The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-26
SAYS CAPERS WHIPPED DEAS.
Prominent Republican Declares Negro Lost
the Fight.
TCharleston Post.

The meeting of the Republican
State Executive Committee at Co,
lumbis recently was not controlled
by Chairman E. Fl. Deas, as has
been incorrectly stated in the press
reports, according to statement
made today to an Evening Post re-
porter by prominent Republican.
''It is true that majority Of the
committee did come together" said
| the informant, Notwithstanding the
| exposition of the character OF the
chairman by Capt. John G. Capers,
and the latter's recommendation that
Deas' call should be ignored; but,
once the meeting assembled and the
proceedings were entered upon, it
became evident that Capt. Capers'
influence and policy we're in the as
tendency. Capt. Capers was not at
the meeting to direct the policy, but
his views we're generally known that
on every division of any importance
Capt. Capers' position was sustained
All talk about Deas outwitting Capt.
Capers and marshalling his forces
and carrying the meeting mis- way,
over and above Capt. Capers, is the
veriest nonsense.
There were, Of course, partisans
of Deas at the meeting, and they did
not hesitate to make unkind remarks
about the South Carolina represen-
tative on the national committee, but
this condition of affairs prevails at
all meetings OF the kind. Capt.
Capers has run counter to the Deas
element, and it was to be expected
that members of that faction should
criticise his effort to build up and
advance the party in the State when
many of Deas' followers see that the
advancement of the best interests Of
the party and its popularizing means
their displacement from positions of
honor or credit.
"As to the decision of the COM
mitteel not to have State conVen-
ton this year, this conclusion was
agreeable to the wish and plan of
Capt. Capers, although the national
committeeman had stated in his public
letter exposing the character and pre-
lenses of Deas that a reorganization
of the party was desirable, and the
suggestion was made that State
convention should Ee held for the
purpose. Political situations change
suddenly and completely sometimes,
and the decision not to have con-
vention was the result of the dellb-
GRAFTON OF the members, who them
selves divided on the question, with
out regard so n 1ch to the Cspers-
Dess lines, as to what they thought
was best for the party at this time.
"Look at the endorsement of Pres
ident Roosevelt and his administra-
tion. Deas severely denounced the
President at the Globe street M. +.
church several months ago. His Ian
guage was worse than disrespectful.
It was positively vile. Don't you
think that if he could have prevented
the endorsement of the adminlstra-
ton he would have done SO? He
could not do it. The Capers infu-
ence was strong, and his hearty sup
port of the administration found ex-
preston in the resolution endorsing
the administration and expressing
the high regard of the party for the
national chairman, Hon. NJ. A.
Hanna.
"And so it goes, on every matter
of division of any importance Capt.
Cspers' influence prevailed"
Capt. Cspers is still out of the city,
on his vacation, which be is spend
ing in the mountains of Western
North Carolina, and ne could not be
communicated with today on the
matter of the meeting yesterday. 1t
is known, however, that Capt. Capers
intends to exert his authority in the
councils of the party, and since the
decent element in South Carolina
and the national organization look to
him to improve the party and ad-
vance the interests, he will doubtless
have something to- say and measures