Evening star., 1904-03-18
SIMMONS AND CHASE
Endorsed for Delegates to
Chicago Convention.
THE CAMPAIGN OPENS
SEVERAL OTHER CANDIDATES
ARE EXPECTED TO APPEAR.
Declaration Of Principles Adopted at
Meeting of Republicans in Grand
Army Hall Last Night.

The republican campaign in the District
of Columbia for the primary election at
which there will be chosen delegates to the
national convention to be held in Chicago
June 81, was opened last night. At that
meeting the candidacy of Leo Simmons and
w. Calvin Chase. white and colored. princi-
pals and Albert Sillers and Thomas l..
Jones' white and colored, alternates, were
formally Endorsed by what are commonly
known as the Reyburn and Chase factions.
There will be other candidates. John w.
! Patterson, John w. Poe and Rev. G W.
| Lee. all celored men, are likely to play
| prominent part in the struggle Tor the
coveted honor of being selected as dele
| gate to the national convention.
| The meeting last evening was held in
| Grand Army Hall on Pennsylvania avenue.
| 1t was very quiet gathering. AT o CLOCK
| there was practically no one there, but
| they struggled in one by one. and at the
| end of an hour the gathering numbered
about 100 men, nearly all Of whom were
| colored.
| Chairman Jones' Stirring Address.
| The meeting was called to order by
! Chairman Jones' Rev. Mr. Jenkins opened
| the proceedings with prayer. Chairman
Jones then stirred the audience up with the
| declaration of the principles which. he said,
| would be foremost in the coming campaign.
| He referred to the Sage of New Jersey,
and said it was at the critical period when
| he was President that a deliverer of the
| country was offered in the form or WhHam
| Mckinley whom he referred to as the great
| statesman and noblest of Presidents. He
also referred to President Roosevelt as the
| "ablest statesman and noblest warrior.
He called out applause as he declared
that the people of the District should have
| a right to vote for President, delegate TO
| represent the District in Congress ana
various prominent officers OF the locai gov
| ernment
| All the speakers indOrsed President Roose-
| welt for the nomination
A letter was read from DR.. Robert Key
! burn, in which he said:
ST need scarcely say to you now dear 10
me is the subject of home rule ior ,ne GU
! zens of the District of Columbia. con.
slider the existence of the present Dlstrlct
government to be an outrage upon Jul
people and a disgrace to our country.
| II trust in your platform you VIII heart-
ily indorse for the presidency our noo-e
leader Theodore Roosevelt
| ..As L have declined absolutely TO De
candidate for the position of delegate 10
the next national republican convention L
think it will be wiser for me not 10 take
any part in political meetings for the pres
ent. = A.,
sneakers of the evening He declared that.
the republican party was the one that was
always of the greatest benefit to the coun-
try but he was sorry it had been dereict
in its failure to provide home-rule gov
ernment for the District. He hoped there
would be no repeating at the coming pri-
mary election and that it would be con-
Quoted in fairness in every way. Great
care he said should be taken to see that
only republicans vote at the election.