The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-24

 GATHERING State Commits, ( Will Meet T,aay. PLAN .sOR CONVENTION
Haze of Uncertainty Sur
 rounds ChairmanShip.
Name of R. H. Clarke and H. D. Clay- ton Mentioned By Some Delegates Who Reached Montgomery
 Last Night.

uncertainty surrounds the selection to- day by the State Executive Committee of the Democmratic party of a tempora- ry chairman of the State convention which meets tomorrow at noon in the Auditorium.
 Only a few of the leaders have as yet arrived in Montgomery and they are a little hesitant as to making any predic- tion as to the probable chairman of the convention. Two names. more than any others are mentioned in connection with the place. the names of Hon Richard H. Clarke of Mobile and Congressman H. D. Clayton of Eufaula. The rumor connecting Mir. Clarke's name with the honor of the chairmanship is not a new one. It has been circulated for a week or two and with a persistence that indi- cates some sort of a sentiment or move ment back of 1t. MT. Clarke will come to Montgomery a member of the Mobile delegation and will undoubtedly be a commanding figure in the convention.
 The report that Congressman Clayton would probably be rendered the honor Is of a more recent date. Congressman Clayton is one of the oldest and most prominent members of the Alabama dele- gation in Congress and he has always been a leading member of an Alabama convention
 ~
 It is understood that neither MT. Clay ton nor Mir Clarke Is seeking the honor. They are in no sense candidates for the place if 1t comes to either 1t will come as a voluntary offering from the State Executive Committee. The com mittee will make it's selection unhamper- ed by any sort of contest.
 The prominence of Hon. John B. Knox of Anniston in the party councils is res ponsible for the gossip which connected his name with the place of chairman. The gossip was never vigorous however. as it was generally understood that Mir. Knox had no desire for the honor, but would come to the convention with the delegates from Calhoun County merely as a spectator. The assurances that Mir. Knox had no desire to- serve as chairman came from men who have been close to him in political affairs in recent years. A delegate of State wide reputation said last night:
 q feel sure that John Knox does not want to be chairman. am his friend and he knows 1t. If he had wanted to be chairman. he or some friend of his would have written me about it and they have not done so."
 After all, the talk about the chair manship of the convention Is gossip and nothing else. The State Committee alone, makes the selection and no au- thoritative tip has come to pierce the uncertainty.
 Committee Meets Today.
 The committee will meet at noon in the city Council Chamber. It is possible that a more exciting matter than the selection of a chairman of the convention may come before 1t. There Is some talk that the vexed local fight in Cullman County may bob up before the State Committee. Cullman County has been the scene of two fierce local contests and the county committee has been pulled and hauled two ways by the contending fac tions. Moreover, the State Committee rarely ever gets together unless some un- expected matter jumps to the front and disturbs the serenity of it's proceedings
 Chairman H. s. D. Mallory of the committee deviated from his usual GUS tom and did not come to Montgomery last night. Chairman Mallory has here tofore come from his Selma home the night preceding the committee meeting, but this time he remained there to come over this morning at 9:30 o'clock.
 Fhe advance guard of the committee about the hotel Hobbies last night was not large. There was George A. Scar cy of Tuscaloosa County, Capt. George F. Sedberry of Wetumpka, J. H. Her
 
 Nathan of Sheffield and Dave M. White of Coosa in the small crowd which as- sembled about the lobby of the EX- change Hotel in the early part of the night
 Congressman William Richardson of Huntsville was among the prominent | arrivals.
 The crowd was made up of the few members of the committee who had I. T AN 7INoV@ If dnl O. gates to the convention. including John D. Burnett of Conecuh County, L. W. Locklin. W. B. Kemp and M. M. Fountain of Monroe County. F. O. Hoff- man of Mobile County. w. F. Middleton and F. F. Upchurch of Chiffon County. and Hon. J. F. Thompson of Bibb County. About the hotel. too, were lAdjutant-General W. W. Brandon, Rail- Toad Commissioner w. c. Tunstall and | Chief Clerk H. c. Gunnells of the Edu- | cational Department.
 Mir. Russell is Here. Hon. Edward l.. Russell of Mobile a prominent candidate for delegate-at- | large from Alabama. reached the city | last night in his private car. F. O. | Hoffman, R. V. Taylor and Syd Prince. close personal friends of Colonel Rus sell, came in with him on his private car. Colonel Russell retired early and
 
 in the night.
 Today's meeting of the committee is but the curtain raiser to the big con vention which comes tomorrow. The convention is charged with the duty of selecting four delegates from the ate-at-large and two from each ot the nine Congressional districts of Ala bama to the St. Louis Convention. The convention will adopt a platform, con taininE the declaration of principles of the Alabama Democracy. There will be speeches by prominent Democrats and enthusiasm. as always at State Convention, will rin high. The delegates from the Nine Con gressional District will be selected by the delegates to the State Convention from the counties composing the dis tricts. The convention will unani- mously name the nominees of the eau GUS of the district delegates( The four