Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-24
RULE CONVENTION MEETS
New Democratic Rules Adopted Last
Thursday After a Lively Session,
BYA VOTE OF 81 AYES TO "a NAYS
The Original Report Accepted
Without Change.
ALL ATTEMPTS TO AMEND DEFEATED

Shortly after 10. 30 o'clock last Thurs.
day morning, }. Wilkins Cooch called
the Democratic county rule convention
TO order in Turn Hall The roll was
called by Secretary Thomas II. Magarity.
John 7. Dickey was put on in place Of
an ahsant Christiana hundred member;
John G. Gray Of a Mill Creek delogate,
and George W. Currinder in place OF
L. irving Handy OF White Clay Creek
hundred.
After the roll had been called, the
secretary read the report OF the com
mittee on rules at the last meeting.
After the rules had been read
Thomas liolcomh moved that rule l
be adopted and Gsorge Lodge seconded
the motion. L. @. McNabD, however,
offered un amendment 10 paragraph b
of the rule, in order 10 provide one
member of the county committee for
each legislative district of Wilmington
or five in all, instead OF three as at
present.
Arnold Naudain favored referring the
rules and all amendments that might
he Uttered, back to the committee TO
report upon. He thought that would
he the better wSy.
U.
itHsf should pass upon the amend
merits, otherwise the convention might
60 ON for six months.
A vote was taken on motion Of Mr..
Naudain to refer the rules back to the
committee, and Chairman Cooch de-
oided that it was carried. Mr.. McNabb
called for division, and the standing
vute was about 4S to s. Before the
committee retired additional amend
ments were oiferei.
Mr.. Eliason Of New Cnstle moved to
strike out rule 3. This was understood
to he in opposition to the rotation sys
ten,
j. 4. ClsAver offered an amendment
| TO rule under which the receiver of
taxes and comptroller are added to the
| list Of candidates to ne selected in con-
ventioI, and rotation is provided for
such candidates
The following offered an an amendent
to rus I, was greeted with some APP
| plaUse:
3" 1t shall be the duty Of any member
of the county executive committee, who
| may be unable tn cnnscientiously Bup-
port tine platform and candidates of the
| party to resign. And should he refuse
or fail so to do it shall be the duty of
the county executive to declare the
| place vacant, and fill the same with a
| person in accord with the declared
| principles of the party
| 9. W. Spiuer, Jr.. offered an amend
ment providing rotation for all Court
House officers.
After all the amendments had been
sent up to the table. 1t was decided TO
take recess Of half an hour to allow
the committee to consider the amend.
ments. This cnmmittee comprised the
following: Brandywine hundred, George
Lodge; Christiana, Thomas Toy; Mill
CrseR, Frank ID. Baldwin; White Clay
Creek, Arnold Naudaiu, in place Of l..
Irving Handy, absent; Pencader, D.
G. Rose, Jr. Nav Castle, Thomas
Holcomb; Red Lion, j. A. Mulligan ;
st. Georges. j, A. Cleaver; Apo
quinimink, Coen Ferguson; Black
bird, George G. Rothwell; Whining
ton, Patrick Neary, Hewson E. Lam
nan aud James Gegan.
The convention reconvened at IL o.
o'clock in the afternoon. and the sub
committee on the rules. through Arnold
Nandain as chairman. presented its re-
port. The committee rejected all the
proposed amendments ana endorsed the
rules as they had been presented at the
previous meeting on February 3D..
Patrick McGrory of New Castle
offered as an amendment to strike out
ruls 3, and speeches endorsing this
we're mads by Thomas Holcomb and L..
f. EliasUn. They made the point that
by putting the proposed system Of rOta-
tion into effect With regard to State
Senators and Levy Courtmen, a hun.
| 1tuh "A inca inf nd N 10 in.
ability to make nomination, and the
Republicans would have chance ia
make votes on account of such dissat,
isfaction. Mr.. Eliason predicted in.
jury TO the party through the adoption
OF tue section.
When the vote was about TO bs taken
, on this amendment. Mr.. MoNabb de-
clared that many persons not delegates
were voting. Upon q roll call tie
! amendment to strike out rule 3 was
defeated by vote of 10 to 40.
Mr. Eliaaon moved that recess BIZ
taken until 2 o'clock. This motion was
lost.
! Patrick Neary moved the adoption OIL
the report ut the committee.
: Mr.. McNabb moved that the repor
= be read by rules, which motion wal
lost. Another motion to adjourn wa,
:, lost, after which the motion to adop
the report was before the meeting.
George W. Spicer, Dr., presented hi
q amendment to provide for rotation o
7 the Court House officers, which wa
= lost,
!, G. B. Evans called for the ayes ant
!, mugs on the original molten. but Mr.
McNabb insisted ON putting forward
his amendment to give Wilmington tiv,
:, members on the county committee. o.
= motion OF Mr. Neary. who said tina
I. wan a matter for Wilmington hundred
= the amendment was laid on the table.
1. At last the convention began to yot
= on this motion to adopt the report o
! the committee aa presented. Eecretar!
: Magarity called thu roll and Chairman
= Oooch kept tally. The latter announces
: that the report had been adopted by
vote OF 81 to 20.
Then Mr.. Neary moved adjournmeu
: and the roll was called on the motion
/ Meanwhile Congressman Handy haI
!, entered the hall and sumo of the dele
= gates had added the total vote on tn
! previous motion, and found that j
/, showed total of &c, or four more tina
: the full membership of the convention
j, They explained that fact to him, an
!, he requested the chair to announce th
vote again. The chair did 80 an
y George Mcintyre and MIR. McNabb pro
i, tested at once to the vote. Thereuno
Chairman Cooch ran over bis figure
again and announced that be had mad
a mistake in the count, that it shout
Il have been "a nays instead of 30, MAX
10 ing large majority for the adoption {
* the report.