The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-12
ALDRICH OPPOSES
 STATE CONVENTION
FORMER REPUBLICAN, CONGRESS. MAN cRITIclsEs ACTION OF CHAIRMAN THOMPSON IN WITH DRAWING CALL.

William F. Aldrich, former republican congressman from the Fourth district, spent yesterday in Birmingham MT. AL drieh does not approve of the postpone ment of the meeting of the executive com mittee untlI after the democratic pri- mary on August 27. In regard to the req sons for the change in date of the repub- lican convention. he said:
 T do not know; not being a member of the officeholding trust. I am not con- suited nor informed of their plans.
 "It seems. that our chairman, J. O.. Thompson, recognized the need of action and called the state committee to meet here on the 18th. bnt his letter of recall shows that he was evidently overpersuad- ed by our national committeeman, Capt. Charles H. Scott, to put off the meeting until after the democratic primary on August 27 next.
 "There is no date fixed for the conven- ton; the committee is to be called after August 27, but when? If the results of the primary are factors 1t will be at least a week later before the returns are fully known Then if a committee meeting is called at least ten days notice must be given which would bring the date about September 15. The time from then until the November election, about seven weeks, would be too short in which to call a convention, have the beat meet ings, the county conventions, then state convention, name a ticket, organize the campaign committee and do campaign rTs4, fhpra will be no republican ticket in the field this year.
 q am a member of the state committee and I wrote Chairman Thompson at least a month ago urging a meeting of the committee in June.
 I've have no interest in the democratic primary, from a party standpoint. There are sure to be democratic nominees for every office to be filled. Therefore I see no difference whether Mir Conner or MT, Cunningham is nominated; our nominee, if we had one, would have to oppose the winnerWanyway
 s'Mr Scott insisted on the change. know of no reason unless he has per sonal interest in one or the other of the democratic candidates.
 "In regard to what I meant by office holders trust I mean the majority of the state committee are or were offce-holders. The state chairman and national commit- teeman, when in good standing at Wash ington are the referees to recommend appointments. The office holders therefore to keep the offices they have and to be in line for others later, bow willingly to a0Ntl afo J equally near the throne, and thus the will of the national committeeman be- comes the will of the committee, the will of the committee becomes the party s will, because they have way to pro test in a manner that will be needed now
 .The committee &n be changed at the next convention, but at the last state convention. when the business was thought to have been finished and after most of the delegates had left the hall, resolution was introduced and quickly adopted making the term of office of the chairman and of the committee four years in lieu of two years, as heretofore Now if it is too late to make nominations 1t will not be necessary to have a conven- tion, and thus under the color of the above referred to resolution they could continue to hold office for two more years
 q have no objection to office-holders. I think that as a rule the republican office holders of this state are compe- tent. faithful and efflcient--a credit to the party and to the administration Yet they should not be placed in a majority position in the party councils, as they lose their independence under the existing conditions and the party suffers thereby"
 'If, a convention were held do you think there would be changes in the committee membership?'
 Yes I am sure general and radical change would be made. There are plenty of republicans in the state who are neither office holders nor officeseekers, who would welcome a change of plan, personnel and policy.
 'grhere are other members of the conn mittee who view things as I do. Several have written to me protesting against such suicidal policy, and no doubt will, in the near future, find way to publicly record their disapproval"