Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-04-28
First District Republican Conven-
ton Elects Them without
q Contest.
MERRILL GAVE up FIGHT
Did Not Have His Name Prescnted-E
$. Flcury and n. w. lIurlburd ChOs.
en- Altcrnatcs-C. +. Smith
Draws Forth Applause in Sec.
onding Manning's Name.

| The republicans OF the first congress
| sional district met in convention Thurs
day afternoon at the city hall and elected
| two delegates and two altcnlates to the
national convention to be held at Chicago
! for the nomination of Il candidate for
President. The convention was brief, the
session lasting only 25 minutes. 1t was
harmonious and enthusiastic, all compii
cations that had appeared upon the ho<i-
1on having been adjusted. There was a.
| hutter of expectancy, however. until the
delegates had been elected. for. although
1t was understood that ]. A. Merrill of
Rutland had withdrawn from the fight,
1t was not beyond "A possibility that some
of his friends might submit his name and
| thereby cause fight on the floor. The
unexpected did not happen and n. w.
Allen Of this city and j. F.. Manning of
| Rutland were unanimously elected as
delegates.
The pre- convention contest was between
Judge Merrill and Mr. Manning and de-
velopc1 as the result Of the caucus at
Rutlsnl, wnen delegates headed by Z.
w. Clement were defeated. Mr.. Clement
came to Burlington and established head
quarters at the Van Ness House. Mr..
| Manning and the list of delegates elected
came to Burlington also and from the
| time of their arrival the fight was hot.
IT appeared however, from careful cam
vass of the delegates that Judge Merrill
would he defeated and he withdrew and
returned home Mr.. Clement returned to
Rutland before the convention was held
The convention was called to order at
two O'Clock by +. q. Swinington of Rut-
land. chairman of the district committee
, The call was read by II. @. Sturtevant OF
Swanton, secretary of the committee afte,
! which Mr.. Sturtevant announced that 3s
/ of the 365 delegates to which the conVen-
ton were entitled were present. The ro
as made out by the committee was adopt
ed as the roll of the convention.
Mr.. Swinington announced that the
committee had chosen W. +. Barnes o
Addison as temporary chairman. Mr.
Barnes expressed his thanks for the honor
conferred upon him and said that the con
vcntion had met for business and not t.
listen to speeches, therefore he would say
nothing further.
At the close of his remarks II. y. Hal
of St Adams was elected secretary aftel
which the temporary organization was
made permanent,
~ n Post of st. Adams moved that thu
resolutions adopted by the State cOnven
ton. held Wednesday, be adopted by thu
district convention and the motion wa
carried.
Nominations were then called for anc
Robert Roberts of this city presented TIL
name of Colonel Allen. He said tina
Colonel Allen started in life with the al
vantage of being raised in Wostford an,
all knew that nothing but good coul'
come cut of Westford. Mr.. Allen was
veteran of the civil War, where he serve,
with honor. After the war he formed
connection with a dry goods house in Bur
lington. became junior partner and wa
now senior partner, the firm name bein
II. w. Allen IL Co. He spoke of Mr. Al
lens record in the State Senate and sal
he had always been an honest, progress
sive and successful man of business; thu,
"A
a man who would represent Vernon
well. In closing Mr., Roberts said tina
Colonel Aliens candidate for President
first, last and all the time was Thcodor
Roosevelt
The nomination of Colonel Allen wa
seconded by S A. Andrews Of johnson
y. W. Fisk Of Isle La Motto, II. o. Car
penter of Rutland, r. O. Sturtevant o
Swanton and W. ID. Stewart of Bakers
field. The seconding speeches We're a
complimentary and at their close Colont
Allen was unanimously elected. afte
which he was loudly Chcercd.
f. NJ I,utlcr of Rutland presented tn
name OF j. T., Manning Of that city a
l the second delegate. He said Mr.. Man
ming had adopted Vermont AS his home
that he was a successful business MAJ
, having increased a business that enploye
20 operatives to one that employed $50. II
4 said that Mr.. Manning was in favor c
Theodore Roosevelt for President.
: The nomination of Mr.. Manning wa
seconded 10y delegates from various COuI
2 tics and this developed brief spocc
! from &. i. Smith of Morrisvillc in whic
lc referred to the prc-convention fgl
i in a way that called forth a loud burs
q OF applause. Mr.. Smith said that he di
t not know MI Manning but that his nam
stood for anti-------- something an
that he was glad to second his nominf
ton
Others who seconded the nominatio
. were r. G Scvcrson of Burlington, +.
! Smith of St Adams and Thomas Mac
: Of Nergennes. Mr.. Manning was unan
mously elected and was roundly cheere'
The call for nominations for alternate
n resulted in the nomination of T.. 5 Fleur
{ of Isle La Motto by n. w Fisk and {
E r. w. IIulhurd of Hyde Park by +, {
. Fleetwood of MOrrisvllc They wei
unanimously elected. A motion was mac
that the district committee be cmpOWerc
to fill any vacancies that should occl
. | in the list of delegates or altornates ar
:! it was carried, The convention then az