The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-28
THE ELEC TON IN
FOURTH DISTRICT
udge Yarrell Protests Against Sec
ond Clause in Call.
OVERSIZE THEIR AUTHORITY.
The Committee. TIC Says. Has no Right
10 Empower The Delegates 10 Nom
inatc a Candidate 10 DC Voted
on at the Regular Election.
OVERSIZE THEIR AUTHORITY,
The Committee. iIc Says, Has no Right


The following correspondence published
On the Emporia News is self explanatory:
EmPoria. Va, March 20, 1909.
Mcssrs. Alexander King. Chairman: J.
J Cooke, and, T. y. Williams, Secretary
of the Fourth District Committee:
Gentlcmen-I have before me your cali
for a convention 10 be held March 18th
10 nominate a candidate TO De voted for
al the special election to be held April
IL, 1900. 10 ill the unexpired term in Con-
grcss OF the late Hon. Sydney z. Epes,
dated March 18th, published in the Dis
pattaa Of the 18th, and note with astonisn-
1nent the second clause.
s I respectfully submit that your Com
nlttee is absolutely and unquesaonabiy
without authority under party laws to
empower the delegates 10 this conven-
ton TO nominate also a candidate TO pc
fotcd% for at the regular election TO be
held on the 9th day OF November 1850.
You have as much right TO empower"
the delegates to go on and make nominal
lions for twenty years hence. or for the
natural life of any particular candidate,
as you have to ''empower' them to make
nomination for the regular election.
AT the convention TO be held in Norfolk
May I'd, the party will assemble to pass
on grave questions. make a new platform,
elect new committee for each Congress
sional District, and tHovide for the fall
campaign, and those committees will Lave
the right and duty TO call conventions to
nominate candidates for Congress to be
voted for at the fall elections, and all
persons who desire TO be candidates will
have the right and be given full opportu-
nifty TO present their claims to the Demo-
cratic voters throughout their districts
and have full and free expression OF the
sentiment of the whole party. \
Your action in attempting to empower
the Delegates to the 29ial of March con-
yention 10 nominate candidate for the
regular term commencing March T. 1901,
If carried out, could only result in forcing
upon the people of the Fourth district the
nomination Of a candidate for both terms
by delegates gotten upon eleven days
newspaper notice without the possibility
or ;retence of full, or even meaSurabiy
full expression Of the sentiment OF the
Democrats Of the distrdct-a complete sup
preston of the voice of Democracy-an
lrremediable injustice to every candidate
a.il1o waited for the Governor to order
special election before announcing his
candidacy.
Now l submit in all earnestness. that
even if you had the authority to SO en-
power the delegates-who will DE snatch
ed together on TWO or three days local
notice TO mere handful OF the Demo-
cratic roters-to nominate for an indie
finite number of future terms that myself
and other lifelong Democrats who have
borne the burden and lorurt of many hard
fought campaigns without asking for party
recognition, should at least be allowed 10
present our claims to the Democracy of
che district in the regular course IN &C
cordance with party custom. and not pc
crushed out by such extraordinary and
unnecessary action taken by your COM
1Idttee.
l. therefore in the interest of fair play
and even justice to all members of our
party, ask that You at once reconsider
the second clause of your call. 'empoW-
ering'' the delegates to nominate candi-s
date for the regular November election.
l regard 1t as void, and can see nothing
but harm to the party and injustice to
every member who desires to express his
choice lin THE regular manner for can
didate to be voted for at the regular cleo
ton to be held November g. 1900 and
practical shutting out of all candidates
who desire to submit their claims 10 the
Democrats of the district and waited until
the Governor ordered a special election
before being ''aNpwed'' candidates for as
the press generally puts it. Opponents
to the only avowed candidate for the
nomination.
kindly advise me of your decision by
wire ait once. as I shall refuse To submit
my claims to the convention of March
goth unless You cancel the second clause
Of your call.
Very respectfully yours,
LEO. D. YARREI1L.
Editor Enlporia Messenger:
] enclose a carbon COPY of q letter, of
which I mailed copies to Messrs. King
(chairman). Cooke, and Williams fsecre-
tary)@ of the Fourth District Democratic
Committee, on the 2oth instant. appealing
TO them to cancel the second clause of
their GALA for the convention. (which has
so far been ignored by all save Mr. Will
liains. who wired as follows:
ITO Leonidas D. Yarrel. Emporia, Va:
II opposed second section; it ought 10
be corrected. Write You.
THOMAS n. WILLIAMS"
And who also wrote, but did not give
me permission to publish his letter. I,
therefore. take this public method OF APP
peahng to the manhood of the Democracy
of the district to assert itself. and not
permit two members of its committee to
assume royal prerogatives and boldly as
sert the principle that power to nomi-
nate candidates flows from the committee
down 10 the people and not direct from the
people themselves. as did said committee
when they .empowered' the delegates TO
the March 29,h convention to nominate
for the next fall term by the second
clause OF their call.
And beg to also express the hope that
the convention itself will refuse to eXer-
else the power so graciously conferred
upon 1t by said committee and thus put
its seal of disapproval upon all such I'M
busting attempts TO throttle and fore
stall full and free expression of senti-
gnent by the great body Of the Democracy
of the district who have TO do the voting
and should not be denied the right to take
part in the naming of the candidate to be
voted for. Very truly yours.
LEO. D. FARRELL
1 Empor,a, Va. March 2S, 1900.