The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-31
The LATE DEMOCRATIC
MASS MEETING AT CLYDE,

The following from the Rrvan En-
eerprise is published at the request of
the supporters of Hon. ]. A. Brannen.
VINO claim that the report of the Dem
ocratic mass meeting at Clyde, that
lnoorsed Col. r. E. Lester. was erro-
neous:
a mass meeting was held at Clyde on
Monday last, for the purpose of reor-
ganlzing the Democratic party. and
erecting a chairman and Executive
Committee for the ensuing two years
chairman ]. w. Geiger being absent,
Mr. Henry Strickland was elected tenn
porary chairman, and T. 4. Osteen sec
rotary. The following resolution was
read and adopted unanimously:
whereas it is the desire of the
democrats of Bryan county to have
representation from this section of the
state OF Georgia in the delegation at
large to the National Democratic Con-
Vention to be, held in st. Louis. Mo.
ana whereas we believe Hon. ]. H. Es-
TIL OF savannah. Ca, is an able, safe.
and conservative man, and one who
would reflect great credit on this state;
SAASA SAOlNt NC IL
Resolved, by the Democrats of
Bryan county in mass meeting assem-
bled, That we heartily recommend
ana lndorse him for one of the dele
gates at large from the state of Geor-
gla to the said Democratic National
Committee to be held in st. Louis"
1t was evident from the first that
the meeting was intended for a Lester
rally, as was shown by the number of
his supporters on the ground. In fact,
II is safe to say nine-tenths of the
Lester voters were on hand determin-
ed to have passed resolutions indorsing
Col. Lester The trouble started
when one Mr.. Smith arose and read off
lot of names of Lester supporters
and asked vote on them. By persist
ent and strenuous efforts order was
restored long enough to have the gen.
tleman explain what he was trying to
get off. 1t was at last decided that
the list contained the names of three
men from each district as candidates
for members of the Executive Commit
tee. (And, by the way, every name
was that of a strong Lester supporter.)
The object of this was very evident,
and met strong opposition by the
minority. It was then suggested that
each district elect its own committee,
but this was at once yelled down by
the other side.
Several other suggestions were offer
ed, and one or two short speeches
made for harmony and reason, but to
no avail, and as the chair realized the
impossibility of accomplishing the OBJ
ject for which the meeting was called,
and that the Lester faction was only
bent on making of the meeting a Les
ter rally, declared the meeting adj
journed. Then pandemonium broke
loose, and for a short time it looked
like a free-for-all fight, Knockout and
drag out, but cooler heads prevailed
and peace was once more restored.
Thus ended this meeting called for
the purpose of electing a chairman and
Executive Committee and for no other
purpose. This meeting was not called
for the purpose of indorsing Mr.. Bran
men, as has been stated by some, nor
did the Brannen supporters think that
such unfair methods as were practiced
would have been resorted to by the
Lester faction. On the contrary, every
thing goes to show that this was all
cut and dried plan on the part of the
Lester men to have Bryan county in
dorse their candidate.
The correspondent of the Morning
News says: 1.-THE call for the meeting
was a surprise to the Lester men,
Yet they came well prepared with,
you might say every Lester voter IN
the country (and that was about so or
1000 backed by delegations from Efting-
ham and Chatham to help poor old
Bryan" appoint a Democratic execu-
tive committee.
Had Mr.. Brannen's friends thought
for a moment that the purpose Of said
meeting was to be subverted and TAX
en- charge of by such high-handed
proceedings they would have been
there.
The appointing of chairman and
committee and indorsing Col. Lester is
not the work of the Bryan County
Democratic Executive Committee, nor
does it meet the approval Of a large
majority of Bryan county voters, as
will be shown the day of the primary.
]. D. w.