The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-11
PictureSqueneSS and Flo
quence Marked Struggle.
Committeeman Encircled by
Thr0ng of Onl00kerS.
Hon. @. G. Whitson Led the Victors
and Col. II. s. D. Mallory
Captained the Conven-
ton Forces.

tAo1 &V4SV1s
him and he expressed his willingness to
relapse into silence until 1.-The proper
time
When the AGREE incident had blown
over. H. 8. D. Mallory, the Selma men,
Der OF the Committee, and an ardent ad-
vocate of the convention plan, said II
seemed to him the subcommittee con-
templated by the Sanford motion should
have an indication of the views of ma
jority of the members of the State Com
mittee as to the policy to be adopted.
The wind was blowing in the direction
of important questions, and the audience
began to realize that the crucial time
was approaching
1t arrived suddenly. C. c. Whitson of
Talladega, who developed into the leader
Of the primary forces. brought the mat
ter directly to the attention of the COM
mittee without further parleying.
As substitute for the Sanford mo-
ton. Mr.. Whitson sent forward this
resolutions:
BE 1t resolved. That this Committee
call Democratic primary. at time to
be hereafter fixed, for the nomination of
candidates of the Democratic party. and
that a member to consist of one resident
member of each Congressional District
and one member from the State at large.
be appointed by the chairman. and that
the chairman of this committee be a
member of said subcommittee. to draft
and submit to the full committee suita-
bic plan with proper rules and regulations
for such primary.
Primary Men loved,
The reading of this resolution was the
signal for applause. which put the pri-
mary advocates in a happy humor.
Mr.. Mallory was not to be outdone by
the primary committeeman and he sent up
substitute for the Whitson substitute.
The Mallory substitute was as follows:
THAT this subcommittee be Instructed
to report to the whole committee a resolu-
ton calling a State convention of the
Democratic party of Alabama. under such
rules and regulations as have heretofore
governed the party in that respect, and
fixing the basis of representation as 1t
has heretofore been fixed by the conven-
tons"
Mr.. Mallory then briefly discussed his
substitute taking the position the State
Committee was wholly without authority
to depart from the established custom of
the party He outlined his reasons for
the continuance of the convention plan.
and said without regard to the question
of whether 1t was a good or bad policy
to order a primary, the committee was
confronted with the question of its own
Jurisdiction. The committee he said had
been created by convention and it was
proposed to abolish it's creator.
He declared that he would say to the
committee and to the Democratic party
of Alabama that this substitute-mean-
ing the Whitson measure-contemplate
a usurpation of power by the committee
which it did not possess. The convention
was long and well established Demo-
cratic method of selecting nominees. and
the committee he said was without au-
thority to destroy or abrogate it.
Mr.. Mallory appealed to the committee
to do that which in his view of the situa-
ton 1t was instructed to do He said
II the primary plan was to be adopted 1t
should be done by the party and not by
the committee. He would not. he said
say anything about the extgency of the
situation, but would content himself with
appealing to his associates to keep with
In the limitations of their power.
When Mr. Mallory had finished State
Senator AGREE arose from the other side
Of the room and requested Chairman
Lowe to rule on the point he had raised
IS to the question of Democrats outside
Of the Committee making speeches on
the subject. He declared that IL the Com
mittee would turn him loose on Mr. NAL
Iory. he would reply to the argument of
The Dallas committeeman In one minute.
1T is Too Not!"
'Is there unanimous consent that the
gentleman from Dale be heard" asked
Chairman T,0we
ITS too hot" its too hot" came a
chorus of voices.
The Committee declines to listen to
the gentleman" announced Chairman
Lowe suavely.
Then Mr.. Chairman" replied Senator
AGREE, as hf took his seat, II submit to
he ruling OF the Committee
Mr.. Whitson then made an argument In
of his substitute. and in favor of
ordering a primary. He said the State
Committee was elected by the Conven.
ion as the servants of the party to con-
Ierve and to preserve the interest of the
party during the interregnum between
1t was no argument. he
said, to say that because 1t had been Gus
omary in Alabama for Democrats to
select their nominees in a convention that
mistake would be made to allow them
o vote direct.
He believed. he said that the great ma
ority of Democrats desired a primary. |
would have to be based |
IN Democratic votes or upon population |
,asis In a primary there was no ques- |
lon of representation. Every Democrat |
would stand shoulder to shoulder and |
,ast his ballot N an equal showing with |
lis fellows.
what we desire. Mr.. Chairman" said
Mr.. Whitson. most of everything is
harmony in the Democratic party. 1t Is
| dangerous principle to allow certain
counties to be represented in Conven-
ion by greater majorities than they have
votes.
Mr.. Whitson then discussed the power
# the Committee to order a primary
md commended that in its last analysis
he power to order primary was the
anne as the power to order conventions
He declared that he was not willing to
rider a white primary that nothing but
Democratic primary would satisfy him.
nd the committeeman and the audience
heered.
Wanted Restrictions.
Restrictions should be thrown around
he primary. he declared. and the cand-
ates chosen should have a majority If |