Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-24
The Maryland Republican Convention
Promises to Be Interesting.
CONfTfING DELEGATIONS ELECTED
The Prince Georges County Stu
alton Very Much Mixed.
VIEWS OF THE STRIFE

Prince Georges county Is concerned. The
Mudd and Coffin factions there are bitterly
opposed to one another, and a double dele
cation will go to the seashore convention.
What the outcome of this will be cannot
be determined now, although. the Mudd
constituents assert that the convention can
do nothing but recognize that delegation,
claiming that 1t was the only one elected
fairly in the primaries, and that although
other primaries were held in every district
of the county the same date as the "regu-
lar ones, they were not authorized by the
state central committee, and, therefore, 1t
will be impossible for the convention to adj
NIT the delegates thus chosen. The Coffin
people say the so-called regular primaries
were anything but regular. and that, if the
convention acts fairly and impartially,
| rather than admit the Mudd delegates,
both sides will be thrown out, and a COM
promise of some kind effected. The order
ing of new primaries has been suggested as
absolutely essential unless the county is to
be surrendered in advance to the demo-
Gratis.
The adherents of Mr.. Coffin in the county
declare that the manner in which the call
for the primaries was made and the way
meetings were conducted was not only IT.
regular in the extreme, such proceedings
as were had never having been witnessed
before, but were directly opposed to the
constitution of the state. They claim that
the voters were not allowed to exercise the
right of suffrage and that they were not
permitted to have say in the matter.
Work of Mr.. Mudd.
The hand of Representative Sidney E.
Mudd, they state, was evident through the
| whole thing, and that he worked as he did
in Prince Georges for the sole purpose of
gaining delegates in the legislature who
would vote for him for United States sena-
tor at the next assembly
While the Mudd people admit that the
call for the primaries held in Prince
Georges July 81 was not exactly according
to customs, they contend that it was not
unconstitutional or irregular. Such course
was adopted, they say, simply to prevent
recurrence of the scenes and incidents which
took place in the county when the primar-
les were held the year before.
The republicans of the county who COM
plain that the primaries of July 81 were
not only Irregular, but an evidence of high
handed oppression on the part Of The state
central committee. under the direction of
Mr. Mudd, base their assertion on the fact
that never befoIe did person appointed by
a committee hive Sentire control of the
primary in each district
In the recent prelfminaries the state cen
trail committee for Prince Georges county
was composed of H. w. Clagett. J. A. Blum
don, Clarence Hawkins and Samuel r. Jen-
nings. "
The Objectionable Clause.
The instructions published on the call
for the primaries in the various districts
ended as follows:
THE followiLg persons are hereby ap-
pointed to call to order the primaries in
the various districts, and are authorized
and empowered to rame three judges and
two clerks Of election in the several dis
tricts and to preside at the organization
of said meeting"
This, the directors say, was not accord
svnrr ~, t1,4
pointed entirely usurped the power of the
voters, not permitting any action in the
primary whatever. from first to last, SO
far as they were concerned
The usual form which is used is as fol-
lows:
1.-THE republican voters who may be pres
ent at the usual places OF holding the dis
trict primary shall be called to order by
the person designated above to do so, and
elect three judges, who shall thereupon
preside over and hold said meeting, and
two clerks, who shall keep written lists of
the names of all persons whose votes are
accepted and rejected"
William A. Meloy, who resides in Prince
Georges county, and has an office in this
city, Is prominent republican of the coun-
ty, who characterizes the primaries held
July 81 as an outrage. He declares that he
belongs to no faction and Is bound to no
man, but he thinks that the manner in
which the primaries were conducted were
disgrace. Mr.. Meloy was spoken OF as a
candidate for state senator.
Mr.. MelOy's Views.
He said yesterday:
1.-THE whole thing was the work of Repre-
sentative Mudd. He was present at Upper
Marlboro the day of the county conven-
ton. August 2. and saw that things went as
he wished. 1t is not the first time that Mr..
Mudd has taken a hand In the affairs of
the republican party in Prince Georges.
Some years ago, when John w. Belt was
candidate for the office of clerk of the
circuit court of Prince Georges, the two
formed a combination, which was opposed
by Mr.. Coffin and ]. T. Perkins, the latter
candidate for the Office Of clerk of the
court. I am certain that the two fixed up
scheme for the purpose of getting the
colored republicans to form exclusive col
ored clubs. The two fixed up the delega-
ton, and In many of the districts delega-
ored men.
'In my own district, Kent, the colored
voters came with list which had been
fixed up at the National Hotel. Mr. Belt
made the struggle to gain the nomination in
licans.
'Mr. Perkins had been treasurer. of the
county for some time, but lost much of his
strength when it became known he was
to be dropped at certain time and his
strength thrown to a dark horse.
MT. Mudd had control in Prince
Georges at the primaries and county con-
vention. and everything was subordinated
to his desire to gain four delegates to vote
for him for senator. John T, Fisher of
Oxon Hill was made chairman Of the Up
per Marlboro meeting. and everything was
directed through Mr. Mudd. The delegates
were named and PIT through with rush.
Withputo Precedent.
GAS to the manner in which the prf-
maries were called,1 never heard Of such
thing before. The way it was done was
certainly not right, not proper and not ac-
cording to the ttate constitution. I never
heard before of a nan being appointed by
the state centrat committee to have charge
of the primaries, as was done. the voters
not being giveHfa chance. Two separate
primaries were Neld in every district but
my own, Kent. Iseounseled the voters to
submit. Tue
Il am certain Thai the notices Of the pri-,
maries were gotfeni up by some one who
did not know the localities, for there IRE
mistakes in th3o Numbers of the districts
and in the names of the men. I believe
that they were gotten up by Mr.. Mudd and
printed In Baltimore, being sent out from
there by him. I never saw any Of them
before the primaries were held.
Il think at the, convention the whole
primary business should be thrown out as
ovnd