The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-05-05
STATE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
BRYAN FOR PRESIDENT.
Constitutional Convention Endorsed Daniel
Martin, Tyler and Jones Delegates at
Large Jefiries and Mann Electors at
Large Crabbe and Ellsworth
Delegates From This District
Downing District Elector.

Downing DlSLllCL bleCtOI.
The Democratic State Convention
held in Norfolk Wednesday. was a large
and enthusiastic gathering. and its pro.
ceedings were spirited and harmonious
Senator Ii. ID Flood. Ct Appomattox,
the temporary chairman. made an en-
thusiastic Democratic speech
The interest Of the convention CEN
tered in the work OF the Committee on
Resolutions, OF which Senator Daniel
was chairman. Upon this was devOlv-
ed the duty Of reporting platform,
the absorbing feature OF which was the
declaration indorsing the Constitution
oil convention
Senator Martin and the other leaders
who were primarily opposed to the con.
vention displayed skin in directing the
makeup Of the Committee on Resolu-
tiOns considering tho c7c-whelminR
sentiment against their views. Inc
opponents were not at all disp )sed TO
line up in a clear cut fight against the
proposition. Their policy was to Skin
mish for getting declaration the
phraseology Of which would not bind
the party hand and foot TO q oonven.
tion. The other side. led by Daniel =,
Glass, Attorney General Montague,
Withers, Horsely and others, laboTed as
earnestly to prevent any temporizing
declarations They insisted that the
convention should say what it meant
and not adopt language in constituting
which there could be any misunder.
standing.
Congressman Jones insistence for
committing the party 10 a pledge to
apply the DISTINGUISHING provision only
to negroes met with approval in many
quarters. Mr.. Jones made bold fight
for his proposition before the Commit
tee on Resolutions. He explained that
so far from weakening the call for q
convention IL would strengthen the
hands OF the advocates Of that PROPOSE
ton. The illiterate whites, Mr. jones
maintains with great olearness, would
have the assurance in advance that
they should not be placed on footing
with the same class Of negroes. This
assurance. Mr. Jones declared, would.
instead OF sntagonizing the illiterAte
whites against Constitutional con.
vention, tend to solidify that class Of
Democrats. II not the Republicans, too,
in It's favor.
Hon. T. W. Saunders. OF franklin
in assuming the permanent chairman.
ship of the convention, made a brief
address. His reference to W J. Bryan
in passing was appiauded Mr.. Saun'
ders Indicated in his remarks that the
Democratic leaders in Virginia recog-
niZe the fact that changes and time
may demand different platform which
the National convention Is to adopt. HIS
reference 10 the fact that the most
important work to be considered was
the Endorsement Of Constitutional
convention provoked the heartiest ap'
plause accorded any reference in his
speech The permanent chairman = dec
laration that the Democrats Of Virgin
ia are now, as they always have been,
in favor of white supremacy brought
forth earnest applause.
The initiatOry fight on the nomina-
ton for the Attorney Generalship came
on in the fight for election Of the two
electors t.large Judge Mann, OF Not
toway, and Senator Jeffries, Of Oul-
pepper. who are the recognized candi-
dates for this honor. were pitted against
each other for electors These two gem
tlemen won easily The vote stood
JefTries $50. Mann $50, Barksdale
322 and Pollock l02 Before the
announcement Of the vote was
complete the election of Mann and
Jeffries was made unanimous These
were the names in nomination for
electors. at large Jeffries, Of Oulpeper !;
Barksdale. OF Halifax; Mann, Of Not
toway Pollock, Of Pulaski.
Congressman Peter j. Otey, OF
I,ynchburg. was reelected as the mem.
Der from tnis State to the National
Committee.
There was no fight over the chair
manship Of the State Committee There
was a strong movement at one time 10
have Secretary Of the Commonwealth
J. 7. Lswless, oppose j. I. Ellyson.
Congressman Hay, close friend OF
Senator Martin, who was By some sup.
posed TO favor Lawless succeeding
Ellyson, moved to re.elect Mr.. Ely
son by reclamation, which was done.
Mr.. Rixey presented the resolution
of Workingmen, indOrsing the bill
now pending in Congress TO place ship
Yards doing Government work on the
same footing as TO working hours as the
navy yards, which was discussed some
little at the afternoon session. The
resolution went to the committee.
H. NJ. Smith, Of Richmond, propos.
ed that the convention should express
its commentator OF the heroism OF
our fellow democrat Admiral Dewey.
This proposition was received with
laughter and some applause.
DELEGATES. AT-LARGE.
The delegates. large to the Kansas
City Convention are Senators Daniel
and Martin, Governor j Hoge Tyler
and Congressman W. A. Jones. This
was the most interesting fight of the
convention. The feature Of IL was that
the friends Of Senator Martin endeav-
ored to defeat Congressman Jones for
his place. There is not the most cor.
dial feeling existing between the ju'
nior Senator and Mr.. Jones. Hon. Frank
Hume, Of Alexandria. was the fifth
man in the race. In many cases
the Martin men swung into
lima for Hume. Albemarle, the home
county Of Senator Martin, wnlcn was
the first on the list, swung its vote.
solidly for Hume and the other three
candidates. Governor Tyler's selec.
lection Mr.. Martins friends without
exception seemed to support. This
will be the first time since the war in
which the Executive Of Virginia has
appeared in a national or any other
political convention as a delegate. The
vote for delegates at large was Daniel,
I'll; Martin, 1870; Tyler, $40; Jones,
523; Hume. ALB The slternates-at.
large were Hon. Frank Hume. Joseph
Button, W w. Baker, A A Campbell.
DISTRICT DELEGATES.
The various districts through their
delegation chairmen nominated cleo
Aa.a thn follnwinn hainn for tho dia.