h
votes Of the 262 votes their roll. including the
nfty-two persons elected by the State Committee
to take the place OF the nfy-two delegates elected
by the people.
'Besides being defeated in the State Convention.
the Hlll faction was defeated in all Congress dis
tricts The foregoing are tho facts In the case.
which viii clearly established before the Ma
tional Committee and the National Convention. and
upon which am sansuine of the Lynch faction
being recognize as the regular delegates"
Speaking Of the situation In other states. and OF
,ss MT Lynch said There are seven states
geographically classed southern. In which the
these These states are West Virginia. Maryland. Della
ware. Missouri Kentucky. Tennessee and North
crafts viii be defeated in these states but it is pos
sible for the same result to take place In one or
been suppressed. This negro domination humbu8
has been the pretext for nearly all the cr mes COM
mtted against tho ballot at the South during the
past fifteen years. or course all intelligent people
know that the so-called race issue Is myth and a
crimes against the ballot that might otherwise be
condemned by the public sentiment OF the coun-
"But az long as there arc persons who can be
thus fooled and deceived just so long will this cry
OF negro domination be used, and no longer PROS,
meets OF Republican success In the States which
have named excellent. because MI OF the ele-
Chimes Chimes should 'S and think VIII make common cause
against the common enemy we All recofre , uhe
lie questions when only one party can pass juds-
ment them at The polls oSn1ssHuen Poef.
lists Free Sverites and other political organlza-
lions that may be oppSssd 70 bay ne nsmsd unite IN
support OF one ticket not only for the state gov
eminent but for Presidential electors as VEL Inc
objective aim Of these organizations al ms tihe
is 10 overthrow the present local machines LOT une
purpose OF allowing the people to have access once
merits and claims OF the various parties can De pre-
sented to the voters OF the South fairiy anu
sQuarely. =, o..,o, ,s corcerned I
am satisfied that the great majority OF ne Mn -,
can nrone are in favor of bime .sm-tne use vi
both gold and silver for the purposes OF Money,
But the country can safely trust inc Hepuo"'""
When questioned as 10 the choice OF soutneTn NE
r,,hicans Tor the Presidential candidate. M bym.ch
pup,,ss,, Ha trend wac decidedly favorable to Nc
Kinney and the major portion Of the seesa of the
Rucyeve state candidate as the nominee Oh the
party. - .. q, ,hor nresent helm
,ss and dependent position. believe that Sounern
Republicans should not be aggressive a. nr the
nomi,stion but they should. and believe they VIII,
defer largely TO the judgment OF the delegates from