The leader., 1904-07-27
THE CITIZ EMS MI: TING.
4 DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION AND
WHITE PRIMARY RECOMMENDED
BY THE COMMITTEE
A Minority Report Against the Prop
OsitiOn By One Member.
Both Reports Laid On The Table to be
Acted on at Mass Meeting al
the Court House Tuesday Even
ING, August End.

On Friday evening, July %,
1904. the meeting of the citizens
of Brookhaven, held at the May
or's Office, July 10Th, reconyened,
pursuant to adjournment.
The meeting was called to order
by Chairman /. W. Cooper, ard
the Secretary, B. /. Hobbs, was
requested to read a report Of the
proceedings of the last meeting,
which was done.
The report Of the committee of
ten, appointed at the last meeting
to consider the advisability IF
holding a white primary fol the
nomination of candidates for mu-
nieipal Offices, was then called for.
The chairman of the committee,
b. I. Hobbs, prefaced the read
ing of the report by stating that
it had not been practicable to get
a full meeting Of the committee of
ten at any one sitting. One mem
Der bad declined to serve, one
could not be seen, a third was yet
undecided on the proposition, and
a fourth would offer minority
report. The rest of the Commit
tee we're unanimously in favor of
the majority report. which would
be read.
Mr.. Hobbs further stated that
he had discovered that very mis-
leading and erroneous impression
had gotten out as to the origin and
character of this movement for a
white Democratic primary. Many.
seemed to think it had its origin
with the law and order or citi-
zens league, which had been eau
cusing on the subject, and that
the meeting held at the Mayors
office last Friday, at which the
committee of ten was appointed,
was a citizens league meeting.
He was in a position to know that
such was not the case. The meet
ing at the Mayors Office last Fri
day was not a meeting of the law
and order league or citizens COM
mittee, but a meeting Of citizens
of Brookhaven, composed indis.
criminately Of those who were
of that organization and
those who were not called to dis
cuss matters for the welfare Z
the entire community. Speaking
for himself be was strongly OPP
posed to the law and order or cit
liens league, as an organization
having any thing TO do with this
movement for a white primary.
1t is a question to to be decided
by the white Democratic voters of
the city, and whatever the major
ity of these voters decide on at a
representative gathering such as
he desired before the question
was finally acted on, be was ready
to abide BY. He favored a white
Democratic primary for the rea-
sons he had frankly expressed in
last Fridays meeting and in the
columns Of The Leader. AS for
the law and order league, that
was different organization,
which ought to be non partisan in
its character, and would be main
tanned regardless Of whether a
primary was held or not, and re-
CARELESS Of who may be elected
city officials, because it is needed
in the community to assist in the
enforcement of law.
The majority and minority re-
ports were then read as follows:
Majority Report.
Mr.. Chairman: We, your
committee appointed in pur
suance of a motion adopted at the
citizens meeting (not law and or
der league) at the Mayors Office
on Friday evening, July 10th,
to consider the adyisability Of
holding a white primary election
by the white qualified electors Of
Brookhayen on a date to be named
hereafter, for the purpose ofnom-
mating candidates for the several
municipal Offices to be filled at the
next regular city election, and re-
port BY resolution or otherwise at
an adjourned meeting " beg to
submit the following:
The fact that the race question
in politics remains unsettled, and
that there is d manifest intention
on the part Of the Republican
party and the present chief execu-
tive of the nation, who is.a caadi-
date for reelection on the Repub-
Iican ticket, to reopen and force
this question into prominence
again, emphasizes anew the I'M
p0rtance of maintaining the policy
which has secured and preserved
white supremacy and good gov
eminent 10 the South and proved
by experience to be the wisest and
best for both races il this section.
We, therefore, respectfully sub
nit to you and this meeting of
white citizens and Democrats the
following Recommendations:
/. That the Democratic electors
Of the city Of Brookhaven proceed
I'd form q regular municipal par
'ty organization, such as exists ia
other cities Of Mississippi for
the purpose Of holding a primary
election as nearly as practicable
ii accordance with the primary
Dizzy