The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-02
on THE EVE OF
THE CONVENTION
No Agreement on the Con-
stitutional Revision.
ELLYsON NOT OPPOSED
H. D. Flood Chosen for Temporary
Chairman.
PARTY ORGANIZATION N
The State Committee to Have the
Power to Settle all Local Disputes.
Governor Tyler Likely 10 be
Made Delegate at Large.
Four Names Mentioned
for Sd Dist. Delegate.
H. D. Flood Chosen for Temporary
Chairman.
PARTY ORGANIZATl0 N
"a STAFF correspondent.l

"a Staff Correspondent
NORFOLK, VA, May l. There
never has been a State Democratic
Convention held in Virginia in which
there were so few candidates for the
positions of honor to be voted away as
the one that meets here Tomorrow. NO
one seems especially anxious TO go TO
Kansas City. There are two reasons for
this The cost of the trip will be more
than a person usually has to pay TO
go to a National Convention.
The second reason was aptly expressed
by Representative w. +. Rhea in a
conversation with The Times correspond
ent. SAID he: THE National Conven-
ton viii be simply a big ratification,
meeting 1t is settled in advance that
Bryan Will be renominated and the
Chicago Platform reattirmed. There Will
be nothing TO fight over, and people, as
a rule do not care to go so far TO a
ratification meeting, especially as Bryan
will not be there to make an address.
There are not as many delegates here
to-night as were expected. They are
slow coming in. All the big party leaders
and 1lzny ot the smaller ones are on the
ground. But there are comparatively
few of those who take no active part
in ,ycllitics. 1lnc country districts appear
=, he r,oor,v represented The late
trains tonight and those in the morning
may bring in many delegates and visit
ors Norfolk is an ideal convention
city.
AMPLE ACCOMMODATIONS
The hotel accommoda lions fare ample
and the hall in which the meeting VIII
be held VIII seat all the people who may
desire TO watch the proceedings. 1t is
practically settled that Hon. j. Taylor
Icllvson will be reelected chairman Of
TIE State Democratic Committee The
flieads of Mr.. Lawless have begged him
to reconsider his purpose to refuse to
allow his name to be put up for the
chairmanship. He has declined to do 50.
Mr. LawIess told those who called on
him that he would like to serve his party
as chairman, but he would not oppose
Mr. Ellyscn. Some Of the admirers OF
the Secretary Of the Commonwealth say
they Will vote for him anyhow, but II Is
conceded by everybody that Mr.. Elyson
will succeed himself.
1t cannot be positively stated who Will
be elected delegates at large to Kansas
City, save that Senators Daniel and Mar
lin will be Two of them. Congressman
Hay declines TO run. Mr. Ellyson and
Governor Ty,er are willing TO accept,
and it is probable that they win be
chosen. a close friend of Senator
Martin told me he thought it would ba
the handsome thing TO elect the Cover
nor.
TO HONOR TYLER.
He said Mr.. Martin was in favor OF
cofferr:ng this honor upon Major Tyler.
Representative Jones friends are anxious
that he be made delegate at large, but
taose who were active in the support of
Mr. Martin for the Senate, and they are
the people who Will control the conven-
ton seem to prefer Governor Tyler to
Mr. Jones. Representative Swanson is
talked OF for delegate at large, and he
viii serve if chosen, but is making no
fight for the position. Hon. Frank Hume,
of Alexandria county, is being doomed,
and il may be that he will be one of the
four.
There are three candidates for electors
at large. They are John l.. Jeffries, of
Culpeper; Judge William Hodges Mann,
of Notioway, and William 2. Barksdale,
of Halifax There is talk of making
Barksdale permanent chairman of the
convention. If this is done he Will re-
tire from ~ race for elector.
There are few candidates from any of
the districts for delegates to Kansas
City.
Ninen the district conventions are held
III the morning at 10 o'clock, in most
delegate summed UP the situa ton in these
words: we viii first have to 60 around
and find out who is willing to pay for
the privilege of participating in tho
national ratification meeting and eject
them delegates.
There are four persons in the Third
district mentioned for delegates. They
are William Ii. Sands and Chris Manning,
Jr, of Richmond: A. ]. Bradley, of Man
M fhaSfprfie1I
All are willing to serve. Samuel l. kel-
lev will be nominated by acctamation for
elector for .ne Third district
Hon. II. D Flood will be the temporary
chairman of the convention. He was the
author Of the constitutional convention
bill In his speech he viii address him
self chiefly to the need of a revision of
the organic law of the State. Speaker E.
w. Saunders or William P. Barksdale,
will be the permanent chairman. Joseph
Button and William Henry Mann. the
popular clerks of the Senate and House,
will be the secretaries.
THE ONE QUESTION.
The only contest that Is attracting any
attention wlratever is that witl! reference
to ma king the constitutional convention a
party issue. This matter Is the only
thing that will put any life into the pro-
ceedings of the convention. Those who
oppose making II a party issue DO not
admit that they are. whipped. To use the
language of the last Spanish Governor
General OF Cuba. they are apparently
whipped but are keeping on fighting. Rep
resen:atives Jones and Rhea are unalter-.
ably opposed TO making this question a.
party issue. Judge Rhea is backed up by
the almost solid delegation from the Ninth
district TIE arti-convention men are
pleading With leaders on rbe other side.
men like Senator Daniel and Carter Glass.
to make concessions TO them. Confer
ences are being held nearly all the time.
hut no agreement has been reaehed.
II is said Mr. Jones wants the resoln-
4sous to state what Is the policy of the
Democratic party with reference to the
disfrra ns.ieseznen of voters in the event a
NOD oS,s -