The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-04
PLAIN STATEMENT
FROM DELEGATES TO A RECEN'
CONVENTIONS IN CHICAGO.

Mr.. A. @. Forbes. President CONNER
cial and Industrial Association.

r
Mr.. A. @. Forbes, President CONNER
cfal and Industrial Association
MONTGOMERY, Ala,
Dear Sir:--Actfng under your In
structions, we. the undersigned dele
gates, appointed to attend the Inter
state Commerce Law Convention, held
in Chicago. october 26th-27th, having
been furnished with proper creden-
.tials, proceeded to Chicago on the
might Of October cath. reaching there
the night of the s5th.
We stopped at the Great Northern
III 1tel. and at once got In touch with
the proper parties, to ascertain what
the situation was. We found that
conditions were assuming a compli-
Gated nature. by virtue Of the fact that
the leaders of the convention, to which
we had gone, had decided that no dele
gate could be seated on the floor OF
would agree to obligate himself. and
the organization he represented. by
signing a. certain pledge, or declara-
tion. Upon finding this would proba-
bly, be the case, a caucus vas held In
the parlors of the Grand Pacific Hotel
on the night of the 26th. There were
about two hundred delegates present.
The situation was fully explained to
them, and they were given the OPP
portunity of either signing. or declin-
ing to sign the pledge of the conven-
tion which was to be held at Steinway
Hall by Mr.. Bacon and his associates.
The text of the pledge having been
secured, IL was read, and those who
declined to sign 1t were requested to
meet in the parlors of the Auditorium
Annex at $3.50 o'clock on the morn
ing of the 26th., There were about
four hundred present at this morning
meeting, and it was, after some dis
cussion, decided to go to Steinway
Hall and individually present our Gre
denAials, and endeavor to gain admis-
sion to the convention, the under
standing being that IL we were refused
admission on account OF our refusal
to sign the pledge, to thereupon meet
at Music Hall. in the Fine Art Build
ing at 10 o'clock.
Your delegates went to Steinway
Hall and presented, In due form, our
credentials, and read the pledge which
we found 1t was necessary to sign to
gain admission. The text OF the obli-
cation was as follows:
We. the undersigned delegates, for
ourselves and the association or or
ganization which we represent, indorse
the principle of the foregoing call for
an Interstate Commerce Law Conven-
tion. and indorse and agree to support
the legislation as outlined In the Pres
dents last annual message to Con-
gress, to so amend the Interstate COM
merce law, that the Interstate Com
merce Commission shall be given the
power. where given rate has been
challenged and after a full hearing
found to have been unlawful. to pre-
scribe what shall be a lawful and
proper rate to take its place, the ral-
ing of the commission to take effect
Immediately"
After conference. we. your dele
gates, decided not to sign the deciara-
ton, preferrfng rather to waive our
right to a seat on the floor of the
convention, than to obiigate ourselves
and the association which we were
representing, without being permitted
the privilege of free and open discus
sion of the question, and free action
In such matters as might come before
the convention. as the verhage of our
Instructions seemed to indicate.
1t appeared that such a great num-
Der declined to obiigate themselves
and the organizations which they rep
resented. and feeling that the right OF
free speech should be granted on such
an important question, involving. as II
does, every section of the country. q
hall was secured, as stated, to which
all such delegates Immediately re-
paired. 1t was found that about -four
hundred and sixty-two had refused to
sign the pledge, and had gathered al
Music Hall In the Fine Arts Building,
for the purpose of organizing. and
holding a Free Speech convention.
Badges were prepared, and on presen-
tation of credentials such badges were
furnished the delegates, who were,
thereby, granted admission to the
floor of the convention. The wording
on the badges was as follows: "Dele-
*a Int ta4 C,ss.
ventton. Chicago, October 26-27: Super
vision, not Commercial Revolution"
The convention was called to order,
and temporary officers were elected. A
committee on credentials was appoint
ed, and each credential submitted was,
by this committee vised. The roll
wis called by States, and each State
and Territory represented In the con-
yention was entitled to one represen-
tative ON this committee. There were
six cities in Alabama represented by
eight delegates. The Alabama dele
cation selected the Hon. John Craft of
Mobile to serve on the committee OF
credentials.
On entering the hail, each delegate
was required to sign his name and the
organization which he represented
which slips were turned in to the Sec
rotary to facilitate the work Of the
committee on credentials. and to form
ulate true roll of membership.
Finding that the Free Speech" fac
ton had such large majority over
the convention then In session In
Steinway Hall, a resolution was adop-
ted, declaring ourselves to be the reg
ular" Interstate Commerce Law Con-
yention, and further, that a commit
tee of five be appointed to wait on
the other conveNtion, presenting the
resolution, and invite them to seats on
the floor of our convention. CON-
mittee was appointed by the other
convention to receive our delegation,
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