The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-14
ARE SEVEN
WANT TO RULE
Opponents of Ward Bill
Hold Secret Meeting.
WANT SIM MONS SCALP
They Have Without Authority Called
Meeting Of the State Democratic
Executive Committee

VIII the Ward bill cost Senator
Simmons the scalp of his party lead
crship in North Carolina :?
That is the question which, under
crushing defeat and chagrin of the
Democrats who have bitterly opposed
that measure, has taken in the begin
hing the form of a question and has
developed within the last few days
into what appears TO be an already
half-formulated challenge by seven
persons. three of whom are unknown.
Stripped of the careful and diplo-
matte way in which the members of
the Executive Committee who are
most concerned arrive at the utter
ance of the projected revolt, the
proposition on the part of those VINO
are angry with the senior Senator for
his endorsement of the Ward tenn
perance measure is this:
That Senator Simmons is to be adj
viscd by resolution of the executive
committee that his course with re-
Spect to an enlargement OF the watts
law is at variance with the views of
the committee; that, in plain Ian
guage Senator Simmons is to be call
ed down. the inference being that ii
he will not "De good i'll accordance
with the views of the active MEM
bers of the committee in this re-
spcct he may resign as chairman OF
the committee inthe state.
\ Marlborough House Conference.
Yeste, day X became known from
responsible ana r'liable sources that
letters had beer received by certain
members Of The Democratic state FIX
ecutive Committee which were iii the
nature. if not in fact. call -
meeting of the members of the cCm>
lnittee in Raleigh on Wednesday night
to advise as to the present situation
of the party interests in the State.
Ii WAS said that the letters issued
from IA meeting held by certain mem
beers Of the committee at the Iarbor-
ough House on Saturday night and
were signed jointly by the members
Of the committee participating IN the
conference. While the purpose of the
meeting was not specifically stated. 1t
Mas understood and said to be indicat-
ed in the letter which was sent that
tho object was to discuss and advise
as to the policy of the party in rela-
ton TO the Ward bill.
3, The participants in the meeting
have been reticent 10 a degree. All
riay Sunday and Yesterday they walk
ed about with the secret uneXposed 10
liz q wav which Indicated 4 knowledge
uf the meeting and its purpose and ac-
ton, those seen were uniformly re-
tiCeut.
To Un-liOrSc Simmons
At thc Marlborough House last night
] approached, in the search for Mfr.
Hackett. Senator who. while NOT
member of the executive committee
nd M If hn rofCPrPE
had yet evidently heard of the confer
ence and was acquainted with its &C
lions. and its aims.
He mad not seen the letter. said this
Senator and did not know its exact
contents. He did know. however, that
il was proposed to have meeting Of
tho committee or certain members
thereof and go over the question 81
what was to he done about the atti-
tude of the party on the wisdom of
the Ward bill.
1.-THE purpose of the meeting, said
he was in effect, ITO ask for the reS;S-
nation Of senator simmons.
The Careful Mr.. GalIcrt.
Next ] sought out Mr.. sol. GaIleri.
or lsuthcrfordton, u member OF the
executive committee and present, I
had learned at the meeting on :tatur
day night.
There had been no meeting. said
Mr.. Gallert. There had been no letter
sent for meeting. Nobody had any
power to call q meeting except the
chairman who was Senator simmons.
Being pressed further. Mr.. Gallert adj
mitted that there had been informal
conferences" between certain MEM
bcrs of the committee, but he denied
that there had been anything like q
formal meeting or any concerted &C
ton in the way of a letter or Il no
tice by any meeting OF executive COM
nittee members.
Asked as to the suggested request
for the resignation of Mr.. Simmons.
Mr.. Ga.lert said that he had heard
no talk Of any measure or effort 10
that extreme, but that the character
cf the conferences held informally by
committeeman happening to be pres
ent in the city was simply that they
believed that the passage of the
Ward bill was in the nature of a
party crisis and that something ought
to be done by the men who had been
chosen by the convention at Green's
boro to direct the affairs of the party.
When asked as to the Saturday
night meeting. Mr.. Gallert again de-
MED that there had been any meet
ing in the real sense of the word. or
that he had signed any letter inviting
any memDer OF the committee TO
conference. Asked as to who was
present at the meeting. Mr.. Gallert
smiled and declined TO answer, stick
ing to the assertion that there had
been no meeting, only conferences,
lust as we might confer here
Mr. Moore There.
Mr.. Walter J. Moore. of Jackson.
formerly Speaker of the House and ::
!, a. u. bcr ,,f tho pop,mjttna U-1S SopD