The age-herald., 1898-04-01
BIMETALLIC CLUBS
 USED UNFAIRLY Is the Charge Being Made by Numerous Democrats. FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES Predicted That These Practices Arc Hurt
 full to the Party. THE ARRANGEMENT COMMITTEE MET And Decided to Put Two Boxes at Each Voting Place-All Quiet at WoOdlawn-Coun-
 y Convention Delegates.
 Meetings Called.
THE ARRANGEMENT COMMITTEE MET

democratic ranks of this county against the alleged action of a. number of the bi- metai.>s clubs of the various beats.
 The charge which is made by not few democrats is that many of the bi-metalic clubs are being used for political practices which are undemocratic. It is not claimed that all of the bi-metallists nor all the leaders are engaged in these practices, but this does not alter the fact that these prac' tices are being carried on.
 The alleged evil Is said to exist mainly in the nominating of the delegates to the county convention. In some beats, as the complaint goes, there are only three or four members of the bi-metailic club and yet their handful of men are nominating 8 full ticket of delegates from their beats and endeavoring to dictate, it Is alleged, te the regular democracy. Nobody doubts but that nearly every democrat in the county is ardent bi-metallist, put great majority of them for one cause ana another have never joined bi-metaliic club.
 The Club in Cleveland Beat
 As an example of this, the meeting oi the bimetallic club in Cleveland, Thursday night, is quoted. It Is said that the mem- bership of this club does not exceed ten men, and that there were only three mem bers of the club present, two or them Vot- ing to adjourn until the next night in order to meet jointly with the regular democratic mass meeting.
 Now, there were a number of democrats present, who, although they were good sill yer men, were not members of the club. They, it is said voted down the motion to adjourn and proceeded to nominate dele gates from Cleveland beat to the county convention.
 The question is asked why these demo- nf ha hl- metallic club should crowd out the regular members of the club and proceed to nom- mate delegates, when there was to be a meeting of democrats the next night TOT that purpose?
 Another instance that is cited is that of a largo suburb of Birmingham. There, It is claimed, men who two years ago were the strongest supporters of Clarke and the gold standard, are now leaders of the bi- metallic club and are working under its banners to secure the county delegation.
 What Is the reason 1t is argued for the bimetallic clubs to carry on such an active opposition to democrats who are acknowi- edged silver men, but are not members of the clubs. The gold men are entirely un- organized and are making no fight for any candidate. The one two alleged gold men who are running are as strongly supported by the silver forces as by the gold men.
 Some go so far as to predict direful re- suits to the party unless this undemocratic practice, so-called, is stopped.
 The Other Side
 On the other hand Chairman William c. Garrett of the executive committee of the Jefferson County Bimstallic club in an in- terview yesterday morning said that the in- tention of the bi-metallic clubs was an en- tirely legitimate one; that the purpose of the clubs was simply to use all their infiu- ence toward securing solid silver delega- tions to the county convention, and that further than this they were not going.
 The Arrangement Committee
 As predicted in yesterdays Age-Herald the arrangement committee in charge cd the deunocratdc primary met yesterday and decided to amend the plan for holding the primary in that two boxes instead of one shall be used at each polling place. Ons box is to be marlSed: For Delegates t1 the County Convention" The other is to be marked: For County Officers The ballots for these two sets of officers are to be placed in their respective boxes.
 This was done in compliance with peti- ton from all the candidates. s. 1.-The petition also requested that the bal- lots for the county delegates be required to be on blue paper and that the names of the county officers be on white paper. After duly considering the question the commit | tee decided that they ndQ no authority lO make the change as the plan agreed upon by the county executive committee specified white paper for all ballots, and the ar- rangement committee could only carry out this plan. r.
 The petition also asked that box be not thrown out if there was in it an excess or shortage of ballots; that after the proper number of ballots have been taken from the box, if there are others that they shall be put in an envelope and marked ''excess ballots" The committee refused also to grant this request on the ground that they had no authority.
 Besides the members of the committee there were several other politicians pres- ent.
 At WOodlawn
 The Woodlawn Blmetailic club held a harmonious meeting last night. J. M. Dew berry, Joe W. Hood and A. H. Sims with drew from the ticket which was put ouu some days and Ex-Gov. R. w. Cobb, K. F. Yancey and Joe c. Hale were selected to fill the vacancies. These latter are Hiedon men. and they, with A. B. Parker. J. B. Kennedy. John T. Terry and M. F. Woods. who are the Gibson delegates make up the yvolodlawr ticket The delegates were fn- str11eted to vote for both Gibson and Hig- don on the first ballot and then throw their support to the strongest candidates afer that. It was decided to support J. 8. Ken- nedy for beat committeeman. In thds conuec ton J. B. Gibson, the pear committeeman from Woodlawn has issued H.