Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-10
LITTLE
 RHODY'' Democrats Had a Session To-Day.
Hearst and Anti-Hearst Men Lock HOrns-First Democratic State Con- vention-The Delega- ton is Divided.

Providence, R. T., March I0.-Two hundred and twenty representative of the democratic party ill Rhode IS4and assembled in this city to-day to name eight delegates to the national conven- tion at St Louis. This was not only the first state democratic gathering to choose delegates to take part in the nomination of a presidential candidate in the 1904 campaign, but was of in tereSt also because of struggle which mad developed between two wings of the party over the question of instruct ing the men chosen to-day whom to support as presidential nominee. One faction, headed by George w. Greene, member of the national committee, and John J. Fitzgerald of Pawtucket, lead CT of his party in the Rhode Island house of representatives, demanded that the national delegates be instruct ed to favor William k. Hearst of New York. The other wing was the regu- lar state organization, Patrick Henry Quinn of Warwick, chairman. opposed an instructed delegation. Chairman Quinn was supported by Colonel Sam uel k. Honey of Newport, leader in the Cleveland campaigns.
 There was much activity about Mu- sic hall, the place of holding the con- vention, long before II o'clock the opening hour. The majority of the delegates from Providence, Westerly, PaWtucket, Woonsocket and the small CT towns ill the Blackstone valley were adherents of Messrs Greene and Fitz- gerald, while the supporters of the reg ular organization came from Newport and the bulk of the country towns. In past conventions these smaller towns have held the balance of power.
 It was a few minutes after II o'clock when Chairman Quinn of the state committee rapped for order. The state committee at a brief sitting before lIe opening of the convention decided upon J. Stacy Brown of Newport for chair man of the convention. The Greene Fitzgerald interests favored James Ii, Higgins. mayor of Pawtucket.
 There was no clash over the ques- tion of the chairmanship and the first named was elected unanimously.
 Later a wrangle arose over seating contesting delegates and roll call showed the Fitzgerald Greene crowd to be i'll the majority, having III votes to 99 for their opponents.
 After considerable debate four F'itZ- gerald delegates from Johnston were seated, three ballots being necessary to decide the question. In the contest for a permanent chairman, MT Quinn, seeing his side was in hopeless mi nority, gave way and Mayor Higgins of Pawtucket was chosen.
 Mayor Augustus Muller, of Provi- dence presented resolution and q list of delegates in opposition to the ''1n- structed delegate clause, and in the course of his remarks denounced Hearst His remarks were greeted with hisses and the chairman had to rap for order.
 Fitzgerald and Greene also placed in nomination a delegation to be instruct ed for Hearst.
 The ballot for delegates resulted in election of five of the Fitzgerald Greene delegates and three of the Quinn Honey party. The delegates were not instructed but Fitzgerald for mally announced that he favored the nomination of William R. Hearst for president.