Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-16
PRIVATE JOHN ALLEN
HIS INTERESTING CONTEST WITH
THE GOVERNOR OF HIS STATE.
BOTH WANT THE SENArORSHIP.
The Private seems tn Have Gotten
Advantage of the Governor mt Int
ter,s Uome-However, the Figures
Given out show the Latter Ahead.

jackson Oiiss) Letter I'm the Atlanta
Constitution
The action Of Democratic mass-me@b
ing held i'm Wayne county last Saturday
evening is creating considerable gossip IN
political circles and caused much con-
sternation in the McI.aurin camp. Wayne
county is located I'm Southeastern Missis-
sippi. which heretofore has always been
regarded as the McLaurin stronghold,
but the very unexpected action OF
last Saturday which throws the county
into the Allen column and adds another
complication to the senatorial race, mas
set many political managers and wlre-
pullers guessing as to what move the
administration opponents will next maze
UNEXPECTED ACTION. -
Pursuant 10 a call issued by the resu-
lar Democratic County Executive SIn
mittee. about loo citizens OF wayne
county assembled at Waynesbor0 Sa'-
urcav afternoon and unanimously de-
clared John Allen as their cholce ior
United states Senator.
Outside of the county IN question sucn
an action had not been dreamed or. Even
inc anti McIaurin leaders residing IN the
same congressional district had not eN-'
pected that Allen could possibly nave
show of capturing the instructed Vo,e o.
Wayne county, the borCer OF Whlch -
only cighty~hve miles from the 1oVethoi
"PACKED" MEETING.
However it happened and the other
side is now trying To explain IL hWas'
McLaurin's friends say that the mass-
meeting was systematically packed py
the Allen men, and that the admlnlstia-
| ton supporters were not present because
they had been mislnformed as 70 ue
date Of the meeting. or somethlns Vi Wat
SORT IL was first thought That an at
"a
county Executive Committee and TO 90
the thing all over again with Mcl-aullh
as the beneficiary. but wiser counsel pre-.
vailed and the fight viii be carried uuI
ON other lines -Four McLaurin candi-
dates are out, for the Legislature IN
Wayne county, and an effort will be made
by the Governors friends 70 cohsoIloate
their following by selecting the most pop
ular asprant and Induce the other three
To Withdraw.
FIGURING TT OUT.
The NIcIaurin newspapers are now pub
fishing an elaborate set OF ngures the
effect Of which IL 10 prove that the,r
candidate will be elected on the frst Dali
r. will be remembered that Governor
McLaurin ted the night for a primary cleo
ton on the senatorial question, whicn
was silently but effectively defeated be-
fore the State Executive Committee by
The Governor next suggested the old
plan OK instructing the members or me
LEGISLATURE by direct vote. when IL being
very generally adopted, ana ne now claims
fhat the county which instructs It's leSls-
lative representation by primary means
to cast its votes FOR him. with TINS as u
basis. the newspapers hgure mat the Gov
ernor already has eighty ana tnree,quaI-
ter votes 10 his credit, and only thhly-
five counties have yet ordered primaries,
At lease fifteen Of the thirty-two counties
that have as yet taken no action VIII GER
tainly order primaries, running the m
structed vote TO about 49, IL requires
only ninety votes 90 elect senator ON
Joint ballot Of the TWO houses.
OTHER FACTS.
In making up these figures the McLaurin
men say they do not Include the counties
OF Scott Newton, Neoshoba, frankhh'
Kemper. POntOtOc. Marion, Greene, thoc-
taw Calhoun. Winston, and Webster.
which the opposition have praeucaly
conceded 10 them. Franklin ana heinpet
have already ordered primaries, ana the
other counties named will make decision
Of some kind during the next Two Weeks
In addition 10 the county or Jasper, sun
flower and Mon, gomery ordered the prl-
mary system Tuesday.
Both sides are claiming liinds and war
ron counties, which have the largest rep
resentatiOn in the State, holding ten votes
on Joint legislative ballot Kinds Is all
most conceded 10 McLaurin, how
ever. and hot fight Is sure 10 take
Mace I'm Warren. where they say the
chairman OF the Executive Committee Is
LAYING awake at night trying 10 figure out
some way TO avoid a primary ana yet
not disrupt the county organization.
The figures OF the McLaurin men may
or may not be correct, but they are UNI
ouestionably having considerable effect
I'm the campaign. especially among the
class of people who are always endeavor-
ing 70 fall on the winning side.