The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-30
REPUBS TALK
 OF McNEILL COrtelyou's Agent Caused
 A Flurry. "A NICE YOUNG MAN" Statement That He Came For
 Money is Denied. Left for washinstoa After Beinr In- formed that Campaign Committee Had Been Deceived as to Ala
 bama Conditions.

lHe Vislt to montgomery or K. H. McNeill of Washington, D. C., as an accredited agent Of the Republican Ma tional Campaign Committee, created quite furry among local Republicans, especially of1ceholders, and the state ment that he was In Alabama to exact contributions from Federal officials for the campaign fund, was the subject of | wide discussion yesterday.
 MT. McUeill, 1t will be remembered. l came to Montgomery Wednesday even | Ing from Birmingham in company with J. O. Thompson, Chairman of the State | Executive Committee of the Republican party. At Flemings Hotel Wednesday evening they held secret conference | with party men who had been sum- moned here for that purpose It was | said at this conference Mir McNeill | openly stated that he was authorized 60 collect a campaign fund from Repub. lican of1ceholders.
 It had been stated that Mir. McNeill was to go from Montgomery to Mobile, but he left Montgomery yesterday even I ing. after spending the day here, for | Waship gton. saying he would go direct to the Capital City without stopping ell route.
 Mir. Thompson returned to Birming- ham yesterday morning and Postmaster P. D. Barker of Mobile. who came to Montgomery to meet Mir. McNeill, re- turned to Mobile.
 Montgomery Republicans declared that Mir. McNeill had not changed his itinerary because of the publicity given his purpose in Alabama, adding that he had conferred with Republicans of North Alabama and of Middle Ala bama. and that his mission being end ed. he went back to Washington just as he had intended.
 MT. McNeilPs Statement. Mir McNeill who is a dapper young tative of The Advertiser, just before leaving on a train for the east at SEQ ?. m, said he came to Alabama merely to make some observations as to the political situation. He bore a letter from Chairman Cortelyou of the Ma tional Committee. and said he had greatly enjoyed the trip. He spoke guardedly of his business and would not discuss the report that he was so- liciting or demanding funds.
 This was not the first visit to Alabama of MT. MeNeill. Two years ago. as Sec retary to then United States Senator Pritchard of North Carolina, he was Tn Birmingham. when Senator PritcharI made an appeal for a Lily White Party In this State. Senator Pritchard was subsequently, appointed a Federal Judge ana NIT. McNelH IS now praGElSinE at- torney fin Washington.
 Republican oficeholders interviewed yesterday denied that MT. McNeill had demanded campaign funds from them. tut more than one Of them admitted that they had subscribed to the cam paign fund.
 The conference at Flemings Hotel Wednesday evening, at which the Rs- publicans met MT. McNelll, was at tended by J. o Thompson. Collector of Internal Revenue; P. D. Barker. Postmaster at Mobile; John A. Bing. ham. Postmaster at Talladega; D. B Smith, Postmaster at Opelika; W. c. Starke, Postmaster at Troy; Henry F. Irwin. Assistant Postmaster at Mon.- gomery. and W. S. Reese Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama.
 Julian Bingham Not There.
 The presence of John A. Bingham or Talladega at the conference caused The Advertiser to confuse his name with that of his brother. Julian H. Bingham, who was known to be In the city. The latter. in a letter to The Advertiser, dis claims having attended the conference, and takes occasion to reiterate his Lilly White" views and to repudiate the negro policy of President Roosevelt and his friends. The letter of MT. Bingham is as follows:
 Montgomery. Ala. Sept. 29, 1904, Editor The Advertiser:
 "Your local in this mornings issue headed McNeill Demands Money of Re- publican Officials" Is misleading, in that 1t would indicate that was pres ent and a participant in a conference of Federal officials alleged to have been held last evening at the Fleming Ho- tel
 T desire to say that have seen no
 
 tional Committee. was not present at presence in Montgomery is in response to telegram from a business associ- ate which had for Its purpose the con- sideration of business proposition en- tirely foreign to politics.
 Referring also, to your reporters suggestion that my attendance upon the conference indicated a compromise of the so-calied black and tan and lily whites, I will add that I stiIl firmly be- lieve that a more intelligent and pat riotic assembly has never been held in the State than the Birmingham convea- tion of 1902. and if 1t had been prop erly sustained would have promoted. | not only the best interests of the Re- | publican party in the State, but our entire citizenship as well.
 "very respectfully.
 Julian ii. Bingham"
 Talks of the Conference.
 One of the Republicans who attended | the conference with Mir. McNeIll. talk | ed with some freedom yesterday of its l 
 Mfr. McNeill," he said "came to Ala | bama to ascertain If 1t was worth while | for the Campaign Committee to spend | any money or to use any effort in tho | Congressional districts of this State"
 Does this mean" he was asked. | that the Campaign Committee falls to | place confidence in National Commit | teeman Charles H. Scott of Alabama. | who has repeatedly given assurance | that at least two Alabama districts | would elect Republican Congressmen? |
 T am not able to give the motive | that impelIed the Committee to seek | other than that gained | from Mir Scott" he replied. "I am | simply telling you the object of Mir. McNeiIrs visit. Some of us, both here and in North Alabama, were asked to | meet with Mir. McNeill and to give him | the benefit of our views. All of us. | except Mir Thompson, told him frank | Iy that the Republicans had no chance | to carry a single district in Alabama. | Mir. Thompson insisted that we had a | chance to elect MT. Powell | in the Seventh District"
 'Then you mean that the Republican | canpaigns in the Fifth and Seventh and | other Alabama districts are bluster?"
 'eNot exactly buster" he answered. |