The record-union., 1896-08-25
The Ninth Annual Session Will Open
To-Day at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Nearly Every State in the Union Will
be Represented.
The Contest for the Presidency of
the League and the Fight for the
Next r1eeting Place the Only rlat-
terS of Interest Engaging the At
tention of the Delegates.

MILWAUKEE,, Aug. 24-The indica-
tions tonight are that when the Ma
tional Convention of Republican League
Clubs is called together in the ninth
annual session tomorrow by President
McAlpin nearly every State in the
Union will be represented. Delegations
have been coming in all day, and the
hotels tonight present quite an ante
convention appearance. Many of them
have opened State headquarters at the
P6ster and Plankington Hotels. and the
canvass for the Presidency for the en-
suing year is being actively waged. This
and the contest over the selection of
the place for the next meeting are really
the only matters of interest to engage
the attention of delegates. There is
nothing to show that the attendance of
visitors from abroad will unduly tax
the accommodations or hospitality of
the city. Owing to the demands of the
campaign and the holding of several
State Conventions this week many pub
lie men and politicians who would 9TH
erWise have been present will not be
here, and the list of speakers arranged
for the edifcation of the convention is
notable chiefly for the omission of
prominent leaders of the party.
The members of the National Com
mittee located at Chicago in charge Of
the campaign-Messrs Payne of Wis
conSin, Dawes of Illinois, Durbin of
Indiana, and Cummings of Iowa-will
be here in the morning, and several Of
them will address the meeting Wednes-
day night. Senator Spooner of this
State is also expected in the morning
to take part in the convention.
The contest for the Presidency is
still an open affair. Charles U. Cor
don Of Illinois, who is being championed
by Committeeman Dawes, and who
whether rightly or wrongly. is credited
with being the choice of the national
campaign managers, is the favorite to-
night, with D. D. Woodmansee of Ohio
a close second. The latter has the sup
port of the Ohio and Indiana delega-
tons
General McAlpin is credited with be-
ing unwilling to accept another term,
but Eis State delegation and other East
ern men viii urge his name upon the
convention. 1t has been the policy of
the league to give its President a re-
election. Mr.. Clarkson, Senator Thurs
ton and W. W. Tracey each served two
years.
A new candidate appeared in the field
this afternoon, f. r. Conway of Iowa,
The Hawkeye delegation has been
credited as supporters Of Nebraska's
candidate, John L. Webster of Omaha,
but at their meeting to-day decided to
ask the honor of the Presidency for
their own State.
There is no opposition to the re-elec-
ton of NJ ]. Bowling as Secretary.
Half a dozen cities want to entertain
the next convention. Portland, Or;
Omaha, New Orleans, Boston, Chatta-
nooga and Detroit. The choice will de-
pend largely upon the outcome of the
fight for the Presidency. If that goes
East the convention will probably go
West, and vice versa.
The business of the convention viii
probably be concluded at Wednesdays
session.
Secretary Bowling reported to the
Executive Committee at a meeting held
tonight the result of the years work
and the plans Of the league in the pres
ent campaign. All the bills contracted
for by the present committee together
with a few small liabilities incurred by
their predecessors have been met and
a clean balance sheet will be turned
over to their successors.
For the first time in the history of the
National League the organization has
been self-sustaining. The National Re
publican Campaign Committee have
organized a league bureau as one of it's
adjuncts. and Mr.. Bowling has been
placed in charge at headquarters at
Chicago. He win supervise the distri-
button of all league literature and di-
rect all matters pertaining to league
work AS soon as practicable after the
adjournment of the present convention
a branch bureau will be established at
headquarters in New York in connection
with the work in that section of the
country.
Within the past year the organization
of Republican League Clubs has been
extended into every State and Territory,
and representatives win be present at
this convention. Mr. Bowling stated.
from every State and Territory except
from some Southern States. The reason
for their absence, he said was because
the railroads in that section refused to
make special rates.
There is at present at headquarters a
list of every club in the United States.
They number, Mr. Bowling stated. more
than 10000. and the average member
ship is upward of 100 indicating total
enrolment of over 100000 voters in
these organizations.
Under the auspices of the league a
poll is being made chiefly in the villages
and towns giving names and postoffice
addresses of bolters from the two par
-
their intention TO vote for Mckinley and
Republicans for Bryan. MIR. Bowling
says the reports thus far received show
that the Democratic boilers for Nc
Kinley outnumber the Republican bolt
ers for Bryan by about % per cent.