The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-05
WHEN TO CONTEST
ELECTION LAW
Republicans to Wait Till Re-
gistration Begins
C. TOM. BAILEY'S PATH0S
DEFEATS TEN PER CENT ASSESS
MENT OF POSTMASTERS.
RUSSELL TO BE REQUESTED TO RESIGN
Prtchard to Sound" Him. The Pap Suckers
Have Plenty Of Money But Want More
and Take Steps to Get 1t.

anu lake StepS III Oct lie
Greensboro. \. c. Jan. 4-(Special.)
1t was not until today that | could get
u ful and accurate account of the meet
ing of the Republican Executive Com
mittee which met here this week. Out
side of giving out the date of the Cen
vention and Il statement that the new
election law would be contested nothing
was given out. But if there had been
Il photograph at that meeting, what in
tereSting stories it could tell,
All was not serene among the pap
suckers. There were only office-hOlders
present except Jim Moody and Judge
Bynum. who have recently been in office
and expect 10 get in again soon. Moody,
late major of the Baked Beans Depart
ment in Cuba-wants to go to Congress
if he can shove Pearson into the guber-
material race, and Bynum already has
fat thing as attorney for the govern
ment in the Asheville bank cases. The
rest have their noses deep in the swill-
tub. and were taking counsel together to
keep them there.
One of the first things that brought
about dispute WIS Il hot debate over Il
resolution that read something like this:
Resolved, That all postmasters draw
ing salary of 1000 per year be re-
:. .lired TO pay 800 to the campaign fund
AMI all others pay in the same proper
ton
Hardly had that resolution been read
when c. Tom Bailey, postmaster at Raj
cigh. rose to his feet and protested
against its passage He spoke feelingly
of the burdens resting upon the post
masters. 'the flower and chivalry" of
the pap-suckers, and plead not to dis
criminate against them He spoke so
pathetically for the oppressed postmast-
erS as to bring tears Of sympathy from
! Jim Moody, who felt inclined to take
up collection for their relief When
! c. Tom had finished one Mullen, post
master at Charlotte followed in the same
strain. and his disinterested love for
! the 81 .0C0 poStmaSterS was touching III
the extreme. When he had finished, the
resolution had been spoken to death, and
| failed to pass In its stead Il resolution
was adopted authorizing the chairman to
notify every office holder from Holton
and Harkins down to the smallest
doodle" how much he was expected to
! v.
dix TO the assessment that will make
the pap-suckers afraid to refuse. There
was great elation over the financial end
of the concern. There will be plenty Of
money. money for everybody money to
burn. and that is why the meeting kept
in harmonious spirit in spite Of the
differences.
The next thing in order created some
IL. Il
that Governor Russell be requested to
resign. That called for much speech
making. He is Il load on the party"
said one. Others made references that
were not very complimentary to His
Excellency. One man said that it would
be doing the Governor favor to get
him to resign. for if he didn't resign he
might be impeached Finally it was
argued that no formal action should he
taken, but that Senator Pritchard might
feel the Governor and see if IL resignaS
tion suggestion would sound like dyna-
mite exploding.
These smaller matters being settled,
and the date of the State Convention
having been fixed, the body then took
up the biz thing they had assembled to
determine, to-wit.: How to bust up
the new election law. Congressman
Linney. the Bull of the Brushes" Jim
Moody and Judge Bynum wanted imme-
diate action and didn't want to wait
more than five minutes before pronounc-
ing it unconstitutional. Linney elabor-
ated his views. He said that the SUI
preme court would promptly declare the
law unconstitutional, and when asked
how. in view of the repeal of all other
election laws. the election could be held
at all in 1900, he said that he had an
ticipated that very point. The repeal of
the former and the amendment of the
recent election laws would throw the
election back to the Constitutional meth
od and every man of the age of twenty
one could vote. He quoted a Texas de
cison as precedent for this course. and
it seemed to his mind to be conclusive.
jim Moody was positive that no time
ought To be lost and said Me Toe" To
all of Linney's argument and law. In
discussing the Constitutional amendment
Mr.. Linney said that under no circum-
stances could it hold because if passed
Mt all it would be passed by fraud under
the workings of Il dishonest election law
He quoted a decision to the effect that
IN amendment passed by an unfair cleo
ton law was null and void, and claim
ed that Judge Rodman had rendered a
decision that confirmed that view.
After Linney's crowd, pressing for i'm.
mediate action against the election law,
had finished Pritchard took the floor and