Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-01-09
CHAIRMAN /. c. SHELTON
| HAS ISSUED THE CALL
County Democratic Committee Viii
Meet IN Office Of Treasurer
Johnson Monday Night.
TAKE UP PRIMARY ELECTIONS
Thought Likely the Committee Will
Take Final Action on the Matter OF
Holding Primaries in Hampton and
Phoebus-Hampton Primary VIII!
like.t Cause Warm Discussion.

Mr.. Henry G. Shelton. chairman o
the Elizabeth City County De mocraut
Executive committee, yesterday Is
sued call for a meeting OF the com
mittee Monday evening in The Office
of County TT, asurer David Johnson
The call was turned over TO Colon"
Nelson s. Groome. the secretary
who will send cut the proper notices
to the various members of the com
Mite
The action of Mr.. Shelton in calling
the committee was probably precipi
tated by the resolution Of the Hamp
ton city council, which named a com
mittcc to look into the matter Of the
next (, neral election for city officials
It is thought likely that this commit
tee will meet with tn" Democratic
committeeman. when the question OF
the selection OF the mayor and Coun,
CLINE in Hampton will be discussed
from its every side.
1t is the opinion of CITY Attorney
". c. l.. Taliaferro. according to gen
eral report. that Mayor Jones and the
council hold over because of the fail
ure 10 have an election last June. Elec.
ton, according to the city attorney,
should have been held on the eleventh
of June
1t is also understood that many OF
the lawyers hold the same view of the
city attorney. and in this case Mayor
Jones and the councilmen would prob
ably refuse to enter an election next
June
Up 70 the present time the city
council has not been advised as to
the opinion of the city attorney rela-
tive TO the election.
Under the special act passed by
the legislature by which Hampton
was made a city the time for the
election is namcl as neyt June. but
it is the contention of those in au-
thority thai the constitution of the
state prescribes the date for slec:on
CT mayors in the cities, which was
last June.
Those who oppose the opinion of
the city attorney contend that in as
much as hampton did rot become a
city until April that the election
could not have been held in June.
Another peculiar feature is that
eight of the members OF the present
council were chosen by the eight old
counc linen and their commissions
were given to them to expire on the
first day of next September. when
the old counciimen would have gone
cut of Office had Hampton continued
as a town
Primary In Phoebus.
he init fDn nil fnE a
up and decide when the primary for
the nomination Of mayor. treasurer
and ten councilmen will be held in
the town of Phoebus. The las; leg,
islatIre gave to Phoebus the right to
elect the MAJOR and treasurer by
popular vote and not through the
town council as has been the case
heretofore. This will be the first
election of these officials, and the
general election will occur in June
Mayor L. P. Furness Will be a candi
date for election as mayor before ths
people and there are others who viii
likely decide to enter the primary.
May Withdraw Resignation.
Although Capt. Frank II. Coucl
sent his resignation to Chairman
Shelton as a member Of the executive
committee from Wythc district some
time age. il is expected that the
committee will p, rsuade Capt. Coucl
10 withdraw the resignation Monda!
might
I With all. the session of the com
mittee will probably be lively and in
tteresting