The age-herald., 1898-03-06
TIE LEGALITY OF TIE CALL
For the PopuIist Meeting Yester-
 day Was Questioned.
MONKEY AND PARROT TIME
Barely Averted-No Right to Pass Upon Fusion With Democrats-A Meeting of the
 Executive Committee.

The anti-fusion faction of the popuHst party of this county seem to have carried the day.
 At county convention held yesterday in response to call issued at mass meeting held about two weeks ago. the question of fusing with the democrats in the coming election which was the basis of the call, resolved itself into the ques- ton of the legality or regularity of the call.
 At one time the meeting was on the verge of a monkey and parrot time but through the influence of the leaders was averted to some extent.
 After much discussion a resolution was adopted that the chairman of the county executive committee be instructed to call a meeting of the committee within two weeks at which the policy of the party would be outlined and a primary or con vention ordered.
 Almost every beat in the county was represented and when the meeting was called to order the chancery court room where 1t was held was comfortably filled.
 pr. G. B. Grove, chairman of the county executive committee was named as tenn porary chairman and Jerry Fountain, for mer chairman of the committee was ap- pointed secretary.
 On taking the. chair, Dr. Grove stated that the meeting had been called by the
  he was unable to state the object of the meeting and asked for the call. No one seemed to know anything about the call nor the language in which it was couched.
 pr. M. c. Ragsdale moved that conn mitee of three on credentials be appointed which was carried and Messrs. Shugart, Drenmen and Carroll were appointed by the chair. The committee retired to a cor ner of the room and in short while re- ported that almost all beats In the county The reDOrt auODIed. Z T. Albright of Bessemer, raised the first question as to the legality of the call and moved that no one be allowed to vote unless the beat he represented had helo a beat meeting.
 A point of order was raised by Dr. Rags dale which was sustained by the chair. :. Carwile, of Bessemer, arose on point of inforrna tfon and asked the chair by what authority the meeting had been caAeo anu what was the object of the meeting
 The temporary organization was made permanent and the chair announced that the meeting was opsn for business.
 Fountain moved that only populists be allowed to remain in the room, which was amended bv Carwile to also exclude all who intended to hereafter work and vote with the democratic party.
 The chair ruled that 1t was not in the province of the meeting to dehne these questions, which he stated would nave to be done at a regularly authorized mee1ihs of the executive committee.
 John T. Shugart, on point of informa- ton, wanted to know whether 1t was populist democratic or republican meet ing.
 Several motions to adjourn were heard amid confusion, and especially Fountaln called for his question as to excluding all but populists, which was lost by vote of IA to p.
 Fountain then proceeded to declare him. self, and said: "There is no use of us dilly-dallying on the matter of what we are going to do. Every man here knows what we are here for. There IS put one question at issue"
 He was interrupted by Carwile, who raised point of order.
 Confusion again resulted, and personali- ties were indulged in. The statement by F. R. Bray that he knew a delegate in the meeting who had not attended a beat meet ing, but held credentials, and, further, that he had heard that certain beat meeting was attended by two populists and demo- crats and two or three negroes, brought Fountain to his feet, who branded the in- formation as a lie.
 The unruly members were called to order by the chair, who stated that he would allow no personalities in the meeting.
 The question of the legality of the call was again raised, and the chair stated tha as chairman of the executive committee he was ready to call meeting of the com mittee to call convention. He thought that nothing could be done to prevent men in the party now from going over to the democratic party. He did not believe any action of the meeting today would be bind ing to the party. He said that if the meet ing would ask him to do so he would call meeting of the executive committee for the purpose of calling a convention.
 He referred to the exit of Kolb, Bowman and others. ahd stated that the same way was open.
 
 Fountain offered resolution to the effect that inasmuch as the meeting had been called by mass meeting of populists and had been signed by the secretary that it was legally authorized. He declared that there was but one thing for the meeting to decide, whether the populists should participate in the democratic primaries or not The motion was seconded by Dr.