The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-14
GRANT SEES DANGER AHEAD
SAYS PAYNE's SCHEME WOULD AID
THE DEMOCRATS.
Southern Republicans Have APP
pointed nm Executive Committee
to Fight the Northerners' PAM
Especial to The Post.)

Especial to The Post,)
Washington, December 13.-Dr. John
Grant, republican National committeeman
from Texas, arrived today to attend the
meeting of the republican National COM
mittee next Friday and to make strong
fight against the proposition of Mr.. Payne
of Wisconsin to cut down the representa-
ton of the Southern States in the republic
can National convention. Or, Grant says
the proposition Is meeting with much
favor among many of the Northern mem
bers of the committee and that the move
ment is strongly backed by brains and
power and will require a hard fight on
the part of the Southern members to de-
feat. He says If the committee adopts
Mr.. Payne's suggestions he will carry the
! fight to the convention. The Southers
republicans have organized and appointed
| DIR. Grant, Colonel Dick of Ohio, Assist
ant Attorney General Boyd of North Caro-
| lima and Judson w. Lyons of Georgia as
| an executive committee to formulate ways
and means to fight the proposition They
are using every argument possible and
also the leverage of votes which the fight
| LOT Ine place Oh uOlulHS tue CUuNcutioH
naturally gives them. II the committee
adopts the Payne proposition 1t will create
much dissension in the republican parry
and be the means of sending solid hem-
ocratic delegations 10 the next congress
from States now represented in part by
republicans.
! The Post correspondent asked DR.. Grant
today what his line of argument against
the proposed changed would be and ne
said: II am here for the purpose of max
ing a fight to protect the South in lis
present representation. The grounds upon
which propose to make the fight are:
Il That no good will be accomplished
to the party at large by diminishing the
representation from the South. I do not
see where. by the exercise of power the
South has had heretofore It has commit
ted any wrong nor do I see that the re-
publican party or the Nation has been
sufferer thereby I know of no mistakes
that have been made in the nomination OF
the candidates for president. 1t is safe
TO say that Mr. Mckinley was nominated
by the South and feel sure that no re-
publican feels called upon to apologize for
his nomination, for, indeed, when we view
the conduct of affairs commercially finan-
cially and industrially throughout the Ma
ton, it would be difficult to conceive.how
any administration could have improved
upon the present one. The civil, as well
as the military branches of the govern
ment, have been visited by signal success
throughout the entire administration |
Every promise and plank in the platform
OF 1895 has already been carried out and |
general condition of prosperity and rest
prevails throughout tho country Every
general movement that is made by party |
should have for its object some special |
betterment in view | see none that could
10 accomplished in this. The republican
party has but thirteen majority in the |
lower house of congress and were 1t not |
Tor the republican congressman from the
South the democrats would have majority |
IN congress today. This movement can
simply be regarded as Acknowledgement |
of Southern republicans. The voice we
nave In the republican convention really
constitutes about all the recognition s,e
get and II neither seems wise nor expe-
dent TO rob us Of that. We find now that
me solid South is thing Of the past
Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia. Ken
lucky, North Carolina. Tennessee, Texas
and other States have thelr representa-
yves IN congress- as result of the labors
ot southern republicans since the days of
reconstruction and now that we arc inst
getting our heads above water it seems
poor policy to take that announcement
away from our party in the South.
MY contention Is that II the PAYNE
resolutions pass II will make Ohio In
mana, Michigan, Illinois, California Ken
lucky and West Virginia doubtful States.
~ now LOOKS as II Mr.. Mckinley would be
dominated by acclamation by the repub-
Ilcan party of the Nation and II seams A.,
though nothing could prevent the re-elce-
non OF republican president and to in
ocu,ate the situation with a dis urbing
problem like the one proposed can but pre- {
sent positive elements of danger.
II seems TO be an effort on the part NJ
me Northern republicans to place them
'elVes IN position where they can dictate !
ne nominations, and thereby eliminate the
'outh from any considerable voice in that
matter In fact I can rot but oonst,na .
as resurrecting the question OF sectionaiS
sih' am very much in earnest about :
ms matter and propose to fight for the
reservation Of the present Southern
latus TO the bitter end. Whatever the re- :
ult before the committee feel certain +
nat we can defeat 1t in the National con- a
ention' view with alarm the possibility
! us success. for, indeed II would be
ne ueath knell to Southern republication. v
was sale TO say that had this measure
Yen uarrled into force and effect ten
ears ago that the solid South would still
ptaln. / think We are now under present
ondlIions in shape TO grow materially
W II these resolutions pass and are sus L
'lned by the National convention, / fear a
retrogade movement VIII set in. | can A
OF see but that II is playing directly into o
ie hands OF the democratic party. In
sverai OF the Southern States. the dem v
'rais are legislating to disfranchlse the y
'pupiican vote, and now the republican .
arty seems to be trying to supplement a.
smocratic action by republican encour- a.
WOOD APPOINTED. =,