The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-06-14
Activity of OfiicehOIdcrs.

II developed during the hearing Of the
State contests that Federal officeholders
both sides of the controversy. and the hear
ing upon the district cases served to ac-
centuate this fact. II was brought out that
previous TO the beginning OF the campaign
for the election of delegates a number of
the oiticeholders met In Washington and re-
solved that, ''ss II was the wish OF the Pres
ident of the United States that no Federal
officeholders should participate in the se-
lection of delegates, they would refrain
from taking any part in either the pri-
maries or In the State Convention
The further fact was developed that. not
wtthstanding this action on their part. most
OF the participants In this meeting hurried
TO their homes and Immediately started
campaigns in behalf Of their fsvorites. with
view OF controlling the state delegation.
and thus. 1t was argued. directing the dis
ministration in case Of Republican success
1t was found that officeholders had been
also prominent on the other side Of the con-
test.
So palpable did II become that the Fed
eral patronage was the principal object in
view that the committee was not long in
reaching decision TO practically exclude
all the contesting delegates from the tenn
porary organization OF the convention ex-
ccgt those from the Ninth District:
The contestants had hardly left the room
when Committeeman Joseph Manley OF
Maine offered the following resolution as
the sense Of the committee;
Resolved. That the committee declines to
delegates or alternates from Alabama ex-
cept In the case of the Ninth District, and
in that district that A. ID. Wimbs and J. w.
Hughes and their alternates be placed upon
the temporary roll"
President Asked to Act.
This resolution was speedily adopted and
II was hardly disposed OF when Committee
man Payne. who had been acting as tenn
porary chairman. introduced the following
resolution:
Resolved, That this committee requests
the President of the United States to direct
the proper officers TO cause an Investigation
into the acts and doings OF certain Fe lerai
officehoders in the State of Alabama in
connection with the election OF delegates
to the primary conventions. and to the
State and district conventions held In said
State to elect delegates to the National
Convention to be held In Philadelphia on
the 18th inst. and II the facts as stated in
the hearing held before said committee fe-
gar6ing the. contest In said districts and
State be true this committee asks not in
the interest of the Republican party. hut
of the country, that such action shall be
taken as the good Of the public interest
requires"
In presenting the resolution Mr. Payne
said that he introduced 1t because OF the
evident pernicious activity OF the Office
holders In the campaign, ana that he be-
lieved IT would be very serious mistake
for the committee TO fall to ask that Of
fetal recognition be taken of this infrac.ion
of the laws Of the country. The committee
had. however agreed to take recess aft
er the disposal OF the Alabama cases. and
some of the members insisted that, as It
was then half past O'Clock, this decision
should ~ AkIhassd TO- Accordingly. the