The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-10-24
THE STATE COMMITTEE.
Meets and Fills Vacancies OH
the Electoral Ticket.
Also Passes a Resolution to In
vestigate Primary Elec-
ton Frauds.


Jackson, Oct. 19-At a meeting of
the State executive committee, this af-
ternoon, w. j. East, of Tate, was
named as presidential elector for the
second district, to succeed Mr.. Thur
mond, deceased, defeating Dudley NJ
Featherston, of Marshall, one vote on
the second ballot, the first ballot be-
ing tie. S. A. Witherspoon, of Lau-
derdale, was chosen unanimously to
succeed Presley Groves as elector in
the Fifth district, who is a member of
the legislature from Leake, and re-
signed because of the fact. Hon. j. F.
McCool, elector for the State at large,
trustee of the Agricultural and Me-
chanical College, resigned the latter
position. Messrs McCool and Groves
were prompted to take this action out
of abundant precaution. Neither of
them believed his two holdings we're
incompatible, but would take no risk
where their party was involved. Mr..
McCool spoke for himself and Attor-
ney General McCluIg spoke by letter
and in person for Mr.. Groves,
Resolutions to investigate primary
election frauds were adopted. They
are commented on as woefully belated
the locking of the stable door after
the horse is gone-and the fact is re-
called that the committee, on June q,
when it met to count the vote, tabled
resolution offered by Smith, of Holmes,
to Investigate gross frauds and irregu-
larities charged. Since then the press
of the State, religious and secular, has
Numbered demand for an invistiga-
ton, and such demand has been re-en-
forced by two Democratic congressional
conventions.
Six members of the committee were
absent and unrepresented by proxy. 1t
is said that several of these wired re
quests to gentlemen here to act for
them, but they declined, presumably
for the reason that they regarded the
committee as tunctus ofticio, having
perpetuated Itself as shown by the
Clarion Ledger and the press gener-
ally, and the June State convention,
because in its famous plurality prima-
ry election order it failed and after
wards refused to submit the election
of its successor to the people.
As indicated some months auo he
would, Secretary Conner rendered his
resignation, reiterating his reason for
so doing. resolution was unani-
mously adopted requesting him to
withdraw it, but in the event that he
did not, motion prevailed recon-
mending the appointment by the chair
man OF Mr.. J. Z. Meyer as Mr.. Corners
successor.
Chas. A. Gordon, of Claiborne acted
as secretary of the committee
Committeeman Bradley introduced
the following resolution. which, after
discussion was adopted. A suggestion
that Editors Henry and McNeily be
members of the committee was objected
to by several members, who protested
that the committee of investigation
should consist of members of the com
mittee:
Resolved, That the chairman of this
committee appoint committee of
.hree to make a thorough investiga-
ton of the late primary election
frauds, and ascertain the counties
where fraud and unfairness have oc-
Cured, the character and extent of
such frauds, if any were practiced, and
the parties who perpetrated the same,
and report to the committee the result
of their investigation at the next meet
ing.
Resolved, further, That this com
mittee is ready and anxious at all
times to take the necessary steps to
secure fairness in elections and main
tain inviolate the sanctity of the bal
lot, and requests all good Democrats to
give the committee appointed to inves-
tigate their aid and assistance in as
certaining the truth and all charges of
fraud and irregularity"
The following committeeman were
present, in person or by proxy:
State at large-C. G. Miller, S. d. Nc
Nair, j. H. Price, L. G. Dulaney, proxy
for j. w. Cutrer; VIM. Hemingway,
proxy for G. C. Myers.
First DISTRICT. j. Evans, proxy for
E. O. Sykes.
Second District 7. R. Maxwell, VIM.
Hemingway, proxy for G. L. Sivley.
Third DISTRICT. T. Lowe, l.. c. Du-
laney, proxy for Walter Sillers.
Fourth District-Roane and Craw-
ford both absent.
Fifth Districts. NJ. Smith, J. L.
Buckley.
Sixth Districts. L. McLaurin.
proxy for w. A. White.
Mr. Minor, of Illinois, representa-
tive of the national committee, APP
peared before the committee and asked
for financial aid for campaign pur-
poses. He will canvass the State for
funds for the next ten days.
The legislature at it's last session
provided for Vicksl rig military park
commission consistil If twenty three
members, being one member for each
Mississippi organization participating
in the defense of Vicksburg, namely:
The Fourth, Thirty fifth, Thirty sixth,
Thirty-seventh, Thirty eighth, Forti-
eth, Forty second, Forty-third and
Forty sixth infantry regiments, Third
Battalion and Fifth Regiment Missis-
sippi State troops. Mississippi Parti-
san Rangers company, First Missis-