The Forrest City times., 1902-07-25
STATEMENT OF COMMITTEE.
Little Aock, Ark, July 1S 1902.
To the Arkansas Democracy:

To the Arkansas Democracy:
As 1t seems that there is misapprehen-
Sion In the minds OF some of our people In re-
spect to the action OF the executive committee
OF the democratic state central committee in
arranging for joint discussion of the politi-
cal issues OF the day between some rcprcscu-
tatiye Of our party and Mr.. Myers the re-
publican nominee for governor. we deem 1t
proper to set forth the facts in the premises.
On June q the chairman OF committee
issued the usual ofiicial call for a meeting
of the committee in Little Rock on July o.
Two or three days after he wrote Gov. Davis,
the democratic nominee for governor. that the
committee would meet on the 9th inst. and
that he hoped to have the pleasure Of confer
ence with him before said meeting. In reply
Ing letter. towit:
Executive Chamber State of Arkansas, Little
Rock. Jefferson Davis, Governor. Chas. Ja-
cobson, Private Secretary.
Hon Carroll Armstrong Morrilton, Ark:
Dear sir-i received your very kind letter
In regard to the campaign and | agree with
you thoroughly. The campaign ought to be
short and hot have selected a list of speak
ers thirteen IN number, and left them with
Capt. E. l.. McCraeken | think IL you will
have these speakers make ten speeches each
of the last ten days of the campaign and bin
me m, for number that you see proper
enough for Me-. so in the last ten days of
the campaign would have 14O or 15O
speeches. have given McCracken fun In
structions Sorry | cannot be here the day
tie committee meets, but | will speak in the
northwestern portion of Benton county on the
Ith, and 1t will be impossible for to reach
here by night.
Hoping that the committee may carry out
theSe suggestions of mine nearly prac-
teablc and with kind regards, / beg to
main. your friend,
(signed) JEFF DAVIS"
Or July state central committee met
and after transaetlng other business, adopted
the following resolution, to-wit:
Resolved, That 1t is the sense of this COM
Dittee that arrangements for joint debates 5e
tween the democratic nominees and speakers
and the nominees and speakers of the republi-
can party be entered into as heretofore"
Captain f. L. McCracken handed in to the
committee a list of thirteen speakers prepared
by Governor Davis underneath which list Gov
ernor Davis wrote as follows
Have these parties each billed for ten
speeches each the last ten days before the gen.
eral election In whatever portion of the state
the committee may think proper. Bill me for
any number Of speeches you WISH but l think
ten is sufficient.
(Signed) JEFF DAVIS"
Mr.. Chss. Jacobson. private secretary to Gov
ernor Davis. advocated the adoption of the
above resolution, saying that he knew 1T was
the wish OF Governor Davis that "wherever
a republican speaker bobbed up he should be
met by a democratic speaker" During the
meeting Captain f l.. McCracken who ap
peared at said meeting as the special repre-
sentative of Governor Davis. Is shown by
the letter Of Governor Davis published above.
seemed indlsposed TO have Governor Davis meet
both MessrS Myers and Greavcs in joint de-
bate at the same time and place, saying, in
that connection, that IA game of two pluck
one would hardly be fair
On July 10. the day after the meeting of our
state central committee. the chairman and
secretary Of our committee, authorized by
the above resolution, challenged the chairman
end secretary of the republican state central
committee to arrange for joint debate be-
tween Governor Davis and Mr.. Myers. the
publican nominee for governor. They replied
that they would accept the challenge. provided
Dir. Greavcs was not permitted to participate
IN the meetings. Nothing that our chairman
ana secretary could say or do seemed to have
uny effect toward inducing them to recede from
this position. They stated, most positively
and emphatically that none of their nominees
or speakers would participate in any meet
ing in which Mr. Greaves or any OF his fol-
lowing should be permitted to participate, and
that II joiat debates were not arranged be
tween Governor Davis and Mr. Myers, the lat
ter would proceed TO make thorough canvass
Of the state at his own pleasure. Having full
authority from Governor Davis in the two com
munlcatons set out above and signed by him
to bill him for any number of speeches We
might desire. having received from BIN or
from any OF his friends no intimation that he
would decline TO meet Mr. Myers in joint de-
bate unless Mr.. Greavcs were present and par
ticipating, and believing that Mr.. Myers
should be met, and that Governor Davis
the logical and proper representative OF tls
democratic party to meet him. our chairman
and secretary proceeded to arrange for u series
of twenty four joint debates between Governor
Davis and Mr.. Myers. the same covering less
than half the time between July 10 and Sep
tember l. In addition to having the written
authority of Governor Davis to puysue the
did, the readily adopted il.
because OF the fact that he was then ont OF
the city and had been for days, and the
date Of his return was unknown.
They also arranged to have Governor James
p. Clarke I'LL such Of said appointmen
could not conveniently be hlled by Governor
Davis. These joint discussions were 10 be-
gin July 2S at Danvlle. in Iel county.
Thereafter Governor Davis extended a written
Invitation TO Mr.. Greaves 10 be present. and
to take part IN these discussions. This writ
ten invitation and its acceptance by Mr.. I
Greaves were published in the public press.
Thereupon the chairman and secretary OF the
republican party called upon us to know wheth-
not nominee would repudiate the a.
tion of our committee, acting through its chair
and secretary. and Informed that their
nominee. Mr. Myers, would not meet the APP
pointmeuts II Mr. Greaves were permitted to
take part In same, but would make an inde-
pendent campaign over the state Our chair
then summoned all five members Of
campaign committee to meet on the 18th inst.
In order II possible. to effect arrangement
by Taeans Of which the desire of Gov. Davis
to have joint debates between all three OF the
nominees for governor might be effected. The
undersigned three Of the members OF
paign committee. and Hon. o. n. killough,
the fourth member 9. same attended said meet
Ing and spent neafy the whole day In at
tempting TO effect this arrangement. but utterly
without result. the republican committee reso-
lutcy standing by It's originally announced In
tention OF refusing 10 have their nominee take
part In any discussions with any OF the In
snrgents. and declaring that. IL Mr. Myers were
not met by representatives OF the democratic
party, he would campaign the state alone.
Our executive committee, finding that Gov.
Davis world not meet Mr.. Myers unless Mr..
GreaTes were permitted 10 join in the discus
sIons and that Ar. Myers would engage In no
discussions in which Mr. Greayes would be per
mitted to join, sed recourse before II but
70 cancel the appointments previously made