The times., 1899-10-12
The Local MIDDLE.

into a very pretty quarrel as the mat
ter stands. The late Lawrence Gard
ner was a member of the National
Democratic Committee for the District
Of Columbia, and our impetuous friend,
James l. Norris, and our equally OBJ
durate friend, William Holmead, lave
each been striving TO enter into the
vacancy and fill it The Democratic Gen.
tral Committee, composed, when it is full,
OF twenty-five members, was the elective
constituency. Unfortunately it was not
full. Three members, Mr. Kalbfus, Mr.. Rob-
ert E. Doyle. and Mr.. John B. Miller, were
absent when the committee first met and
were represented by proxies. At this
meeting nothing happened. Neither the
strenuous Norris nor the amiable Hol-
mead had a majority of the delegates, and
an adjournment was necessary. A second
attempt at an election was equally futile,
and the committee separated TO meet again
on Tuesday night.
But at this third meeting Mr.. Doyle and
Mr.. Miller were present in person and
quite properly took their places as dele
/ gates, their presence revoking the power of
their proxies. as not even in Democratic
convention can two bodies occupy the same
space at the same time.
The proxies insisting on voting, how
ever-having got into the habit OF it.
probably-a contest ensued, and the chair
man. one John A. Clarke, decided that the
real bona fide and original committeeman.
not having been present at the previous
meeting and this being, in point Of law,
the same meeting, recess only having
been taken, the real members were not
present and could not vote, whereupon
some CONSERVATION and much trouble en-
sued.
| The two real members then went out
! with ten other originals and cast twelve
votes for Mr. Holmead and elected him.
The two proxies stayed in with ten orig
I inals and cast twelve votes for James l..
Norris BY staying in and "going OUT
We are making use Of metaphorical phrases
only, as both proceedings were carried on
in the same room, with much clamor, much
repartee and very great excitement.
Quickly following the noise of the tur-
bulent crowd came the dulcet tones Of the
Hon. James L. Norris. He wanted TO thank
somebody for what had been done to him
His wound wasn't as deep as he would
/ like to have had it, but he thought 1t would
serve, and lost no time in making it known.
From the "innermost, deepest recesses"
of his heart, Mr.. Norris thanked the noble
twelve, including the two proxies, for i'm
I posing upon him the grave responsible
ties" the trying ordeals, and the Joy
Gus results that wait upon national COM
/ mitteeman.
He did this after mature reflection, y
/ Mr. Norris said. and as only two minutes
had elapsed from the time the vote was
taken. il may be calculated how long a
/ period it requires to mature Mr. Norris
thoughts. Perhaps, however, when one
studies the speech that followed he Will
regret that maturity came SO easily and
so soon.
Mr.. Norris should sequester a few brief
moments from busy life and compare
his heroics on his very doubtful election
TO a oommitteeship with Admiral Dewey's
response TO the presentation to him of the
country's adulation-and then change
places. He would find his burning words
fully commensurate with the occasion, or
for that matter, for any occasion, and a
little too florida mere suspicion as 1t
were-too forid for the affair in ques-
ton.
To the chairman, sir. John A. Clarke,
we tender our warmest congratulations
He has laid down a new rule of parlia-
mentary law, and laid it down hard.
Briefly stated it is this: When two per-
sons are present representing constitu-
eney, the one regularly elected and the
other not, the one who is not has supe-
rior claim to recognition, and can exercise
his authority to the detriment and de-
struetion of his principal.
Verify. this is Dogberry law.