The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-17
THE NEW STATE SCHEME
Two Conventions, Neither Well Attended,
We're Held at EI Paso.
ONE WAS FAVORABLE, THE OTHER AGAINST
rhe Plan TO Carve on Piece of
Texns in order 10 Make Full
Grown state of New Mexico.

El Paso, Texas, March 17.--An unsuc-
cessful effort was made to sauelch in its
incipiency the movement to carve a new
State out OF portions OF West Texas. New
Mexico and Arizona. The delegation APP
pointed to represent Ell Paso county and
city was composed almost entirely OF men
who were known to be opposed to the
scheme and who could be depended on to
fight the project to the last ditch. AS soon
as the appointments were given out IT
precipitated big row in the camp, and
Major Bill Fewell published a letter as
sorting that the mayor and county judge
had acted unfairly in selecting delegates
and had appointed only two of the many
persons who had signed the call for the
convention
Not satisfied with this. Major Fewell
and Colonel Bob Campbell quietly ar
ranged a little surprise for the opponents
of the scheme, and when the morning
trains arrived they were both on hand TO
meet the out of town delegates and in
vited them to attend little private caucus
in the custom house at 10 o'clock Only
Presidioi county, Texas, and Grant county,
ers forwarded proxies. but they were not
produced in time.
The caucus organized with County Judge
II. II. Fitzpatrick Of Preside as chairman
and j. A. Escajeda of Ell Paso as secre-
tary. and then warm discussion followed
The delegates severely denounced the
mayor for packing the Ell Paso delegation
with anti-Statehood men. and were unde-
cided whether to attend the general meet
ing in the afternoon or resolve the caucus
into the convention and ignore the other
one. The latter step was finally decided
upon after a secret session of nearly an
hour. 1t was feared that the caucus would
be In the minority at the afternoon SEES
sion The call for convention at 2:30
o'clock this afternoon was declared invalid
and the time as set forth in the original
call 90 o'clock a. ny, 1t was agreed, was
the proper hour for the convention to meet
so the caucus declared itself the conven-
tion and decided not TO attend the after
neon meeting.
Permanent organization was effected and
an executive committee appointed as fol-
lows: w W. Gatewood. II. H. Fitzpatrick
w. Fl. H. Llewellyn, Leigh Clark. G. p.
Deter. s. J. Freudenthal, Robert Camp
bell. Don Kedze, A. X. Albers, Richard
Hughson Felix Martinez. ]. A. Maron, j.
W. Fleming, A. B. Fall. A. Krakauer, A.
J. Egan, M. w Stanton.
The executive committee was authorized
10 select eight otner names from other
counties and add them to the list. They
were empowered to Issue an address to
call mass convention and push the new
Statehood scheme.
The convention then adjourned.
Eleven Of the FL Paso delegates met at
the court house this afternoon and or
ganized. with J. F. Crosby as chairman and
Park w. Pitman as secretary. Not man
who attended the morning convention was
kpresent and no delegate from out OF town
Several speeches were made in opposition
Ito the scheme. Judge Caldwell presented
6the following resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted amid applause:
Be 1t resolved. That it is neither prac-
ticable, expedent, nor desirable to form
la new State out of territory detached from
RTexas, New Mexico and Arizona and that
( as there is not full representation from
Sthe counties invited to send delegates that
Sthis meeting adjourn sine die.