San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-06-19
REPUBLICAN MEETING.


publican League clubs of Texas is in
session in this city today. The meet
ing was called to order at u o'clock in
the council chamber of the city hall
by President Samuel l.. Hahn. Mr..
Hahn, after calling the meeting to or
der made the following remarks ex-
planatory of the history and objects OF
the league organizations:
"Gentlemen:-It is with pleasurabie
satisfaction that 1 welcome you on this
occasion and express my qualification
at the fact that so many of our ex-
ecutive committeeman responded to
the call. Our meeting is important.
Following the customs of other states,
the committee is called to designate
the delegates who will represent US at
the Detroit convention. Before pro-
ceeding with the routine business be-
fore us, propose to give orief
sketch of our organization, hoping
that we may awaken new interest on
the part of the Republicans of Texas.
We believe our organization offers
the best medium through which the
Republican party can be brought to-
gether and made effective in this
state.
zone of the most powerful political
organizations in the United States is
the National League of Republican
clubs, which numbers among its MEM
bers all the leading Republicans Of
national reputation. Since it's forma-
ton it has done yoeman service for the
Republican party and through its per-
feet working formation and harmony
was largely instrumental in the sue
cessful termination of the late cam
paign and election of President VIM.
Mckinley. The league was organized
in the fall of 1887 at a meeting OF the
of various state leagues
of Republican clubs, held in Chickering
hall, New York. These leagues in the
states, which were composed of regu-
larly organized Republican clubs in
such states, had long perceived the ne
cessity of a national organization 50
that in national campaigns there could
be organized work in the same direc-
ton and for the same purposes
throughout the entire country, in which
every member of every club could
participate along thoroughly under
stood lines, and with common plan to
follow. A constitution and bylaws
were adopted at the Chickering hall
convention which provided that the ma
tional league should be managed by a
board of officers to be chosen at con-
yention to be held annually, and COM
posed of delegates chosen by the con-
yentions of the several state leagues,
which in turn were to be constituted
of representatives elected by the regu-
larly ORGANIZED Republican clubs FORM
ing such state leagues. The first
president was ]. P. Foster of New
York. and the other gentlemen who
have held this important position are
John S. Clarkson of Iowa, John M.
Thurston, now senator from Nebraska,
William w. Tracy of Illinois, E. A. Nc
Alpin of New York and the present in
cumbent D. d. Woodmanse of Ohio.
"The last convention of the national
league was held at Milwaukee in Au-
pust of 1896 and the next will be held
at Detroit, on the 18th, 18th and 18th
of next month.
"At the Milwaukee convention the
plans were formulated which were fol-
lowed in the campaign of 1896 and
means were taken to make the eight
thousand clubs belonging 10 the league
and the two million five hundred thou
sand members enrolled on their rosters
from a standing army of Republicans
to fight hard during the summer and
autumn and present a united front on
election day. In directing the work
President woodmanse had the services
of an advisory committee appointed by
him under authority conferred by the
league. This committee was composed
of well known and influential men who
are thoroughly familiar with party
work. The Texas State league was
organized in 1888 with officers and
terms as follows:
1SSS-1SS9-1S90: President, Judge Wal
ker; secretary, c. ]. Mcpherson.
1S91-1S92- 1893: President James T.
Newcomb; secretary, Sam L. Hahn.
1S93-1S94-1S95: President, d. A. Rob
inson; secretary w. H. Atwell.
1s96-1S97: President Sam L. Hahn;
secretary, E. S. Heller; assistant sec
rotary, S. Billow.
The other state officers for the period
of 1S96-1S97 are:
w. N. Norton, vice president, Dallas.
r. B. Baer, vice president, Houston.
T S. Brockenbrow, vice president,
Alpine.
Whit. Dryden, treasurer, Fort Worth.
d. A Robinson, organizer, Dallas.
Executive committee:
First District H. F. MacGregor,
Houston.
Second District, George Call, Orange.
Third District, M. D. L. Green, Merit.
Fourth District, Ed. Davis, Jefferson
Fifth District, ]. III. Schmitz, Denton.
Sixth District. James NJ. Steere, Dali
las.
Seventh District, S. NJ. Jones, Kosse.
Eighth District, w. p. Goff, Fort
Eighth District, w. p. Golf, Fort
Worth.
tr;n