The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-09-12
SNAP COMMIT.
TEE MEETING
Calls a Snap Primary Election For Next
Saturday. Sept l3,
TO ELECT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ExEcUTIvE COMMIT
TEA FRACTIONAL THE
MrTTEE CHAIRMANsHIP.

The meeting of the Democratic Exec
utiye Committee in the Circuit Court
room Monday developed into a lively
gathering.
Chairman fowler called the meeting
together to decide upon the time and
manner of nominating two representa-
tives from this county to the lower
house of the next General Assembly; to
select delegates to the senatorial con-
vention which meets the 18th inst. at
Hohenwald, at which time Senator to
represent the counties of Maury, Lewis
and Perry will be named; and to choose
new Democratic Executive Commit
tee for Maury county.
1t was char ged upon the streets this
morning, by members of the faction OPP
posed to Mr.. fowler and his faction OF
the party 10 this county, that today's
meeting was ! snap affair, called for the
purpose of arranging snap convention
or primary for next Saturday and that
only such committeeman as Mr.. fowler
wished present had received notice IN
proper time.
This charge was mentioned to the
chairman and he said that letter
was mailed each committeeman FRI
day night, telling of the meeting,
and that every letter should have
reached its destination on Saturday.
He said in addition, however. that
he was making no especia! effort TO
please his opponents, and dldn care
particularly whether committeeman
of that faction received notice In time
or not.
However, every district except enc
was represented, either in person or
by proxy. and it developed on test
vote that Chairman fowler had taken
time by the forelock by securing
majority of the proxies, thereby en-.
mailing himslf to hold the balance OF
power in the meeting
In fact he was very nearly the
"whoie thing and could have given
Boss Reed" few pointers on running
political meeting.
MIR. fowler explained, after calling
the meeting to order and stating It's
purposes that it had been his inten-
ton to hold the meeting about the
22nd inst. but that ne received let
ter Friday from Chairman Christian
of Lewis county, announcing the seDa-
torial convention for the 18th inst. at
Eohenwald. Realizing therefore that
brief time was given to select Maury
counties delegates to that convention
he had called the committee meeting
at once.
Mr.. W. Q. Witherspoon then arose
and read the resolutions we reproduce
below. These resolutions produced a
flow Of eloquence rarely equalled in
political meeting in the old court
house.
The clause in the resolutions most
strongly opposed was that which gives
to the chairman the power OF appoint
ing the judges and CLERKS to hold sat
urday's election. \ 49,
Hon. John Nj. Grove from the 25th
district. stated that this usurpatlon OF
power by the chairman was against all
precedent. That the committeeman
had always been given the appointing
power and that if the chairman had
decided to be "the whole thing ana
appoint the judges and clerks he saw
no reason why he shouldn do away
with an election altogether. and ap-
point new committeeman and delegates
straight out.
about the clause. He said the chair
man had been elected by the executive
committee. That he was an honor
able man and would do the right thing.
Mr.. ]. B. Granbery arose and moved
To table the resolutions. He said as
far as mis- district was concerned he
didn't care who the judges and clerks
were, but he thought the chairman's
ruling unwarranted and thought pre-
cedent and right should be followed,
and the committeeman should retain
the appointing power. ;.
Mr.. fowler asked Mr.. Granbery ii
the last chairman, Mr.. Cheairs, hadn't
taken this same power unto himself.
Mr.. q. v. Hull agreed with Mr..
6ranbery and said he wanted only
tried and true democrats on guard
men who rad fought with the party
at all times. Mr.. Hull plead for har-
mony above all things.
Mr.. W. O. WitherspOon saw refer
ence in Mr.. Hulls remarks to his de-
parture from Democratic faith some
years since. =,
He said he had departed from the
faith. but he had followed principles
he believed in at the time and still
believes in, but that the Populist
party had drifted apart and he had
come back to the arms Of old Democ-
racy. That he was rocked to sleep in
a Democratic cradle; he would fight
for the party the remainder of his life,
and when he died he hoped to be
buried in q Democratic graveyard.
Mr.. John s. Brown recited an apt |
and pertinent poem at this point for
MT. Witherspoon's benefit. The poem
was greeted with applause.
Chairman fowler then called for the
vote on tabling the resolution. The
vote was % against tabling to IL for.
Some one then offered an amendment
IN the resolutions. The Chairman de-
clared the amendment out Of order,
called for the ayes and noes on the origi
nal question and declared the resolutions