The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04
And Utterly Repudlates the
State Committees Act.
LETTER WRITTEN BY
TREASURER BRAUER
It Was Not Received With Enthusiasm
by the County Committee, to VII ch
II Was Addrcsse d-The Situa>
ton an Excee dIngly Unique
One Some Views on
the Subject.

State committee defied and county
committee aggrieved and indignant; two
men each claiming the Democratic nomi-
ration to the Office of treasurer the
prospect OF fight inter sc that Will
split the party vote; the further prospect
Of a grand jury investigation, with
possibility of sensational disclosures lead
Ing to legal procedure against one or more
OF the candidates in the recent primary
IN this manner may be summed up briefly
the results of the very remarkable politi-
cal upheaval in Henrico that came TO an
end yesterday with the final adjourn
ment of the Investigators.
TO the people OF the county will now
be given the task o. cutting the Gordian
knot, in SO far, at least, as the two can
oidates are concerned. Both will appear
In the November election and both will
Le clothed with the party cloak to the e1-
tent, at least, of claiming the insignia OF
Democracy as their standard. Each VIII
urge that the other Is rnasqucradfns
One will go forth endorsed by the State
Democratic Committee; the other by the
Henrco Democratic Committee, and
there will be no sympathy between the
two Democrats They will fight eaih
ether tooth and nan, and the battle Of
September will be waged again with ad-
ditions. Which endorsement will prove
the more valuable with the voters re
mains to be seen.
What the Committee Did.
There was fire and birthstone in the
eli yesterday when the County Commit
tecmen gathered around the courthouse
and aired their opinions on the very de-
c.dcd and unmIstakn BILE throwdown they
lad gotten at the hands Of the State Cen
trail Committee, which had the night
before unanimously recognized w. H.
Brauer as the nominee Of the party for
the office Of treasurer of Henrico.
What these gentlemen said about the
State Committee Is what they thought
and ii Is a fact that took concrete shape
later In the day that the thoughts were
not pleasant. The ma jorty of them were
angry and indignant and gave full vent
to their feelings Then they marched
into the courthouse and buckled down
to work again. The very first thing that
occurred set the pace for the day and
gave strong indication of what was
going on in the minds of the gentlemen
A member of the committee arose and
made a motion. 1t was TO the effect
that the Henrco Committee ignore the
action of the "so-called" State Central
Committee, which had been made up oil
proxies Selected for a purpose
Thereafter, as II the State Commit
tee did not exist, they went into con-
sideration of the charges against Hech-
ler and Todd and dismissed all of them
At one stage of the proceeding letter
was delivered from Mr.. Brauer. 1t had
the effect of adding fire to flame, of
k,ni1 1f,,ey ritrhf :
riIy. This letter Informed the commit
tee of the action of the State Committee,
withdrew the charges against Hechler,
and called upon Hechler and Todd and
leach and every" member of the COM
mittee to support him CBrauer) and
"achieve a glorious victory for Dernoc-
racy" The committee literally jumped
when 1t read this letter, Several motions
were made, and one of them was that the
document be returned with contempt"
Ultimately the paper was completely ig-
nored, as will bo observed,
BY noon the committee was prmed
for deliverance, and the deliverance
came. 1t was In the shape OF two reso-
lutions. both carried by sweeping ma
jorlty One Of them set the State Com
nittee at defiance and denied its author
lty to interfere. as 1t had done In Henrlco
politics. The other, equally strong,
awarded the certificate of nomination
TO William j. Todd, the candidate who
received the next highest number OF
votes. Mr.. Todd was formally declared
the nominee of the party in Henrico.
Then the committee adjourned sine die,
an act which practically ended its period
of existence.
Boih Viii Run.
At this point the situation rests The
Henrco committee has investigated and
dismissed all charges except those against
tha nominee Tor treasurer. His 1t found
guilty, and by vote Of eleven to two
divided the certificate of election, The
State committee has reviewed this action
and reversed it, giving the nomination
to Brauer. The Hcnrico committee has
denied the authority of the State COM
mittee and awarded the nomination to
Todd
Both of the gentlemen will run for tho
office and both will claim the party nom
.nation. Mr.. Todd said yesterday that
he would abide by the decision of tho
Henrico committee. He will now come
out as the party nominee and will make
his fight for the office. Mr.. Brauer will
do tho same, There is no question of
carrying the matter to the courts. Each
paptlaman n feels That he is the nOm nea