The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-31

There is going to be something do
ing in the senatorial race and this is
made very apparent by the call for
a meeting of the executive commit
tee this afternoon at 3 O'Clock to take
sOn.e action relative to putting the
office Of senator along with the rest
of the county Offices in the call for
the primary. At the present time all of
the county Offices are included but
under the call issued by Chairman
Burriss candidates for senator cannot
be voted for in the primary. A call
will be found in another column of
today's paper for q meeting Of the
executive committed. Chairman Bur-
riss is in New York to attend the
Bryan reception and in his absence
the committee was called together by
Mr.. w. a. Wilson, Sr., the secretary.
1t has been known for some time
past that sooner or later there would
be trouble in regard to the naming of
delegates to the senatorial convention.
Chairman BOney, who was named as
chairman Of the county convention
and who, with the aid of an advisory
committee. was delegated with power
to name delegates to the state, con-
greSsiOnal, judicial and senatorial con-
VentiOn, stated some time since to a
representative OF The Messenger that
nothing she he II injunction would
prevent him i ii naming the dele
gates to the senatorial convention.
There is no reason to believe that he
has changed his mind on this score
and on the other hand there is rea-
son to believe to the contrary. At the
present time Mr.. Boney is at Jackson
Springs.
The friends of Mr.. George H. Bel
Iamy argue that the executive COM
mittee should not oppose letting the
candidates for the office go into the
primary and let the people pass on
who they want. They contend that it
is the only democratic way of doing
and that to do otherwise would be ex-
tremely arbitrary and they believe
illegal. One thing On which there is
a difference is the construction of the
primary law. Some of the friends of
Mr.. Bellamy hold that it is cOmpul-
sorry that all the offices named be in
cIuded in the call for a primary and
on the other hand it is held that the
primary is only optional and n
office named a be left out of a call
if it is so desired. Mr.. Bellamy's
friends say they feel confident of win
ming out of it comes to a matter of
law as to who is right. AS to the con-
ventiOn called to name delegates to the
state, congressional, judicial and sem
atOrial conventions, it is held by
friends of Mr.. Bellamy that such a
convention was not legal as far as
the senatorial race is concerned for
the people had not had an opportu-
nifty of expressing themselves at the
polls at a primary as to their choice
and hence the delegation had no way
of learning the will of the people.
Chairman Boney and the members
of the advisory committee are basing
the power on the convention held on
the 18th of May under the following
call which was published on the 27th
of April:
ITO the Democratic Voters of the Sew
eral Wards and Townships.
The democrats Of the several
wards in h city OF Wilmington and
in the several townships of New Han
over county are requested to meet
on Tuesday, the Sth day Of May. 1906,
in their respective wards and town
ships to elect delegates to the county
convention to be held at II o'clock.
N. on the 18th day of May, 1906, in
the court house in the city of Will
mington for the purpose of electing
delegates to the state, COMPRESSION, jul
dicial and senatorial conventions.
THE voters Of the several wards
and townships for the election of DEL
egates will meet at such place and
hour as the chairman OF the execu-
tive committee of the several wards
and townships shall designate.
Each township and ward shall
elect such number Of delegates to the
county convention as they may be en-
titled to under the democratic plan of
organization.
JAMES H. BURRISS,
chairman of the Executive Commit
tee, New Hanover County"
It is contended hat the above is
in one sense of the word equiv
a1ent to q primary as it ave the peo-
pie an opportunity Of attending the
various ward meetings and naming
delegates to the primary, which they
say, is but another method of allowing
the public to make known their wish
es. In obedience to this call a con-
vention was held and Mr.. Boney chos-
en- chairman. The convention decided
to allow him together with an ad-
visory committee to name delegates to
the state, congressional, judicial and
Senatorial conventions. They hold
that when the convention was held
there was not the slightest protest on