The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-08
Factional Fight Caused Din
That Almost Made Police
Interference Necessary.
HALL WAS CROWDED;
UJPROAR CONTINUOUS
Negroes Told to Shut Upor They
Would Be Put Out-Cabell
and Hanson Have a Hot
Time-Many Charges
and Counter
charges. IN n

charges.
~ KARkED by fierce and bftte,
| NU clashes between white leads
| N ers. stentorian protests from
i the negro contingent against
being thrown overheard. and
a scathing arrafEnment OF tfle
Democratic administration by State
Senator John c.. Noel for the plac.
Ing of Judge William F. Rhea.
on the Corporation Commissions.
the Republicans mass meeting at Bel
videre Hall last night declared for
TAFT for President and Luce for Con-
Gress and elected delegates for the
district and State conventions. a new
city committee was chosen. State
Chairman G. Bascon SIemp was ift-y
dorsed and the Republicans In tho
Legislature We're commended for pro-
testing against the Rhea appointments E
The meeting was by all odds ths
stormiest and most turbulent of ;its
character held in Richmond in dozen
years, and at times the confusion was
so great that the chairman threatened
to call upon tho five policemen pres-
ent to restore order 1t was white
mans convention. for though there
were as many as 700 people in tIiss,
hall scarcely one-tenth of them were
| co'ored. Those of the latter class
who did come may as we'll have zee
manned at homie, for they heard only
the unwelcome message that the '.lily
whites were In the saddle. and would
put through their program. stoutly al
legged from the floor to have been
fixed up" by Federal office-holders IN
advance.
Negro Cut out.
Not n single negro wns placed on
either tho district or tho State dele
CATION. and only one was allowed to
spoak He was w. 2. Rurrelf. priests.
1 dent Of the True Rsformers' Bank
who got recognition after many diff
cuties. and whose voice fell! upon the
great white majority as though ie had
come from tho dead.
| The program had been made oEs os-gf
forehand. and notwithstanding tee ST.
terness and acrlnony that pre2a.feei a.2g
times. it was all over by 9:30 O'clock.
as the chairman. Mr.. Lane Lacy, ruled
with an iron hand and recognized but 1
few of the be!llgercnts
Many OF the fiery thrusts We're made
by men who had not been recognized.
and while the chair was pounding tile
table with a big stick and ordering
them to sit down. under penalty az \
being put out by the police. Wheneverg
the powers thought there had besn
enough shouting over a given subject
some one was recognized to call the
pending question. and this was put
and declared carried amid wild storms
OF protest from the annihilated minor
ity. drowned later In the vociferous
applause of a smooth. well-organizauN Il
and ably directed majority.
Majority Overwhelming.
There is no sort of doubt, however.
that the majority was overwhe lining.
This was shown upon u test vote early
in the meeting. Directly after an or
ganization had been perfected by the a
election of Mr.. Lacy, chairman. and Mr..
NJ. l.. Flegenhelmer, Secretary. Post
master Cabel. who led the dominant
forces in an able and skilful manner Il
moved that speeches on all matters be {
limited to five minutes. unless by
unanimous consent OF the conventions.
To this motion Mr.. George A. Han-
charges ofa SLATE" fixed up bySas
compact" OF office holders. a bold at
tempt at gag rule etc.
In the spirited discussion which fol-
lowed. Mr.. Cabell denied any compact
and in an excited manner resented the ~
suggestion of gag rule
This is not mass-meeting,"
shouted Mr.. Hanson. 1T should be
called ratification meeting to ap-
Il
of the postmaster a deputy
United States marshal, the assistant
postmaster, City Chairman G. r. Moore N
and a special agent of the Internal
Revenue Department. n
& 'These four seek to control the
politics of this district and do nat {
propose. for my part to be throttled.
4 cannot say what I wish to say In
five minutes, and / shall not submit to-
any gag rule"
The colored contingent yelled. Right
you are" and Mr. Hanson proceeded, n
saying that it had been mapped ont n
who should be the delegates to the na-
Etional convention and who should Inaka
the race for Congress.
Mr.. Cabell, replying. declared that M
he wanted a fair deal, and was Wiling @
business was important, and In lta
transaction there should be no unneces-
sary and irrelevant talk
Denial lS Made. fsss
Some one at this point again charged
that a slate had been fixed up hy 10 58
compact of ottlce-holders, and tha
postmaster replied with much feeling
and eloquence, ssiss3
lii denying that pledges had been ex-
tracted of any one before they would A
be allowed to go to the convention, he
said:
1--WE have seen our party come down IN
from q proud place in this State to q s
handful Of spoilsmen, who would ar. \
range matters In dark howell. ana V
then care nothing for success at the "
polls We want to make a party III 4
which the people OF this State will y
be proud. The resolution offer In IN
not for gag rule. I want every man
IN this meeting to hay. a voice, nut ssSs
we should proceed In Hn orderly and
busIness-like way. ss,
The pending question vas ordered, r.
and the result vas overwhelmingly IN Nv
favor OF the postmaster's motiot,s Thts VISA