The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-31
Stormy Meeting of the Dr. ganizatiOn Held in
 Birmingham. MEASUREMENTS CUNNING Has ErStWhile Editors of De- funct Publications on
 Hand. Scenes of Disorder Mark the Session. Rountree Says He Will Again Be Candidate For the Position of Secretary.
THESECRETARY'S CUNNING

Birmingham, Oct. o.-tSpecial .)-Sur- rounded by his friends in the Association many of whom conduct ebryonic news papers in the Birmingham distrist, J. Asa Rountree. Secretary of the Alabama Press | Associat ton, is tonight felicitating nimseil I that he was merely suspended from ornce l and not expelled because Of ms miscoh- auct fin connection with the Canadian tour of the Association.
 The Association, at its meeting tooay' suspended Rountree until consututioha' action can be taken at the annual meeting to be held next year in Bessemer. Houn- tree with amazing audacity. announced after the meeting, that he would be candidate for secretary next year anu eA- uected to be elected. He Is still stanoins on his constitutional rights"
 I Meanwhile, Rev. s. P. West of Birm- Bingham, some time associate editor of The christian Advocate, is acting secretary.
 An Accounting Demanded.
 1,ha Exeeutive Committee met this morning and after receiving a report Mfrom inc special committee which lnVes- Mtigated charges against Rountree, tpasseo 3a resolution removing him from ofnce ana #demanding an accounting for the nnances <oS rhe Association. Hugh M. wilson or onelika was the only member or the Executive Committee who voted against &the adoption of this resolution As soon as the Association met at z ,,cIock in the rooms of the Commercial cSnS IT G. Benners, editor of The Grensboro Beacon, sent up resolution -anuaisttng the action of the Executive IfCommittee. President Yerby had. by authority Of the &Executiye Committee. appointed Rev. D. P West of Birmingham temporary sec retary of the Association. MT. Benners denied the right of Rev. MT West to serve and Rountree and West both took places at the right and left hand Of the president.
 Conway to the Rescue.
 There was great turmoil until C. F. conway. editor of The Huntsville Repub- $ Iican. settled the difficulty by suggest Ing that President Yerby act as secretary until the question came to a vote.
 The meeting continued over an hour with secretaries representing the two fac lions and the president representing the Association. A substitute by MT. Conway to the Ben ners's resolution was finally adopted. This ailh OA'NSO and he retired to the floor with two votes, me for each of his papers, while Rev. Mr. West took up the duties of secretary. The scene in the meeting from o'clock rntfl o'clock was markable. Birming- nam newspaper men say no such con 7 susIon. no such disgraceful conduct has aver been witnessed in any sort of a meeting held here.
 The Two Factions.
 IIndeniably there are two factions and ,bev were almost evenly divided. Indeed he first test vote as to the sentiment of Inc newspapers men was a tie, 32 to 32.
 One faction, fractious in temper, had . .s its slogan "Rountree forever" It has as leaders A. J. O'Keefe whose mem- ,ership in the Association was challenged ,v Editor Judson of The Bessemer weekly, who declared O'Keefe once edited The Labor Arbitrator, which paper had not been published in two years. Fl. G. Benners of Greensboro. H. M. VII son of Opelika and J. H. Hard. an in- urance man of Bessemer, whose member ship was also unsuccessfully challenged Conspicious in this faction was Editor Due of The Silent Eye; Lesser of The Courier; Smith of The Christian En- ieavor; English of The Alabama Elk, all said to be published in Birmingham; two papers in Bessemer, whose very existence was questioned and Editor Painter of The Brookwood Herald, which Is said tc nave died many months ago.
 Rhodes With Rountree.
 Tn fact, Editor Rufus N. Rhodes of Tn, Birmingham News voted with this faction bn the final show down when a large ant lighting minority appealed to the Asso ciation not to adjourn without expellinI Rountree so that the people of Alabam; would know that the Press Association wanted strict honesty in its affairs.
 Rhodes explained his position by sayinl that suspension was sufficient condemna ion of Rountree's conduct
 Unbiased minds saw that the other fac lion of the Association was composed O he influential newspaper men of tn State. They wanted Rountree expelled and they wanted an accurate accounting of the Associations money. They want ed the world to know that the Associa ion respected it's profession.
 Among these men were the venerabl Mir. Barr of The Florence Times, fit years an editor and a life member of tn Association, notwithstanding his mem oership was questioned by Rountree' Friends; William M Meeks, the aged bu rigorous editor of The Gadsden Times < News. who denounced Rountree and hi honduct in unmeasured terms; M. w -amper of The Florence Times: H. S Doster of Prattville, and J. c. Lawrenc nf Union Springs. members of the com nittee which investigated the conduct 0 he trip.
 Some Anti-Rountree Men.
 With these men stood F. P. Glass O The Montgomery Advertiser, J. c. VII Jams of The Talladega Mountain Home R. Rosson of The Cullman Democrat E F. Conway of The Huntsville Repuh ican. Editor Mckenzie of The Tallasse Weekly, and R. H. Little of The Tusca oosa Times Gazette. Another firm, bu shrinking member of this faction, wa Mrs. Gillespie, editor of The Hancevill Hustler, the only woman member present
 She voted against Rountree's friends O svery proposition until the convention be same so ugly that she was forced to re