The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-25
DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
To Meet I'm Chicago Today-The Aitl
geldpHarrfsOn Ffght-PrOpOsed New
hules and Committee Changes

Chicago, July 19.-Acting Chairman
William j. Stone, of Missouri, will call
to order tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock at the Sherman house the dem
ocratic national committee. The demo-
Gratis gathered here expect to be busy
with questions of political moment
during the whole of the day. William
Jennings Bryan will probably sit as a
committeeman, arrangement having
been made to furnish him a proxy.
John P. Altgeld holds the proxy of
William II. White, of Washington. His
presence in the committee may cause
trouble, for it is believed that Thomas
Canaan, membe Of the committee from
Illinois, may question Mr.. Altgeld's
right to represent a democratic COM
mftteeman.
Apparently Mr.. Altgeld is DESTROYS of
avtding trouble. He said today that he
dld not care to sit in the committee II
n of the members resented it, and
accordingly telegraphed Mr.. White sug-
gest1ng that some other proxy be
named. IF / do not hear from Mr..
White" said the ex-governor tonight,
"or If he insists that / represent him,
/ shall do so. But / have no desire to
bring local affairs into the committee"
The discord between the Harrison
and the Altgeld factions of the local
democratic party was the salient fea-
ture Of today'S talk around the hotels.
If Acting Chairman stones wishes are
carried out, and apparently most of
the committeeman are with him, the
fractional differences local to Chicago
and New York will not be brought be-
fore the committee in any form.
1t is probable that a new rule will be
adopted tomorrow, providing that
whenever a vacancy occurs in the ma
tiOnal committee the state committee
shall elect a membe of the national
committee to fill such Another
rule which is under consideration gives
the national committee the right TO
judge of the qualifications of it's own
members. Still another rule is being
talked Of which would force ex-Gov-
ernor Altgeld out of his position as
member Of the auxiliary committee"
which was originally composed of Mr..
Altgeld, Senators Jones, Teller and AL
len and William j. Stone. This rule
will provide that all committees, aux
iliary and otherwise, Of the national
committee shall be made uD only Of
members of the big committee. AS Mr..
Altgeld is not a member of the ma
tiOnal committee the adoption of his
rule would prevent his serving in any
auxiliary committee.
According to the plan Of action given
out To-Day, Jnefe Will De TWO SUBSIDIARY
committees named, the finance COM
mittee, which will take the place of the
committee on ways and means, and
the executive committee, which,, in ad-
ditiOn to it's other duties, will take
charge of the press bureau.
1t was predicted today that if a sub
committee of the finance committee IS
named to do work which has been lone
by the ways and means committee,
Urey WOOdson, of Kentucky, and j. ~.
Johnson, of Kansas, will be two of it's
members and that Samuel B. Cook, of
Missouri, will be, made superintendent.
Mr.. Woodson and Mr.. Johnson, who
were members of the committee select
ed to enquire into the protest made by
Thomas Gahan against P. j. Devlin,
press agent Of the national commit
tee, have their repOrt ready to submit
tomorrow. The report is understood to
censure Mr.. Delvin for the part he took
in the Harrison-Altge1d campaign last
spring, n to recommend the abolition
of the press bureau.
1t is innate that the designations
of Senators Teller and Allen and ex-
Governor Stone as members Of the
"auxiliary' or ways and means COM
mittee will be handed in tomorrow.
Senator Jones absence in Europe will
leave Mr.. Altgeld the sole remaining
member of this committee.
Among the prominent democrats here
today are George Fred Williams, of
Massachusetts: Oliver H. p. Belmont,
of New York: Clark Howell, Of Allan
ia, Ga; Congressman James A. Nor
ton, of Ohio; William J. Stone and
Senator Francis M. Cockrell, of Mis-
souri,: Colonel Victor Baughman, of
Maryland, proxy for Arthur P. Cor
man; William Goebel, democratic can
didate for governor of Kentucky;
Henry D.. Clayton, of Alabama; Will
liam ]. Otey, of Virginia.; William r.
Burke, proxy for Committeeman Dwy-
er, of California; John F.. ShafrOth, of
Colorado; Colonel John l. Martin, of
st. Louis: Frank Campbell, of New
York; J. G.. Johnson, of Kansas, and
Judge James P. Tarvin, of Kentucky.
president of the Ohio Valley Bimttallic
T,papup.