The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-23

VI ,ultion for the convention at the
10 4, the race finally narrowed down to
g ,ntest among Norfolk, Lynchburg aud
- ~ lanoke, and finally the Lynchburg adj
~ Dcates won the day for Roanoke by with
SrawiDg the Hill City and throwing their
strength in the committee TO the Magic
City.
The State committee in its wisdom ~
also fixed the basis of representation in
the convention at one delegate for every
leo Bryan votes in the last Presidential
election. This will result in convention
Of at least 1,600 delegates. good thing
for Roanoke financially, but a very bad
thing SOLAR as securing n manageable, de-
Lucrative body is concerned. Experience
has demonstrated on several occasions
that such large bodies inevitably become
bowling, shouting, uncomfortable masses
of men, in which such thing as deliber-
alton is practically impossible. If the
action of such convention be wise it will
be so more by chance than from reasons
calm sway.
In some senses large convention is
desirable, if only it could be controlled.
1t is the nearest practicable approach to
mass meeting and, if the delegates be
carefully chosen, can be regarded as more
thoroughly representative of popular
sentiment. But there's the rub. The
mass OF the people really take very little
interest in such mass meetings aud the
delegates chosen are not necessarily rep.
resentatives of the sentiment of a com
munity, but of Il few who meet and hur-
riedly raJify the slate arranged by ifewer
still.
In this connection it may be stated that
Senator's Daniel and Martin we're in Mt
tendance upon the State committee meet.
ing, and hence were not recorded in the
vote in United States Senate on the Nor.
gan resolution, which was favored by
both.
Norfolk Pilot-Roanoke was the early
bird, and got the worm. She won it, de-
served it, and she has our sincere con
gratulatiOns a.,
AS Tor Norfolk's contention for the
State Democratic convention, the Pilot
was in time (as always), and so was the
city Democratic committee in passing res
olutions asking that the convention he
held here, and directing its Chairman to
appoint special committee to urge the
invitation on the State Democratic com.
mittee.
1t is evident, however, that the chair
man OF the Norfolk city committed for
some reason, did not want the convention
to come here, and intended it should not
do 50. Accordingly Gf he did nothing
else to negative the invitation), he did nos
appoint the special committee unit, Nav
9Th, and postponed it's meeting and or
ganization until Saturday, May 15th,-
just four days (includng Sunday before
the State committee was to meet in Rich
mond.
OF course, that gave Nor 'olk away en-
tlrely In the matter, and must have been
designed to do so. We had no real hope
or tla "a
chairman's dilatory' tactics. Every other
place had got in it's work before us, and
doubtless every member of the State COM
mittee was more or less committed to
some other place before Norfolk ap-
preached him. In fact, the Norfolk
committee had no time to do more than
TO go to the State committee meeting.
and some of it's members were unable, in
the few days allowed, to make arrange
ments to do that!
The people of Norfolk understand now
why they do not have the convention.
Norfolk never will have convention, nor
secure State nomination, under such a
policy of chow not to do it,
Newport News Press-Newport News
did not secure the Democratic State con.
vention. Roanoke did. That is the story
of the meeting of the State committee SO
far as majority of the readers of the
Daily Press are concerned. The commit.
tee appointed by the Business Mems AS
ISOLATION labored Zealously to accomplish
their mission, but the odds were against
Them. Mr.. r. G. Bickford, chairman of
the delegation, presented the claims of
Newport News with all his persuasive
eloquence, but nothing could stem the
tide in favor of the Magic City of the
Southwest. Fish, oysters and crabs did
not count. and battleships had no charms
for the hardy mountaineer. Old Point
gulped down dose of the same medicine.
Colonel Thomas Tabb, Of Hampton, ux-
tended cordial invitation from the ia
nous resort ut the mouth of Hampt
Roads, but his warm words OF welcome
fell upon irresponsible ears. Even Sem
ator Daniels silver tongue in behalf of
Lynchburg failed to electrify the deter
mined committee.
DEATH OF JAMES A. HOOPER