The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-05-07
THE STATE CONVENTION.

The Republican State Convention
that met in Greensboro or last
Thursday To appoint delegates to the
National Convention was largely at
tended The only criticism that can
no made of the convention by any
one Is that It's personnel was largely
mae up Of Federal ofice-holders. IL
is a great pity that 1t could not have
been more represe NATIVE of the rank
and file OF the party.
It is safe TO say that Adams and
his patronage machine had the con-
vention packed with every ofice-hoid-
or in the State over whom they
thought they had control. Adams
chief concern was TO get this conven-
ton TO re-eIect him as State Chair
man. He was evidently afraid to trust
the election OF a State chairman to |
come lup at It's regular and proper |
time at the next State Convention
which meets to nominate candidates
. for State Offices. He was afraid that
the next Convention would be more
representative of the people, and that
that convention might desire TO make
an effort to make North Carolina a
Republican State, and that II 1t did,
it would certainly select some one
for chairman who has the character
and capacity to lead the party to VIC
tory and, besides, a man who at heart
desired to carry the State.
If Republican Governor and sew
eral Republican Congressman should
be elected. it would greatly lessen
the power of the patronage machine.
Therefore, nothing would brighten
Adams more than such a result. We
are glad, however. to be able to say
to the credit of that convention,
though packed with office-holders as
no other convention in the State
probably ever was, that yet If the
honest convictions they would have
voted to postpone the election of a
vention. The argument in favor of
postponing was so sound, convincing
and unanswerable that the delegates
who were forced to vote against the
motion to postpone, yet cheered the
sentiments that were expressed in
favor of the same. Besides, the very
moment that the delegates were free
of their instructions to vote for Ad-
ans, they voted not to go into the
election of the State Executive Com
mittee, but to postpone their cleo
ton until the next convention, and
for the very reasons which had al
ready been advanced against the cleo,
ton of State chairman at that con
yention.
This shows how patriotic a Fed
eral off1ce-holder can be when moi
tied and bound fast and hard will
instructions which had been inspired
by Adams.
Adams adroitly got inserted II
every resolution that was offered in
structing delegates for Taft his name
also, in order that he might ride int
power again on the back of Taft
popularity. 1t was me and Taft,
me and Taft" everywhere.
In supporting the motion made b.
Senator Butler postponing the cleo
ton of the members of the State Elk
ecutive Committee, Judge Bynun
said that the convention had made
great mistake In electing a Stat
chairman at this convention, and tina
the convention should not aggravat
the mistake. He said that the cleo
ton of a State chairman under tn
party law and also for every reason
of party interest, should not hav
been taken up until the convention
was held to nominate a State ticket
but that since the convention ha
made that mistake, 1t could now sto
and postpone the election of a Stat
Committee until that time.
The motion to postpone was adopt
ed by a majority of over two-third
of the votes of the convention, whic
clearly showed what the conventio
would have done on the question c
a State chairman if their hands ha
not been tied.