The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-15
True 10 Tradition Two Meet
lngS We're Held.
Old Line Leaders Set Up Indepen.
dent Meeting and Alexander
City Postmaster Makes Warm
Observation-Disclosures
Club Movement.


stead of one.
As usual disorder and threats of person.
al violence had a more or less impor tant
bearing on the days proceedings.
At the close of the day two distinct or
ganizations had been formed. one led by
Joseph c. Manning of Alexander City and
the other in charge of the old-line leaders
of the Republican Party in Alabama
The organizations are bitterly antago-
nistic. the Manning followers attacking
openly the old leaders, while the party
machinery men who had the larger fol-
lowing on the show down" affected to
ignore the smaller organization.
Both organizations went away with the
determination to carry the fight into
the county primaries and conventions for
the selections of delegates to the Repub-
ncan State Convention which meets in
birmingham on September 16 The fac
lions will come together there in fight
Tor party mastery and it is in the range
of possibilities that the National Repup-
lcan Committee may have to act as final
tribunal of the differences of Alabama
Republicans as it did in 1900
The call for the gathering of yester-
day was issued by J. c. Manning OF
Alexander City. Its announced purpose
'ei' ~ ipi iI a oldlt League uHueF whose
supervision Republican clubs would be
organized in all parts of the State. The
League was to have for its aims the paw
Ing of the way for men who have pre-
vfously been Democrats or Populists to
come into the Republican party under the
new conditions which have arisen since
the negro has been eliminated from poll
tics in Alabama.
Machine Leaders Show Up Strong.
The call met with an almost unanimous
response from the machine leaders, the
men who controlled the destinies of the
party and who had in the past filled the
federal offices. Their >presence and the
presence of their numerous followers evil
denced the interest they tok in the gather
ing 1t showed further that any at
tack upon the privileges. which they have
heretofore enjoyed would not succeed
ed purpose to be in at the reorganizing il
any recognizing of the Republican party
was attempted.
Mr. Manning had undoubtedly received
considerable encouragement in his move
ment for better cgonditions, but some
of the encouragement had come from men
who were not prepared at this time to &C
out and fight for the movement in the
open. The men who gathered about Mr.
Manning were mostly young men. those
who have heretofore taken no very active
part in Republican politics At the Glen
more meeting where the old leaders gath.
cred, many faces were noted and they
were the faces of men who had not b.
fore attended Republican meetings ir
Montgomery.
The Glenmore gathering in numbers was
much larger than the Arlington Hotel
meeting over which Mr.. Manning pre-
sided. 1t was claimed that nearly eighty
Republican voters attended the former
meeting while no definite information
could be obtained concerning the Manning
meeting although the latter gathering
was at no time large
The place of meeting for the proposed
conference was the rock upon which the
Republicans split. The meeting as origi-
nally intended was to be held in Nc
Donald's Theatre. which had been en-
gagged for that purpose.
Rumors of Lively Meeting.
In the morning rumors of possible dis
order and personal violence were circu-
lated. 1t was rumored that If Mr.. Man
ming appeared before the gathering TO
speak he would have a lively time. His
friends assert that threats were made that
he would be thrown out the window.
These rumors were never traced to their
sources. but the fact the Republican con-
vention of two years ago was violent and
dangerous in some measure gave stand
ing to the reports.
Sol Finnegan who is managing the
theater In the absence of Professor Nc
Donald In New York heard the reports.
He thereupon sent the following letter to
Mr. 4n aiming:
Mr.. Joseph C. Manning. Arlington Hotel.
City:
Dear Sr--In the absence of Professor
Mcdonald from the city, would prefer not
to open the Opera House to the Repub-
lican meeting because of the threats OF
disorder and possible violence that
learn are being rumored about town.
Respectfully.
-. Finnegan."
The leaders of the other faction say
that any reports intimating disorder or
personal violence to Mr.. Manning were
utterly groundless. To substantiate this
they point to the instructions given the
special committee which waited upon Mr..
Manning and assured him of fair and
courteous treatment.
More than anything else the two meet
ings emphasized the fact that the negro
had passed out Of the reckonings of the
Republicans in Alabama The negro dele
gate was conspicuous by his absence. lie
did not make his appearance at the Glen
more nor at the Arlington.
The only negro seen was the bell boy
who brought in chairs for the GIenmore
gathering.
After the division both meetings were
harmonious. There was no disorder and
all business was dispatched in order and
with smoothness.
Manning Issues Statement.
Mr. Manning directly after the adjourn
ment Of the Arlington Hotel meeting gave
out the following signed statements;
II had been advised by kilograms that
Vaughan and Bingham men were COM
ing to Montgomery to capture the meet
ing and disrupt the effort to organize a
League of Republican Clubs in Alabama
Reputable men came to my room We'd
nesdav night and stated to me that
benchmen of Vaughan and Bingham were
here threatening me personal violence
and that these leaders had said If Man
ni,p's movement succeeds he will be tho
biggest man in the party in A-aOama,
and that they proposed TO create riot ana
disorder and disrupt the conference II
necessary | was notified thursday that
the conference would not be held IN the
Opera House.
AFTER these office holding thugs and
their benchmen realized their disgraceful
and dtsreputahle attitude they sent com
mittee to me proposing that l come
amongst their element and these old polt-
teal prostitutes who have raped the party
had nerve enough to think | would damn
my conscience and sense of respectabillty
by surrendering my views and honor u
the extent of meeting in session with
them when ! had knowledge it was their
real wish ana purpose to then attempt C.