The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-02-14
A RED HOT TIME.
Florida Republicans Hold Two
Two Strong Conventions.
REMARKABLE SCENES

OF Delegates Not Least EXCITING
Feature of Meeting. Two Factions
in Session Mt Same Time. Ono I'm.
dorses Taft. Other Does Not In
struct Delegates.
Tho fight for delegates to the Ma
tional Republican Convention from
the South has commenced betweep
the Roosevelt and tho Foraker forces.
Florida Republicans stand eonspic-
iously In the lime light as being tho
first to hold their Convention to So
lect delegates to the National Com
Vention, and it is said that the stren-
nous and exciting scenes enacted NJ
st. Augustine Thursday are merely
forecast Of similar scenes In other
southern States, caused by the dea-
perate effort being made by the Anti
Roosevelt Republicans for control In
the National Convention.
The Convention held will 70 down
In history as one Of the most re-
markable ever held by any politicaI
party. 1t was really two conventions
held at the same time in the Same
nall, the progress OF business being
frequently interrupted by sensational
knock-down and drag-out fights.
The ofice-holders faction was call
ed to order by the chairman OF tho
State committee and they proclaimed
themselves as the regulars, but thew
dld not succeed in carrying out their
prearranged programme. The Taft
sentiment was too strong for the
leaders to hold In check and strong
J Soti3titto as iSsw ere adopted emphatic
caliy endorsing William, II. TAFT for
the Presidency.
On the other side the hall the con-
testing convention took the conser.
vative action and Goose delegates ab-
solntely untrammelled by any in
structlons, they being given positive
assurance by Joseph N. STRIPPING.
who led the movement, that DESPITE
the fact that they were branded as
boilers by the Convention, the dele
gates they named would certainly be
seated in the National Convention.
The cc-holders' Convention adopt
cd resolutions approving the policies
or the Roosevelt administration and
the conservative manner in which he
has carried them out, and instructed
the delegates to the National Conven-
ton to support the Presidents pol
icies and the candidate who is In
sympathy with and who will carry
out these policies. and then proceed
ed to name William II. Taft as such
candidate.
The AntiTaft Convention adopted
resolutions cOndcmning in strong
terms the attempts to influence and
control by use OF Federal patronage,
through governmental onicc-holders.
the selection OF delegates to the Ma
tional Convention in the interest of
any Presidential candidate.
The Office holders Convention elect
ed as delegates to the National Con-
vcntion j, n. Coombs, mcmNer Of
the national committee from l. ,rida;
Joseph e. Lee. colored collector Of
internal revenue; Henry S. Chubb,
't'Ni'Sb VI VIC bIltcu DldlcS ldnu
Office at GAINESVILLE, and M. b. Mac
Farlane, collector Of customs at Tam
pa. -Four altcrnates were also elect
ed
The Anti-Taft Convention elected
as delegates to the National Conven-
ton Joseph N. Stripping, former
United States attorney; j. Ed V. Haz-
Hard, j. II. Dickerson and r. r. Rob-
inson, the two later being colored
They also elected four alternates.
The Congressional district con-
ventions OF the 1st and 9th districts
Of Florida were held by each fac
ton Immediately after the adjourn
ment OF the State Convention, and
each Of these conventions elected del
cgatcs to the National Convention
and adopted the same resolutions as
The State conventions Of their re-
spectivo factions had already adopt
ed.
Never has such sight been wit
messed as was presented in the Con-
vcntion hall. The city marshall and
dozen policemen were on duty and
were frequently called upon to eject
unruly delegates
The TAFT delegation had a complete
delegation from each county aggre-
eating III
wcrc two or three counties not rep
resented but they had in all about
one hundred and fifty delegates who
participated. The Taft Convention
nominated Ave Presidential electors,