Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-16
DISTRICT DEMOCRACY
Arguments Before National
Subcommittee Today.
LOCAL FACTION FIGHT
ARGUMENTS MADE BY MENzIEs
AND SLATER.
Brisk Colloquy Over the Slater Charges
of Fraud-Claims of the Present
Committeeman.
LOCAL FACTION FIGHT

the District of Columbia was shown today
in the meeting of the subcommittee of the
democratic committee to determine
the course that should be taken in holding
primary elections here next spring and to
pass upon the question whether Mr.. James
L. Norris should be seated a member rep
resenting the District on the national COM
mittee.
The meeting was to be held at the Shore
ham Hotel at 10 o'clock this morning. There
was no quorum of the subcommittee present
at that hour which made necessary delay
in calling the meeting to order. Messrs.
John Z. McGraw of West Virginia and John
Taylor Ellyson of Virginia were present in
the morning. Messrs. James NJ Guffey of
Pennsylvania and Norman E. Mack of New
York telegraphed that they could not be
present. Mr.. Gurley of New Jersey was
not on hand at the hour appointed for the
meeting.
Mr. McGraw chairman, continued with
the hearing upon stating that both sides
had agreed to have the two members OF the
subcommittee act in the absence OF d
quorum The chairman stated that the
questions to be passed upon were whether
Mr. Norris had been elected national COM
mitteeman. for the District, and what plan
should be adopted for carrying on the next
primary election.
Mr. Menzies of Indianapolis, Ind. his at
torney; MI J. Fred Kelley, Mr.. Charles
w Slater Edwin Seton, S. s. Yoder and
Frank Hume were among the early arrivals
at the hotel.
There were also present many members
of labor unions of this city. Among those
present were T. ]. Costello, secretary OF
the Hearst Workingmens Club and dele
gate to the Central Labor Union; 2. ii.
Shughrue, president Bricklayers' Union; L.
p O'Dea, district master Workingmen's As
sembly &c. Knights of Labor; William E.
Carr, president Carpenters Union; Thomas
Ryan, John Mahoney, John A. Gleason.
John J. O. Brien, William A. Vaughan, vice
president Hearst Business Mems Club; j.
Frank OMeara L. Bennett, j. K. Potter,
James F. Murtagh, Thomas j. Shehan.
The Case of Mr. Norris.
Mr. Menzies proceeded to present the case
of Mr.. Norris. He maintained that the
notice of the primaries in 1900 was given in
due form. He stated that IA 500 votes were
cast in that primary election. of which
number 1920 were in behalf of the opposl-
ton to Mr. Norris; that opposition printed
its own ballots Those facts, he contended,
showed that ample notice was given of the
election. 1t was an animated contest, LED
by man of intelligence and energy. who
did all any one could to see that his fol-
lowers had a chance to cast their votes.
1T has been charged" declared Mr.. Men
zies that Mr.. Norris used some sort OF
hypnotic power to influence this election
so that he got the great mass of the votes
cast Well if that is the think he
is the kind of man the democracy needs in
the District of Columbia
A Comparison
Mr.. Menzies compared the Slater faction
OF the District democracy to the Palmer
and Buckner faction of the national party.
THAT party in Chicago was referred to
as the mule party with no pride of an
cestry and no hope of posterity, declared
Mr. Menzies
The election in the District, he said, was
held under proper authorization, and II
authority in such matters is not to DE
re recognized then nothing except chaos can
prevail in politics. Up to the time the
national democratic committee appointed
it's committee on credentials there was nor
the least flaw in the right of the Norris
delegation in the convention. 1t was only
then that compromise was effected in the
hurry attendant upon the proceedings OF
thn convention by which both factions OF
recognized. That was no more than d
compromise dividing the vote of the Dis
trict between the two factions.
Then there was. for the first time, a pro-
test filed against the seating of Mr.. Norris.
but contest did not vacate the scat Oh
Mr. Norris in the convention Mr.. MenZies
declared that the convention had never
| taken action to vacate the seat of Mr..
Norris.
The Charges of Fraud.
..They say declared Mr.. Menzies, that
| fraud was committed in this primary cleo
| ton. and that that fraud tainted every
snhseouent action of Mr.. Norris. Such
! charges cannot be of consequence when
| ased on mere assertion. 1t should be made
good as thoroughly as would be required
| in a court of law. These slanderous charges
| had gone forth in this community ana IN
/ try n injury of MT. MOTIFS.
! Now is the time to make these charges
! good.
1--WE will do it, said Mr.. Slater.
make them good now! do not wish 10
bring into this case any ugly. charges, but
| it is declared that some OF the, names on
| the affidavits brought forth to snow fraud
| in that primary election We're forged, ana l
| believe there are men in this room who are
! acquainted with the facts in the case.
Mr. Menzies, upon concluding. stated that
| after Mr.. Slater had presented his case
| Senator Blackburn would have something
| to say in relation to the matter before the
subcommittee.
Mr.. Slater's Brief.
| Mr. Slater then read a brief in behalf of
his contention that Mr.. Norris was not
! legally elected member of the national
| democratic committee. This brief in SUBJ
stance has been published in The Star.
Mr.. SIater's Argument.
| After reading his brief Mr.. Slater ad-
/ dressed the subcommittee further. The
| fact. he said, that but three days were
| given in which to call the primary cleo
/ items showed that it was intended to COM
nit fraud
I'VE did cast five or six votes to his one, >
| said Mr. Slater, land we can do it again.
/ He can't cast 500 votes in the District
i This sentiment called forth applause
| Of fl,o
/ Good boy!'' shouted one of Mr.. Skaters
| admirers.
whether Mr. Norris delegation was OIL
was not entitled to be seated in the ma.
| tional convention, it was declared by 6
| vote of IS to by. the committee on creden.
| tials that it was not SO entitled
Mr.. Slater produced a big tin box, in
which he said were petitions from demo-
Gratis in the District favoring IAN honest
1 primary election in the District of Column
bia. He had counted 1000 names signed to
i these petitions. and then got tired" He
read this petition favoring a reference 10
| the primary election of the question as 10
| who should be the District committeeman
4 on the national democratic convention.
&c.