Evening journal., 1904-03-17
Friends of Watt and
Corkran Pulling the
Wires to Send Their
Man to the General
Conference


Dover March 17.-There is a pretty /
fight on for General Conference dele /
gate and wires never were more
adroitly nor more assiduously pulled |
at any bona fide political convention !
than at this Methodist conference.
Without a doubt there are two ele-
ments. one says Of itself that IL is a
faction and that the other element is !
faction. too. This latter element says
that 1t is not a faction. but is the con-
ference, while the other element is a
faction whose object It is to organize
pastors ticket to fight the presiding
elders ticket for delegate to the Cen
eral Conference.
A little story is told which may throw
some light on the question.
There are several factions in your
conference, are there not2" inquired
one man.
"Oh, no." said the other. a minister.
There is only one faction and the con-
ference itself and the faction Is biggerl
than the conference"
It all narrows down, really, to the
choice between the Rev. Robert Watt,
ID. D., and the Rev. DR. Corkran for
delegate to the California gathering.
Each man has a large circle Of friends.
Those who are urging the choice Of
DR.. Watt are said to be Stengle, Koons
and Mowbray.
DIR. Corkran's most earnest adherents
are Barrett. Baker and Wyatt. They
claim that Dr. Corkran stands no end
of a good show; that five out of six
members Of the Salisbury district favor
him and that he has a strong follow
ing in the Dover district. They also
assert that the majority of the younger
men IN the conference favor the choice
Of DR.. Corkran.
The Corkran men also claim that too
many promises have been made to be
kept, and that in some instances the
same charge has been promised to four
or five men. They said that the church
in Townsend is one Of these much
promised charges.
Be that as it may, this goes to
strengthen the theory OF the pastors
VS.. the presiding elders ticket.
on the other hand, friends OF DR..
Watt are confident Of his election, both
because Of his personal popularity and
the remarkably fine record he has made
as presiding elder Of the Wilmington
district.
It is impossible to predict the out
come. which, however. viii be known
tomorrow CFriday) as the election will
take place at that time.
Reading Reports.
The early part OF the session this
morning was devoted to hearing the re-
ports OF the two remaining presiding
elders. the Rev. Adam Stengle Of the
Salisbury district and DR.. Watt of
Wilmington. The report of Mr.. Stengle
was one of the most interesting heard
and it was received with applause and
laughter. DIR. Watts report was heard
with intense interest. He was inter-
rupted with applause and bursts of
song. In a voice tempering with emo
tion. DR.. Watt told of the help he had
received from his co-workers and es-
pecially from the four former presid-
ing elders in the district. A summary
Of the report appeared in The Evening
journal yesterday
Or. Crises Resolution.
At the conclusion of Presiding Elder
Stengle's report DIR. c. A. Grise offered
a resolution that the conference urge
the Maryland Legislature, now in ses-
sion, to make the local option law oper-
ative in Worcester and Wicomico
counties. being the only two within the
confines of the conference in Maryland
where there is not such a law. The
resolution was unanimously adopted.
Among the visitors who addressed the
conference this morning was the Rev.
w. L. Mcdowell Of the Philadelphia
conference. who represents the COM
mittee on entertainment of the next
general conference. In view of the deep
interest taken in the election of dele
gates DR. Mcdowell was heard with
marked attention. He said there is n
deficit which must be made up before
May. The publishing houses cannot be
drawn upon and so DR.. Mcdowell is
looking for help from the conferences.
Wilmington Conference is asked for
s1.775 and some of the charges are in
arrears. He suggested that those who
would return to their charges look after
this matter.
"A number Of you will return" he as
serted. "Will you tell me which ones
they will be-" interrupted the bishop.
THE conference laughed
The Rev. DR.. Goucher president OF
the Woman's College of Baltimore,
lmade an address in the interest Of that
institution. He asked that two con-
ference visitors to the college be ap-
lpointed.
Pleaded For crittendon Home.
mrs. H. II. Ward. wife Of the attor-
lney- general, OF Wilmington. was intro
duced 10 the conference. She is one OF
the most active workers OF the Flor
lence Crittendon Home and she told the
ministers Of the result achieved by the
home in Wilmington. Mrs. Ward said
she did not come 20 asl. for money. but
to ask the ministers to open their
churches to their representatives of the
home so that the work might be pre-
lsented to the people.
~will you do it? VIII you do it?'
she asked.
Yes. Yes" was the unanimous re-
sponse OF the conference.
DR.. Watt at the close Of her address
offered resolutions that the conference
had heard Mrs. Ward with deep inter-
est and recognizing the nature Of the
work that the ministers of the confer
lence pledge their hearty cooperation
by opening their churches TO represen-
ltatives of the home and do all in theii
power TO help the work. The resolu-
tion was signed by the four presiding
eldest and Dr. Adams. II was unani-
mously adopted.
Other speakers were the Rev. +. L
Hart field superintendent Of church