The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-12
REPUBLIaANS AT SEA.
Convention at Greensboro Yesfer-
dny-They Want an tnti-CIark
Democrat
Especial TO The Messenger }


Greensboro, y. c., September I0.-The
republican congressional district con-
vention was called TO order this morning
by Mr.. ]. D. Martin. OF Rockingham
county, who was elected as permanent
chairman. Postmaster Reynolds, OF
Forsyth county, offered a resolution
that the convention adjourn until Mon
day, September -. Mr.. Hughes. OF Ala
nance county. offered as an amendment
that the convention adjourn sine die
leaving to the executive committee the
question OF nomination. Postmaster
Reynolds made a conciliatory speech on
this amendment, pointing out the ad-
vantages of having a committee 10 do
the work and the impression he made
on several was that he favored the
amendment. Mr.. ]. T. Benbow, and a
delegate from Rockingham, We're ou1-
spoken in support of the convention re-
assembling. MIR. Benbow called atten-
ton TO the fact that, while thu conven-
ton was called to meet at o'clock,
here it was in session at IL, and TO ad-
journ without meeting at all any more
would certainly give rise TO justifiab!e
complaint on the part Of those dele
gates, and of some who might desire 10
be candidates. who had not yet arrived,
but who expected to be here at o'clock.
When Mr.. Benbow got through, Mr..
Huges withdrew his amendment, and
the resolution to adjourn until Monday
the 22nd was adopted, and without
further ado the delegates dispersed.
Each county in the district was repre-
Sented by one or more delegates and
there We're thirty-five delegates and in
terested republicans present. There
would have been more present but sew
slr~n a llft fl1A lnTrll N fTa1 N
having been decided by Senator Pritch-
ard last night that it was best TO call
the convention off. He left on the early
morning train for Marshall, but will be
present and make a speech on Monday
| the 22nd, the new date set by him for
the convention. 1t is not really sun
posed by those on the inside that the
| convention of the 22nd will amount 10
anything except to endorse something
| that will happen between now and then,
or rather what is expected to material
iZe. The report sent you last night that
| there would be no convention, but a eau
Gus of So-called independent democrats
| would meet here Thursday night and
| endorse Mr.. Patterson, of Winston, for
| congress, has been confirmed by inter-
| views with some of the leaders this
| morning. The outside friends of Mr.
| Patterson are certain that the uncer-
| tainty surrounding the situation arises
| from the fact that he will not consent
| TO run. 1t has been an open secret for
| ten days here that Mr.. James Holt, Of
| burlington, had been importuned to
! make the race, not as a republican, but
] as a business mans Independent anti
| Clark demOcratic-republican candidate,
| but that he had stoutly declined to run
| under any circumstances or any banner.
| The plans about Patterson, Holt, ex-
ecutive committee endorsement, etc,
| are confined strictly to the congressional
| mana gers and manipulatorS of such
| things and are inside matters. On the
| outside, all unsophisticated, non-feder-
| al office holding republicans favor an
| open convention, and the nomination
| of a straight consistent republican One
| of them thought that if the cOnVentio1 I
| had made a nomination today, Mr..
John Reynolds, of the revenue office n
| Winston, would have received the NOM
| nation Major Alexander says he is
| not a candidate, while another true blue
| republican, Mr.. Petre, of Stokes, says
| he would like to have it, but will bo"
| to the judgment of those better versed
| in politics.
| The leaders are plainly at sea to get
| a democrat or former democrat willing
| to take it, while the rank and file as
| plainly desire to have at least one regI-
| lar republican to vote for. They ar"
| hard to convince that by running dem
! ocrats for important offices that pay
| we'll it will so demOralize the enerGs
| as to lose cadidates for the Legislature,
| will prove good bargain. One Of them,
| from Stokes county, stated this morn
| ing that in Stokes county he believed
| that for every democrat who voted for
| Judge Hill, there would be twenty white
| republicans who would scratch his name
| or vote openly for Judge Clark. And
! so it goes. You can hear anything you
| want, but the last bit Of gossip wa not
| new ga cept as to territory, for talk OF
| that kind is common around here among
| th. fire tried