The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-12
VERY HEATED SESSION
AFRO -AMERlCAN COUNCILS LAST
DAY is EXCITING
Almost Disrupted by Bitter Debate
Over Irregular Election of Officers
: Resolution Rapping Republicans
Taken From eIeeates-Conventio
Ends With Harmony.

The last days session, and at times
utter disruption was threatened. but
ultimately conservative counsels pre-
vailed, and the convention came to an
harmonious ending.
1t was evident the evening before
that an attempt would be made to
negative the results of the election OF
officers at yesterday mornings session.
A determined effort was made to do
so, and during the discussion which
followed, some bitter things were said
+. w. Crews, elected chairman OF
the emigration committee, started the
ball rolling by thanking. the conven-
ton for the honor bestowed on him,
but declaring that there was general
dissatisfaction among the delegates at
the snap-Judgment taken on the con-
Ventlon by the irregular method of
election resorted to. He drew fire from
Presldent-elect Fortune, by speaking
Oh the alleged" president, and Mr.. For
tune retorted angrily, wheupon Mr.
Crews denied that he intended any re-
Election on the gentlemen. Mr.. Crews,
said, that under the circumstances, the
only fair thing to do was for every Of
ficer elected to resign and permit a
~ASN SACNNAO1A " OC lGlu NIL crews old
this and Mrs. Ida Wells Burnett die
likewise, but the principal officers of
the order did not accept the invitation
to resign with any degree of haste.
and the two who resigned were triurn-
phantly reelected.
Fight on Election.
Fred L, McGhee, of st. Paul, after a
very minute investigation of the min
utes Oh the previous days meeting.
challenged the election on four grounds
OF alleged 1rregularity, and wanted the
election declared void. Other delegates
came to his aid, but several delegates
or opposite opinion also wanted to talk
ana there were so many delegates on
the moor at one time that the chair had
to silence them all and declared the
speeches. out of order. Bishop Clinton.
VINO was presiding, declared Mr.. Nc
Ghees points not we'll taken, and pro-
ceeded TO puncture them vigorously.
Amendments by the wholesale were
then hurried forward, and things were
looking very much mixed up, when
Bishop Clinton again declared them all
out OF ORDER and got the convention
gradually away from the touchy sub
ject. E.....t,.- ...,s.
1t was discovered that there was M
executive committee to which to refer
amendments and a new committee was
appointed, as follows:
Executive Committee.
Booker T.Washington, Emmett Scott and
Miss A. G. Bowen Alabama; j. s. G.
Sharp, w. B. Townsend and Mary Brown
son and Mary w. H Loudon. Iowa: w
II. Seward, j. C. jackson. and Miss Mar
tina 3. Webster, Kentucky; A. Baldwin
louisiana: 6 Smith a P E. B F6Sns and ID
Mrs. J. st. P. Ruffin, Massachusetts,;
Pr w: I. Francis, Harry Shepherd and
Crews, r. w Foster and Mrs King.
Missouri; II. B; Johnson, Jesse Lawson
and Miss Ida Herbert. New Jersey; Rev.
Jeffrey, New York; J. c. Dancey, G. w.
Clayton and Mrs. r. D. Reardon, North
Carolina, a; G. Smith, w. E. scarbor-
p. Il. Day, Dr. G.. r. Levy and Miss A.
G. Moore, South Carolina; J. R. Clifford.
G. E.. Clay and Mrs. Kent, West Vir-
ginia
During the recess conservative men,
bers got control of the situation and
the belligerentS were Gained down. 1t
was pointed out that the convention
had been a great success, that council
had great work to do, and that nothi-
ing must be allowed to disrupt 1t; that
it was better to agree on a compro-
mise than to start trouble by threaten
ing designations and that sort of thing
The difficulties existing were finally
bridged by a decision to let the cleo
ton stand this year, but to so amend
the constitution as to prevent a repeti-
ton of the election troubles experience
ed at this convention.
During the day reports from COM
mittees were received and several adj
dresses of interest delivered. Hon. J.
Madison Vance, of Louisiana, read a
paper on Power of the National Gov
eminent With. Respect to the Protec-
ton of Citizens" Hon. J. C. Dancey. of
North Carolina, delivered the most
eloquent speech of the session, a pow
erful and effective grafton on 1.-THE Po-
litical Future of the Negro"
Rap at Republicans.
One other ripple of friction fluttered
across the convention. J. S. G. Sharp,
editor of the Times Speaker, of Dem
ver introduced a resolution which went
to recite that inasmuch as the Repub-
lican party in congress mo longer ac-
lively insists on the manhood rights
of the Afro Americans, as shown in
the failure of the party in complete
power, to pass any proposed legislation
having in view an investigation into
the condition of the Afro-Americans
of the nation and to correct the public
and political inequalities by which they
are oppressed" no further reasons ex-
listed for the Afro Americans giving