Evening star., 1900-10-02
APPEAL FOR JUSTICE
Statement Issued by Regular Demo-
, cratic Central Committee.
VIGOROUS REPLY TO OPPOSITION
Declaration Regarding the Choc e
of National Committee man.
p r NJ 4 RIES OP P O S E D

The regular. or Norris. democratic central
committee of the District of Columbia held
fully attended meeting at the Metropoli-
tan Hotel last night, and unanimously
adopted statement, offered by Mr. VIII
liam T. Whelan, which set forth the
trail committees position before the demo-
cratic national committee regarding the
vacancy existing in the membership from
the District. The statement was fol-
bows:
'The democratic central committee of
the District Of Columbia in response to
the recent official statement Of the opposi-
tion, published in the local press. begs
leau, to submit that indulgence in offensive
personalities and abusive language. such
that contained in their official circular. in
dicates a determination to prevent rather
than facilitate harmony.
such expressions thugs frauds,
'hirelingS and 'corrEptionists,' fash in me-
teorc profusion from every paragraph Of
their protest to III" central committee, and
the atmosphere in democratic headquarters
at Kansas City fairly reeked with these
sCoundrelS' ana this gang whenever the
counsel for the contestants referred to the
regular delegation in his statements 10 the
national. sub. and credentiaf committees.
% hartman WoOdscn OF the SubCammit-
tee, threatened to eject one of their num-
Der from the room for profanity. and the
City ana presented in evidence before the
credenral committee contained the most
discrsditable misrepresentation and viliiti-
cation II District democratic repreS5 ntl-
uVes that has ever been presented before
any Investigating committee IL any
tional convention.
9TH opposition charge that Mr., Norris
and his clique are the only obs ac!es to
harmony. ana claim that if he will offer
himself az a sacrii"ial victim on the altar
of concord, peace and tranquility will fol-
low.
Two Elections of SIR. Norris.
M Sorris as candidate for the national
committee has been twice elected during
the las; Year by the District democracy
once rs their central committee to fill the
unexpired term Of the late lamented Law
rene Gardner. ami again at the regular
primaries, helJ last april. defeating the can
ddateS u The opposition. who. refusing 10
abide ~ the decision Of their felow-citi-
zens. have, upon each occasion, carried the
contest - tE@ national committee
"Theae facts demonstrate that Mr.. Norris
is the un4ueStionIhle choice Of The District
democracy for national cOmmi teeman, and
had the opposition manfully acquiesced in
bese decisions there would have been no
contest. and the District democracy would
have been united and harmonious
when the opposition charge MIR. Norris
with being the lnstigator and beneficiary of
fraud-the emissary Of corruption and the
Representative Of thugs and hirelingS. they
Include in their sweeping Indictment ten
thousand democratic yO:ers who supported
him - the primaries. every chairman, sec
retary and Judge thai officia.cd at the
twenty out OF the twenty-five legislative dis
triCtS. which gave him their suffrageS.
hundred and twenty delegates and alter
mates who composed the regular city con-
Eentipu that indorSsl his nomination by
clamation. and the five delegates who ac-
cOmranied him to the national convention
Questions more important than the aalec-
fiOu Of a national Csoumif IN
yolvtd IN this COntroverSy-shaH the demo-
cratic principle OF the majority rule pre-
vail? Shall the integrity OF regular Urgani-
Zation be maintained?
Cannot Be Eliminated.
James l.. Norris. the man however hon
oIed q democrat or respected a citi-
zen is not the supreme factor in this equa-
ton: bu; James l.. Norris. the Representa-
tive of an Overwhelming majority Of the
Distric, democracy, the nominee and choice
of the regular city convention. composed OF
delegates and alternates elected AT the reg
uiar primaries held in response 70 tile call
Of the central committee. cannot be elimi-
mated or withdrawn 70 make way for the
candidate Of an irreguidriy constituted
oOGy. whose authority Is self-delegated and
whose power does not come from the people
.Tem.Drary harmony can be produced in
any political contest If The greater yields
to the lesser the majority submits TO
the minority. bat The fundamental princi-
pies Of American democracy Will not per
mil 7.
THE opposition refer - their continual
change 81 candidates for national commit
|Ntesman from Mr William HCmead and Mr..
EGwIn /. Newman 10 Mr. Charles W. Sla-
ter. proof Of their desire Tor harmony.
They know n the contrary, that ii is case
of anybody 70 defeat he candidate OF the
regular organization. The representatives
OF the regular democracy nave ialthiuiiy
and steadfastly supported but one candi-
date, .hs indicates the sincerity OF their
motives and the reciitude OF their choice.
Allegations Controyerted.
The opposition based their contest before
the credentials committee on charges OF
fraud supported by affidavits and pam
phlet They represented themselves as be-
ing delegated by the labor organizations OF
the District to oppose Mr.. Norris and his
| associates. They arrogated the supreme
right TO represent Mr.. Bryan, and stated TO
the committee that he mad authorized them
to oppose the regular delegation. Ihey
stated al indianapolis that Mr. Norris, as
q representative OF trusts. had advanced the
price OF fares on all electric roads IN
the District Of Columbia.
MIR. Bryan denied over his own signature
having authorized or suggested any CON
test in>the District. Messrs Daley and
| KilIeen. authors Of the principal affiddvits,
claim hat said afIidavits had been tam
pered with. The originatorS of the slam
derous pamphlet ignore and deny lis author
ship The duly authorized bodies OF the
American Federation and the knights Of
Labor Of the District denounced the at
tempt Of the opposition 70 represent or
speak FIR them before the credentials com
mittee rs a gross imposition, and The
th0rS Of the statement that Mr.. Norris had
Increased the price Of car fares admit that
II VAS a Misrepresentation, but claim,
nevertheless. that il effected its purpose.
Every proposition upon which they ba sed
their contest has been denied ignored or
repudiated.
National Committee Action Awaited.
The decision of the credential committee
dividarg the votes TO which the District
was entitled between both delegations was
obtained by these Misrepresentation, and
as such methods. when proven. vit.ate such
decisions the action of said committee will
be reversed in favor of the regular delega-
ton, when accorded a hearing by the ma
tional committee. The Kansas City con-
yentioA referred the District matter to the
national committee. Said committee on the
afternoon Of July q passed the following
resolu;ion, which has been furnished by
C. A. Walsh, its secretary, and member of
he from