The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-05
Letters to the Editor.
The Lily Whites will Not Interfere

AStt@Ao tU IuC E0llUIs The Lily Whites Will Not Interfere.
 Birmingham, Ala. May 4. 1903.
 Editor The Advertiser:
 l notice your article in issue of May 2nd comenting on the condition of the hepupncan Party in Alabama and the probable action by the conferences called
 to assemble in your city on May 5th and 6th. Inasmuch as the story clearly indi- cates a desire to place before your read
 CTS the exact situation, I wish to correct
 some errors you have fallen into.
 For instance, the State Committee has
 been called by Chairman Wellfnan to
 meet In this city (Birmingham) on May
 Eth. and while 1t Is possible several com
 mstteemen may be in Montgomery on the
 9th and 9th, any meeting will be irregular and unauthorized.
 There will be no controversy in Mont
 gomery between the regular Republicans
 and the referees of the President, and if
 there is even a ripple of discord 1t will grow out of the inability of the blacks
 and tans to control their own following.
 The rank and file of the Republican Par
 ty will not be represented at the so-called
 conference. Some of the very largest
 manufacturing and banking interests of
 North Alabama are politically identified
 whom, to my knowledge. will be present,
 therefore. such action as may be taken naturally should be harmonious as the
 meeting will be participated in only by those who are willing to abandon abso- lutely all hope and desire of building up an active and representative party or ganization. The Republicans of the State who are unwilling to admit that any mis- take was made in the late convention
 are not engaged in any fight for suprem- acy, or against the present Federal ad- ministration, but only insist upon direct ing their own local party affairs in such way as will best accomplish the upbuild- | ing of permanent and healthy organiza- | arms at the polls with the dominant Dem- ocratic Party. This they believe they have right to do, and in my judgment l they will do to the best of their ability.
 Having such views they will not attend any unauthorized conference and they only regret that men can be found who for personal and selfish reasons will de- | liberately undertake to disrupt and de- stroy the only united and harmonious party that has been presented by the
 Republicans for the last twelve years. You correctly say many office holders who were at the Birmingham convention | loudly demanding that the negro be
 thrown out will be in the front seats al
 ally extend the right hand of fellowship | to the qualified negro voter" As mat.
 ter of fact the most jealous and radicaI | advocates of the policy of closing the | QOOLS OL lhG ocPtClAucI COhN | against the negro because of his color will | be the leaders in this conference, and your reporters will find that they will now | take the most advanced position in theil
 protestation of love and affection for the negro.
 l am of the opinion that many honest | and conscientious Republicans will attend | but they go under rompulsion and threats of losing their positions, while some sin cere admirers of the President will SC | haliayinu that nniffipal interests | be advanced by the meeting; the major | ity, however, will be of the hungry anc | thirsty class and those with promises o1 places snugly tucked away in their vest pockets.
 It Is not the purpose of the referees tc | harmonize the party, as 1t Is known tc | all that no factional feeling exists; there | is no organized plan having for It's ob. 1ect the control of Alabama for Senator Hanna, or any other National leader and | 1 know of friends of MT. Roosevelt who | will not attend and who look with mark | ed disfavor on any movement tending tC ! precipitate internal party strife.
 | The President is being deceived as 1t is thoroughly understood by those in clos est touch with the Republican voters oi l the State, that this movement cannot and | will not benefit him. It is simply an anti
 convention bolt from the regular organ | ized party of the State and such as en- gage in 1t will flock to themselves unti | the next National Convention passes up | on their claim for seats in that body.
 doubt if the President is informed of. oI
 will approve this gathering, and the pro
 motors are depending wholly on the prom | ise of a certain New York Federal off | cial to see to 1t that the delegation senl | by the regular organization is denied ad | mission. That they have been so advised | I have reason to kno ow, and the purpose | is frankly admitted by MT. N. L. Steele | in his interview appearing in The Birm' | ingham Ledger of April Z9th. in which he | says: Tt was to prepare plans to secure
 a Roosevelt delegation to the Nationa | Convention Respectfully, l J. H. Bingham.