The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-30
Chairman WeIIman Refuses to
 Rescind His Action
SITUATION IS COMPLICATED
As Soon as Referees Receive Reply From Wellman-SteeIe Says Ma Jority Want Montgomery
 Meeting and Calls It.

W. l. Wellman, chairman of the repub- lican state executive committee. has re- fused to reseind his action in calling meeting of the committee to be held in Birmingham May 12 and to call meet ing for Montgomery May 5. but call for a meeting in Montgomery for May has been made by the secretary, N. l.. Steele. Secretary Steele has sent letters to the committeeman notifying them of his ae- tion. The meeting in the call is stated as a consultation"
 Chairman Wellman has written to the referees saying that when he issued the call he did not consider that majority of the committeeman had signed the pe- tition, and further that in his opinion meeting in Montgomery on the eve of the conference called by the administration referees would result in a bitter fight, which 1t was his desire to avoid, as he wanted harmony in the ranks in Ala bama.
 The referees claim that a majority of the committee favor the meeting in Mont gomery May and in his letters Secretary Steele gives twenty-one names. The com mittee Is composed of thirty-four mem- bers.
 Steele's Call.
 Secretary steele's call is as follows:
 Birmingham, Ala, April 20, 1903.
 Dear Sir-In view of the fact that Hon. w. l. Welman, chairman of the republi- can state committee, declined to call a meeting of the state committee at Mont gomery, Ala. May 5, after being re- quested to do so by a majority of our committee, which request he has received, and has refused to rescind the call for May 12, and to comply with the request and wishes of the following:
 M. c. Ashley. I. Pollak, ". w. Sim mons, J. A. Carey, H. E. Irving, w. c. Starke, B. S. Perdue W. ". Milliken, c. M. Cox, r. T. Hudson, J M. Ragan II. 10. Burkstresser, P. M. Long, J. J. Curtis. w. s. Standifer. John Isbell, A. G. Negley, J. A. Steele, Walter Stephen son and J. w. Hughes, who desire the committee to meet in Montgomery on May 5, I respectfully request you to meet me in Montgomery, Ala. on May 5, at 12 m. for consultation. Very re- spectfully, N. l.. STEELE,
 Secretary Rep. State Ex. Com.
 MT. Steele Talks.
 With reference to this call MT Steele said: "The chairman at all times has a right to call the committee together but inasmuch as he has refused to do so at the request of the majority deem 1t my duty to do so when 1t was made known to me that a majority of the committee has requested our chairman to call the committee for Montgomery May 5.
 There are thirty-four members of the committee and twenty-one have signed a call for a meeting May 5. This leaves thirteen who have not requested Chairman Wellman to call q meeting, making a majority of four members on our side. It is understood that some of those who de- clined to sign for a call for a meeting are opposed to any meeting of the com mittee and will decline to attend the Hlll- man hotel meeting on May 12.
 Tn a letter to MT. Thompson, Chair man Wellman says that he fully apnre ciates that majority of the committee Is all powerful and that they are capable of meeting without the chairman"
 The Conference.
 The referees and those interested in the Montgomery conference May say that it will be more largely attended than they at first thought and that they are sure that a majority If the members of the executive committee will be there May in response to Secretary SteeIes cali is- sued yesterday.
 The republican situation seems to he getting more complicated every day and IS resolving itself more and more down to a fight on distinct lines
 Collector J. o. Thompson, one of the three referees, Is in receipt of the fol- lowing letter with reference to rates on the railroads for the Montgomery con ference next Tuesday.
 All ucket agents have been supplied with standard form of certificates. Dele.