The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-26
State Central Committee Works a Smooth Ruse onForces
 of the Opposition WORSTED POLITICIANS
 PROTEST VIGOROUSLY ' Johnson Men Reply That No Quarter Could Be Expected After the Fight
 Waged During the Past ass Few Days.

Columbus. Ohio, August 25.-The pre- liminary meeting this afternoon and evening of the democratic state conven- ton resulted In favor of Mayor Tom l.. Johnson of Cleveland, in his contest with John L. Zimmerman of Springfield, for the gubernatorial nomination.
 Mayor Johnson had uncontested control year at Sandusky and the committee se- lection then in it's call for this convention provided that the delegates from all the counties were first to be submitted to the state central committee. Pursuant to this new requirement. the state central committee that was selected at Sandus- ky last year, met at 3 p. m. today and passed upon the contest that affected 145 of the 690 delegates, in favor of the John son men who thus had the odds when the delegates met at 4:S0 p. m., by con gressional districts to select members of t'2e committees on credentials, resolu- = ns, etc. The Johnson men secured most of the members of the new state central committee which holds over to call the state convention next year when delegates at large to the national con- vention will be selected and an endorse ment be made for the Presidency.
 How It Was Done.
 The state central committee in decid- ing the contests from counties in alpha betical order first decided to report to the committee on credentials that there was no contest from Cuyahoga county (CincinnatD. The result of this action was that the first and second districts at Cincinnati which are anti-J Johnson, were prevented from voting in the organ ization of the committees and the con- vention, while the Twentieth and Twen- ty-flrst districts at Cleveland were eu.t- bled to take part.
 The state central committee referred the contests in Galla, Miami, Ross and Seneca counties to the committee on credentials without recommendation. These counties are in different congress sional districts and those districts pro- ceeded to select members of the commit tees without the contested counties talk ing part, the result being thus favor able to the Johnson men.
 Protesting Is Vigorous.
 It is seldom that such vigorous pro- testing is heard as that of the Zimmer- man forces tonight, but the Johnson men reply that no quarter could be expected after such fight as has been waged the past few days The Zimmerman men carried the fight into the meetings of all the committees tonight and insisted that they will carry 1t into the eonven- tion tomorrow. The most bitter feeling Is against the feeling of the old state cen tral committee this afternoon in passing on contested cases, which Is said to be without precedent in the history of the party.
 The appeal of the Zimmerman men for instructions from the counties on gov ernor does not apply to the selection Of members of the committees and the or ganzation of the convention was not only not effective, but in fact. accepted as a confession of weakness, and the Johnson men stood solidly together on all the preliminary contests.
 The district meetings were usually spirited, especially those of the Cincin- natl districts where the Johnson men are represented by the Bigelow delega- tions and the Zimmerman men by the Bernard delegations. Each made sep arate selections, those of the Bigelow delegations being unanimous while the Bernard delegates had opposing candi- dates
 New Committee Organized.
 The new state central committee organ ized tonight with w. l.. Finley of Ken ton as chairman and E. C. Madigan of Cleveland secretary, both Johnson men The committee on permanent organiza- ton selected G. H Cooke of Wapeket as permanent chairman and reported in fa- vor of continuing the rest of the tempo rary organization. The Johnson men controlled all the committee meetings to- ,,frr H~Kr, t1no aft r. ings. but the Zimmerman men fought at every point and will present minority re- ports to the convention tomorrow on ev- erything.
 In the committee on rules and order of business, Webster r. Huntington, the manager of Zimmerman's candidacy, led the opposition to any provision for sena- torial endorsement and four others joined him in signing the minority report. The majority reports puts senatorial endorse ment as the last thing in the order of bus mess, indicating that the Johnson men expect a contest in their own ranks on that matter. While Johnson still advo- cates John H. Clarke of Cleveland, it Is believed that the names of G. M. Statz- gaber, the temporary chairman of the convention, ex-Congressman Lentz and others will be presented, and there is much talk about nominating Bookwalter, notwithstanding his withdrawal. Charles w. Constantine, the close friend of Book walter, late tonight felt called upon to issue another statement that Bookwalter would decline if he was named for sen ator.
 Zimmerman Offered Endorsement.
 C. c. Hilbreck. one of the close coun- sellers of Johnson called on Zimmerman tonight and offered the endorsement for senator if he would withdraw and make the nomination of Johnson unanimous, but Zimmerman could not entertain the proposition as he had today issued a statement against the endorsement of any one for senator and his friends on the committees had already drawn up minority reports against such endorse ment and then 1t was thought that 1t would be disastrous to his fellow towns man, Bookwalter, who had withdrawn from the senatorship race in the interest of Zimmerman for governor. It Is stated that the Zimmerman men will oppose any endorsement and when beaten on that proposition they will vote for John A. Clarke whose financial views are in accordance with the conservatives on