The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-10
Such Was General Belief
 Last Night. Governor JelkS Takes Strong
 Stand for One. A. M. TunStall Announces Conversion to Plan. Three Hundred Politician Blocked Into Montgomery Yesterday and Discussed Tomorrow's Meet ing Till Late Hour Last
 Night-Johnston Meet
 ing Dwindled.

Today at noon the State Democratic Executive Committee will meet in the Council chamber of the Montgomery city hall and, after more or less speech-mak' inf, order primary for the nomination of Democratic Statehouse candidates.
 And then, in all likelihood will follow a split in the Democratic Party of the State, with ex-Governor Johnston lead ing the deserters.
 This question has been the chief po- litical topic in Alabama for six months. The primary plan has received the en- dorsement of Governor Jelks and each officer of his administration who is candidate for reelection. The faction of the party led by former Governor John ston has clamored for the primary plan. practically without restrictiones. and 1t has been urged that majority of the Democratic voters of the State favor the primary plan.
 Members of the State Committee have given out public statements in which some of them declared in favor of pri- mary while others were equally as ear- nest in their opposition to the primary plan and in favor of a convention.
 Like Waterloo Eve.
 The eve of Waterloo was not fraCght with more portent for the English than was yesterday for the Democratic party of Alabama.
 Incoming trains brought great crowds of Democrats to Montgomery. As an in dicaticn of the intense interest taken in the committee meeting and the resultant possibilities, 1t was said last night that a larger crowd of Democrats was in Montgomery than had ever been here be- fore to attend meeting of the commit tee.It was estimated that fully 300 Demo- crats were in the city and the hotels were crowded with persons who will be lockers on at the meeting today.
 Eighteen of the thirty-five members of the committee reached Montgoemry last night, and it is expected that the remain Ing members will come to town on trains ths morning.
 x-Governor Johnston was among the early arrivals yesterday. In company with j. De B. Hooper and R. P. Wet more, the former Governor came in from Birmingham at II o'clock yesterday morning. In view of the fact that it had been announced that he would be met in Montgomery by more than 200 of his ad- herents who would have a meeting and appoint a committee to demand white primary of the State Committee, the movements of the former Governor were of decided interest.
 At the train ex-Governor Johnston was met by Capt. S. B. Trapp of Montgomery and he and his friends proceeded di- rectlv to the law office of Hon. Jesse F. stallings on Commerce Street,
 Johnston's Headquarters.
 Early in the afternoon it was made manifest that the office of Mir. Stallings was to be the political headquarters of Governor Johnson and his friends. Each person who enuuired about Governor Johnson was directed to the office of MT Stallings.
 The meeting which the Johnstonites had called failed to materialize. That Is to say it did not at any time assume seri- ous proportions. There was at no time 9 formal gathering. Governor Johnston remained at the office of MT. Stallings practically the entire afternoon. IL was said that exactly forty-two persons called there to see him and discuss the political situation. These persons, however, were not all in the office of MT. Stalings at the same time. Neither was it claimed that thev were all political friends of Governor Johnston. Some of them said thev called to see Governor Johnston merely as friends of the primary plan.
 Along about o'clock General W. C. Oates of Montgomery and General George P Harrison of Opelika were at the off1ce of MT. Stallings and met Governor John ston. At this time there were about ht~ teen persons present and the party ais cussed the propriety of appointing com mittee to go before the State committee and request that a primary be ordered If is said that both General Oates and General Harrison opposed the appoint ment of such a committee on the ground that 1t would be an intrusion upon the State Committee and that the views or individual Democrats should not be oo- truded upon the State Committee without such views were requested.
 While these views were delivered in- formally they were undoubtedly agreed upon as no committee was appointed by the Johnstonites and it is doubtful if they will be heard before the committee today
 Some Who Were There.
 Some of those who participated in the informal gathering of which Governor Johnston was the central figure were General George P. Harrison. T. P Hudrnon and Hugh NJ Wilson of Opelika General w. c. Oates and Hon Jesse F. Stallings of Montgomery; State Senator E. L. Pulley of Huntsville; R. P. Wet more and J. de B. Hooper of Birmlng- ham; R. J. Thornton of Talla 1ega ard Captain James Crook of Jacksonville.
 While the Johnstonites failed to adopt any plan of action they agreed that they would speak with individual members of the State Committee and press upon them inc necessity of white primary for har- mony in the party
 opa of the most ardent admirers of C.o,srnor Johnston who was present at the meeting said that unless the State Committee ordered what was desired by the Birmingham ex-Governor and his friends, they would call a meeting. name state Democratic Committee. which wo,Ild order | primary and that a com rIete State ticket including members Of the State Committee to ne eleetea py the people would be put out
 .e1t would not he a bolt" he feclared
 ...l....,.. ..it rnrld merely be an ap-