The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-11

| Of delegates, and as each name was
called the vote was Aye or No, and ana
| not vote nv precincts. The convention
consisted of 81 votes. Immediately after
The failure of this proposition the motion
was made that the candidate who was
| entitled to 90 delegates be made the
nominee of this county. The vote wat
taken by reclamation consequently the
result as to number was not obtainable.
refer to the plan of organization of the
Democratic party under the head OF
County and District Conventions, para
graph /:
1.-THE delegates shall be selected by
the friends and supporters of each can
didate voted for in proportion to the
number of votes he shall receive in
such county convention and no other in
structions shall be given"
Now, sir, the party who has the %
delegates claims that in naming delegates
to the Senatorial Democratic convention,
he is entitled to the proportion OF
AZ to 81. The party having % delegates
claims that the division should be made as
23 is to % in accordance with the Demo-
cratic Plan Of Organization and votes cast
at precinct primaries. The appointment
OF the delegates was left to the chairman
of the convention.
1t is important that 1 have the ruling
at once as l shall want the papers
to publish the names of the delegates or
Friday morning, consequently we shall
have to receive your reply by tomorrow
afternoons train. Shall certify to the
Senatorial convention the vote as named
1868 and 1929 and appoint delegates in the
proportion as named, 23 and %?
Yours truly,
w. j. WOODWARD.
I his statement of the case having
! been made, the committee, on motion
granted to the contestants thirty min
utes each in which to present their
facts and argument before the com
mittee.
Mr.. Meares opened the argument
stating his claim and declaring that il
was simply a question of construction
of the Democratic plan of organiza-
ton; that this plan accorded minority
representation and under it he claim
!, eel the vote given for him in the pri
mary. He never, he said, had agreed
/. to withdraw if he didn't get a ma jori
! ty of New Hanover's vote. On the
contrary he had expressly declined
/ to do so.
! "The result of your decision is this
If you give me my part of the vote i
dominates me. If Mr. Morton gets The
w.n lie vote, as he claims he should
! it dominates him."
| M. Morton's contention was thai
! since 1891 it had been the custom fol
| Mn Hanover and Brunswick countie:
| to alternate in the selection of the
! Senator: that when it came New Han
overs time to have the Senator it Sc
lected him and Brunswick endorsed
the selection when Brunswlck's turn
came the same courtesy was EXTENDED
to it. Under this custom, he argued
that the plan of organization applied
| to he county making the choice ant
tn result was final and binding.
I brunswick county has nothing t.
dc with the matter this time except t.
stand by New Hanover's CHOICE of ;
candidate.
Il told Mr. Meares on the day o
the primary that if he should beat mt
one vote he would never hear anothei
word from me. | wculd never have
appealed to the county convention anC
from the county convention | would
neve, have appealed 10 this commit
tee. I'm that kind of a Democrat
and I'm the kind of Democrat tha
will abide by your decision ZAP
plause.)
While making his argument Mr.
Morton called on his own friends anC
supporters present and those of Mr.
Meares. and both stated that il was
understood when the primary cleo
ton was held in New Hanover tha
the result would decide who was tC
be the candidate.
On conclusion of the argument the
cL- testants were asked to retire an(
three propositions We're submitted tt
the committee as q settlement of the
controversy:
l. That Senatorial convention be
called for the district composed OF
New Hanover and Brunswick, anC
pass upon the claims of the two con
testants to the nomination.
.. That a Senatorial primary be call
ed in Brunswick county and a new
one held in New Hanover county.
3. That Chairman Woodward be in
structed to give to Mr.. Morton the
entire vote of New Hanover as ordered
by the convention.
The last proposition was, after {
long discussion adopted in the form
Of tie following resolution, which
patscd liv vote of 16 to 8:
Reg v & hit It is the sense of this
cor'riltce shat Under the primaries as
htid IL New Hanover county Geo. l.
Morton having received a majority of the
votes cast is entitled to have delegates
appointed to the Senatorial convention
favorable to his nomination as Senator
fer the Tenth district
THE SECOND DISTRICT.
The next matter brought before the
committee was petition of the execu-
tive committee of the Second Con
gressional district FOR permission to
hold "a nominating convention in that
district before the August election.
This petition was presented by Mr.
Joseph +. Robinson. of Wayne, and
M. w. A. Dunn, of Halifax They
stated that at a meeting of their ex.
ecutive committee, held earlier in the
night. it had been decided that it was
eXpedient to hold an early convention
There being nine counties in the dis
trict and seven candidates. they deem
eel an early settlement of the nomina-
ton for the best interest of the party
They deemed it proper to ask This