The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-28
Especial to The Messenger.D

mere To-Day centered or the meeting OF
the democratic state committee. which
began at 4 o'clock this a~fternaan. ana
the choice it would make if the meeting
place of the state convention. The fight
was between Raleigh n Greensboro.
Both places had committees at work
among the committeeman.
The committee. by a vote OF 3S to 50
called the state convention to meet AT
Greensboro
At 4:40 o'clock the democratic state
committee was called 10 order by Chair
man m Secretary Pearsan
called the roll Of members. and at it's
close said four fifths were present.
The chairman read a letter from
Judge NJ. H. Justice, reslgning. The
chairman suggested that the several
vacancies be filled. To succeed Mr..
Justice, A. D. Watts was nominated by
Walter E. Moore, and elected. Judge
Walter H. Neal also resigned. and on
motion of D.. E. McIver, A. S. Dockery
was elected to fill the vacancy. To fill
the vacancy caused by the death of
Wiley Rush., f. S. Abel was nominat-
ed by E. c. ~Beddingield and elected.
Inc chairman stated that the new
Tenth district had no representatives on
the committee. He that all
committeeman were present in person
or by proxy save T. ]. Jarvis, and
Julian 5. Carr, and that this showing
was the most remarkable since he had
heen chairman. He directed the call
for this meeting to be reao and said
there would hardly be another meeting
before the state convention
The chairman said he had a legal
opinion furnished at his request by Geo.
Rountree upon the poll tax provision
of the election law. The chairman said
the point was made some months ago
that this could not go irtO effect until
after July LIST, and that later an article
had appeared, saying the law was ex
post facto and void. In view of these
statements he had asked the opinion of
Mr.. Rountree, who was chairman Of
the suffrage committee Of the legiSla-
ture and one of the clearest headed
lawyers in the state.
The chairman said he had felt the
contention not sound. He then read
Mr.. Rountree's opinion which says that
in his opinion the act is perfectly valid;
that the contention of the other side is
plausible, but not sound The right to
vote is not a civil right, but a political
right, and a withdrawal of the right to
vote is neither a penalty nor a punish
ment.
The chairman said this was a very
strong n a very conclusive opinion
on this question, and that it would set
tie any doubt of which there has been
considerable.
J. H. Pou said the opinion should be
adopted as opinion Of this committee
n be printed as such. He made mo-
ton to this effect, also rendering
thanks to Rountree. This was adopted
by reclamation. On motion Of F. S.
Spruill all democratic papers were re-
quested to publish the opinion.
The chairman said the redistricting of
the state had thrown the committees in
the various districts into a state of
chaos; some congressional. judicial snd
senatorial districts have no chairman.
1t is important that this committee
should promulgate some general plan.
and it would be necessary to recognize
committeeman who lived in any county
in the districts as now provided. He
suggested that he be delegated author
ity to name some man IN each district
to act as its chairman, to call n pre-
side at it's meeting-latter to then elect
it's chairman.
Letters are pouring in saying the DEM
ocrats are not paying their poll tax.
The chairman said he had made most
strenuous efforts to induce democrats to
pay their poll tax. Republican prospec-
1--WE NOltIS L paying up HULL pClACl
than democrats. He suggested that
democratic county chairmen get lists of
all democrats who have not paid the
poll tax, n that the duty n eSpon
sibility of seeing that this tax is paid
by all be placed upon d special commit
tee of three in each voting precinct.
He suggested that the first thing to
be lone was to select a place for hold
ing the convention-that this was the
absorbing question, as he had quickly
discovered today.
John r. Webster moved that a COM
mittee select the place for holding the
convention.
The motion prevailed.
Charles NJ. Stedman presented an in
vitation from Greensboro to hold 1t
there. He called on ex-Mayor Taylor to
read the invitations which are from
three aldermen, the business associa-
ton and the industrial association.
The invitation said Greensboro had the
largest auditorium save that at Ashe-
VILE and total accommodations for 1000
delegates, and reduced rates at hotels.
J. H. Pou invited the committee to
meet at Raleigh and promised to see to
the comfort of every delegate. He said
by the time the convention met a fine
auditorium would be ready, ample fol-
any convention. He called on Chair
man Alfred A. Thompson TO extend a
1OrITldl EHNlldllOu, anu tuc Idllcl olu 81
A. l.. Brooks spoke in support OF
; Greensboro.
r. R. Cotton spoke in favor Of Ra-
leigh.
The roll was called and the vote wa:
announced by ~tellers: Raleigh, 81;
! Greensboro. 80. ). H. Pou and A. M
Scales were tellers. Chairman Sim
mons in voting as a member made the
tie. He decided not to break the tie BY
voting as chairman.
Another was taken and resulted ir
a tie.
At this moment ]. c.. Crawford Bigg!
appeared with a proxy for Julian ;
Carr, and the third roll call resulted
Greensboro, SO; Raleigh 81. The chair
man announced that Greensboro wa!
selected.
J.. H. Pou. on behalf Of Raleigh
moved to make the vote unanimous
This was done amid applause.
It tonight's session the democratic
state committee agreed on the late o
the convention. Chairman iinmo
called ]. A. Lockhart to the chair
- all