The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-19
THE ROW in ILLINOIS.
The Refusal Of Harrison and Gahan to At
tend the Committee Meeting
HAS BROUGHT ON A FRACTIONAL FIGHT
He Refused to Accept nm
Invitation.

I
sented by Mayor Harrison and National
Committeeman Gahan on the one side and
the Altgeld wing OF democracy which sup
ported Ex-Governor Altgeld as an indie
pendent candidate for mayor at the cleo
ton last fall on the other, has reached an
acute stage and threatens to invofve the
National committee in spite Of the etrenu-
quarrels out OF the proceedings OF next
Thursdays meeting of the National COM
mittee OF this city.
Hon. Thomas Gahan. National commit
teeman from Illinois, in an open letter to-
day to the leaders of the Altgeld element
of the party. explains his reason for de-
clinng to attend the Auditorium meeting
of next Thursday night and by indirect
appeals to his colleagues of the National
committee TO refrain from attending the
Altgeld meeting Interest is added to the
occasion by the report of Ex-Governor
Altgeld's friends that Bryan some days
ago accepted an invitation to address the
meeting. The letter of National Commit
teemau Gahan follows in full:
The Committee on Arrangements, Audi
torium Meeting OF July 20, 1241 Unity
Building, Chicago.
Chicago. July IS, 1S99.--Gentlemen:
am just in receipt OF your letter of July II
rendering me box 81 for the Auditorium
meeting OF July 20.
The published statements of the chair
man of your committee have made 1t mani
fest that this invitation is not rendered in
good faith and not one which any believer
ON the integrity of democratic organiza
tons could be expected to accept and ord
narily a mere declnation of the box ten
dered me would suffice; but since ! am
informed by the daily papers that large
number of invitations have been sent by
your committee 10 members of the Nation
al committee, | feel it my duty as a mem
Der of the democratic National committee
from the State of Illinois to give to the
public the reasons which make it impos
s.ble that I could accept this invitation
without stultifying the democratic parry
of the State OF Illinois and committing an
injustice 10 the democratic party of Cook
county.
The membership of your committee on
arrangements. on wAose behalf this invi-
tation is rendered me, shows that in its
personnel this committee Is entirely COM
posed of gentlemen, who in April last, OPP
posed the regular democratic candidate for
mayor and other charter officers of the
city OF Chicago, and did all in their power
10 bring about the defeat of the regular
demo cratic ticket and the election of the
republican ticket at that election. Strange
as IL may appear to those from abroad an
examination of the members OF the other
committees arranging the proposed meet
ing at the Auditorium shows that every
member of the several auxiliary commit
tees likewise opposed the regular DEM
ocratic ticket and It's nominees in the Chi
cago election last April and likewise
sought by every means in their power TO
defeat the regular democratic ticket and
elect the republican ticket at that election
i am believer in the rule of majority,
and when the democratic party ceases to
believe in the rule of majority II will cease
10 be the party OF the people. The prima
ries and the convention OF last spring
were held under a law the principles of
which we're approved and the passage OF
which was publicly recommended by your
faetional leader Notwithstanding this.
and repudiating in advance the work Of
that convention and the will of the ma
jority. you sounded the battle .cry of
anything TO beat the regular democratic
nominee and maintained n guerilla war
iare against the democratic party and Its
regular organization until you were re-
buked at the polls by such an overw helu-
ing defeat as TO effectively silence your
pretensions of party organization. until
you saw in this demonstration of July 20
an opportunity to temporarily galYanize
the lifeless seeds of party sediiop which
you then so zealously avowed. | would be
recreant to my trust as the representative
of the Illinois democracy on the National |
committee II did not frankly review these |
focts which are within the memory of all !
and which should be brought to the atten-
ton OF the entire democratic National
committee as tho reason why the National |
committeeman of Illinois can not attend |
your demonstration. In the three years |
that It has been my honor to represent |
the democracy OF Illinois on the National !
committee have considered 1t my duty
TO labor for party harmony In the state OF |
Illinois and for the Cancellation of all ele-
ments In order that we might in 1900 re-
deem Illinois to democracy by sending
twenty-four votes TO the electoral college
for William J. Bryan and sharing In the
triumph OF that platform the principles of
winch the National committee so faith
fully upheld against overwhelming odds
IN the dark days OF 1896. II I saw In your
proposed meeting, or in the membership
or your several committees, a single midi
cation to hope of party unity: II ION
mad held out for a moment the hand Of
good Fellowship II you had for a moment
IN your asseverations of democracy indl-
Gated that you would have accented Tho
owe branch on any condition short OF a
surrender OF party organization and marty
principles 10 the whims and caprices and
eSactions OF hopeless minority. | would
have been the first TO make an overture
IN the belief that the first duty of n COM
mitteeman Is TO harmonize the elements
OF his party. But your action and your
declarations, and the public announce.
ment OF your present intentions. have
proven that you are not an element OF tho
party; that its constituent prin-
clples can not survive in your atmosphere.
and that 90 accept your dictation is to sur
render that fundamental doctrine which
mas IN the rule of majority the success
OF the democratic party.
For these reasons and for the further
reason that sense OF duty must make n
impossible for any loyal democrat OF MI
,ois who believes In party organization and
The rule of the majority, TO attend a pubIic
meeting under your auspices. I must re-
spectiuily decline your invitation. Yours
very truly, Thomas Caban
Democratic National Committeeman from
Illinois, ''N'A
The Harrison faction have determined
10 entertain members OF the National com
mittee on their own account with the
avowed Intention OF keeping them away
from the Altgeid meeting on Thursday
night, committee has been appointed 10
arrange dinner, to be followed nv n