The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-18
Members Are Charged With High
Handed Action and Hot Words
Are Used as the Meet
ing Proceeds.
THE NEW COMMITTEE.

y P. Daugette.
Sixth Ward-Milton Greenwood, =
y B. H. Van Fleet.
y Seventh Ward-R. B. Smyer, W. =
y H. Tomppert
= Eighth Ward-A. W. Nelson, w. =
y H. Johnston.
= Ninth Ward-James F. Hawkins, =
y John Stapleton.
The new members elected were Bert
Clifford, succeeding C. A. Collins; w. H.
Cutchffe, succeeding r. w. Walker; b.
II. Van Fleet, succeeding E. L. Martin;
w. H. Johnston, succeeding Kinds Peevy;
John stapleton, succeeding Walter Met
calf who had been elevated to the chair
manship.
OF the above committee the following
members were represented by proxy;
Max Karples by Lee Marx; John 7.
Evans by John Donaldson; the proxy
of r. W. Walker, held by w. B. Cope
land was not admitted.
The vacancies in the committee were
brought about by removal from the city
or from the ward in question by the for
mer members.
order only nine members were present.
These follow: Committeeman Alternately,
Rich, Moughan, Daugette, Greenwood,
Tomppert Nelson, Hawkins and Metcalf.
On account of the fact that nine Is
not a majority of eighteen, Mayor Ward
and Alderman Moore contended that the
committee could not take any action, be-
cause the gathering was not quorum,
but partook, instead, of the nature OF a
caucus On account of five vacancies,
Chairman Metcalf ruled that nine was
a. quorum of thirteen members and the
committee proceeded to take action.
The following members of the commit
tee were not present nor represented by
proxy: John Elliott, John T. Yeatman
and r. B. Smyer.
After a two-hour reign of general dis
order. the city democratic executive COM
mittee managed to pass through a ses-
sion which was the stormiest of it's his
tory.
The plans of the commit ee were car
ried through without a hitch, the disor-
der incident to an effort on the part OF
Mayor Ward and Alderman Walter Moore
of their claim that nine members did not
constitute a quorum, and protest on
their part against what they termed a
desire on the part of the committee to
Override the peoples will"
After the meeting has been ordered
continued, and after the filling of vacan-
cies, and the voting on certain proxies,
there occurred occasional luls in the
general storm But throughout the en-
tire two hours in which the meeting
lasted, there was argument. debate, CEN
sure, criticism in caustic fashion, laugh
ter and general disorder.
When the dark clouds had rolled away
and the meeting was o =, Secretary
Rich found that the primary was to oc-
cur on February IS, that the plurality
plan had supplanted the majority, that
the heads of all departments of the city
government with the exception of the
chief of the fire department, were to be
voted upon by the people, and that at
the next primary the people would be
allowed to again say whether they or
the council should elect city officials.
Moore Protests.
The meeting was called to order at
SOP o'clock. with Chairman Metcalf in
the chair. Secretary Rich called the roll,
and found that only nine members of the
committee were seated.
The question of proxies was then
preached, and Secretary Rich offered a
resolution, which carried. that no proxies
should be allowed unless accompanied by
a doctors certificate, or unless the men,
Der concerned was out of the city.
Alderman Walter Moore then declared
that he protested against the committee
taking action because no quorum was pres
ent. He declared that the committee, the
highest council of the party in the city,
should be represented by a majority Of
members and disclaimed against any ses-
sion of a midnight caucus"
Committeeman Nelson then made mo-
ton that adjournment be ordered. This
was lost by a vote of seven to two.
Chairman Metcalf then ruled that a quo
rum was present, because on account of
five vacancies, nine was certainly ma
jority Of thirteen.
Mayor Ward Protests.
Mayor Ward then took the floor and in
a loud voice protested against the COM
mittee taking any action that might mere
after invite criticism, or might cause some
members of the party to think that the
rulings of a caucus were not binding on
them.
chief executive, ''I am not interested in
this performance" He made a sweeping
gesture that took in every member of the
committee. ut would be meet and prop
err however, for this body to take no
snap action. You should wait until you
have quorum. What you do is expected
to be binding on the democratic party Of
this city 1t would be an error should the
action OF the quorum be so construed that
some democrats might not think it bind
ing of them Personally. I don't care
what you do. You started off with nine
men. Now you have but eight. / chal-
lenge you to call the ROLL
Just prior to the mayors utterances,
Committeeman Moughan had retired from
the ROOM He afterwards returned, and
took part in the actions Of the committee.
The mayors challenge that the roll be
called was not accepted. Chairman Met
calf declared that he had ruled
The mayors remarks were met with ap-
plause from one portion of the house. an
applause which was drowned in the cheers
OF the opposition. There was an immed-
late reign of disorder. and Chief Wier
was requested to act as sergeant-at-arms,
which he did.
Moore and Oldham.
r-ho al of