The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-18
PLANS .ON FOOT TO
 EXPEL MEMBERS Thompson Committee Meeting
 Today Will Be Lively CAUCUS HELD LAST NIGHT Manning of Alexander City Says Plan to ExpeI Davidson Members of Committee is Beyond Power
 of the Majority.
CAUCUS HELD LAST NIGHT

lican party in Alabama has it's inning today, when the executive committee holds a meeting at noon in the rooms of the Birmingham Commercial club.
 The head of this faction of the party is Joseph O. Thompson internal revenue collector, and the Presidents right hand man in Alabama. The reasons for the meeting are the calling of a convention for the election of four delegates and four alternates to the national conven- tion of the party, which is held in June in Chicago, and to attend to any other business that might properly come before the committee.
 As is known, the anti-admnistration wing of the party, headed by Julius W. Davidson, held its meeting last week, and agreed to call a convention for the pur- pose of electing delegates to the national convention, this faction, as well as the Thompson faction, claiming to be the legal organization in Alabama. While the Davidson wing is opposed to what it terms dictation on the part of President Roosevelt in naming Secretary Taft the candidate to succeed him, the Thompson wing is admittedly in favor of MT. Taft and will beyond doubt elect delegates instructed for him.
 Plan to Expel Members. Perhaps the livest feature of the meet ing will be the efforts of the committee to expel those members who are also members of the Davidson committee, and who are known to have affiliated with that committee.
 f1F Inc 1Tof 1an night Ad Wimbs, the we'll known Hale county negro, offered the following reso- lution, which was adopted
 Resolved that all members of this committee who are acting with the Da- vidson committee are hereby declared to be in rebellion to this committee, and in opposition to the candidacy of Secre- tary Taft, and the places occupied by them are hereby declared vacant; pro- vided. however, the said parties appear in person before this committee, and recognize this committee and repudiate the Davidson committee, this resolution is to be void"
 Manning Questions Authority.
 As to whether or not the committee can expel from it's ranks the members Of the minority remains to be seen. In reference to this matter, Joseph e. Manning, editor of the Alexander City Southe American, who while being in the city at the time, did not attend the Davidson committee meeting, but who is admittedly opposed to the can didacy of Secretary Taft, made the fol- lowing statement last night:
 ITO talk of expelling from the ranks of committee the members in the minority is ridiculous. The committee has no auth ority to take such action. No man, nor body, has such authority. We were elected to fill the position on the committee, and because one mans ideas are different from the majority is not sufficient cause, even if the committee had the power to expel him. Such discussion is absurd pre- posterous, ridiculous. You might as well say that the senate of Alabama should have expelled Judge Oscar k. Hundley, when as a democrat fn that body, he underwent change of poli- cal sentiment"
 It was a part of the general discus sion last night as to what action the Thompson committee would take in reference to the negroes of the party. As Is known, R. G. Robinson, a negro leader of Birmingham, issued a state- ment yesterday to the effect that the negroes had been ignored by the Davidson wing, and that if the Thomp- son wing also ignored them, there would be convention of negroes held for the purpose of electing delegates to the national convention.
 The immnence of negro faction, in addition to the Thompson and David son factions, is shown by the follow ing resolution adopted unanimously at a negro mass meeting yesterday. at which Ad Wimbs of Hale county pre- sided:
 Resolved, That the colored republi- cans of Alabama demand of both or ganizations of republicans full repre- sentation in all committees and delega- tions, and in case the same Is not granted that we hold convention and send a full delegation to the national convention"
 Meeting Will Be Interesting.
 The meeting today is expected to be a very interesting one. The majority of the 34 members will be present, from the indications last night. There are many prominent republicans In the city. among the number being Capt. Edward Anderson of Ft. Payne, J. A. Bingham of Talladega, F. o. Dudley of Clanton, J. o. Middleton of Clanton. G. B. Deans of Mobile, F. D. Barker of Mobile, Charles Scott, referee for south Alabama, of Montgomery; Byron Thammell of Dothan, J. l. Abercrombie of Columbiana, Knox Booth of Montgomery, D. B. Smith, Jr. of opelika George T. Hobbs of Tala- dega and many others.
 MT Scott was chairman of the meet ing of the Third district at which the Hounton county delegation bolted last Saturday. This split in the party in that section of the state is expected to be one of the features of the meet ing today. MT. Deans is United states marshal of the Southern district of Alabama. MT. Booth Is special agent of the internal revenue department, and was charged recently with "pernicious political activity" by MT. Scott. MT. Booth did not discuss this matter last night nor did MY Scott. be obtained from testimony of those who have followed republican politics cioseiy,
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