The Washington herald., 1912-08-16
THE WASHINGTON HERALD. FRIDAY. AUGUST 1e. 1917.
BODY
TO STAND FIRM
In Letter to John Boyle, Mr.. Mat
tingly Outlines Position Of DEM
ocratic Central Committee.


nouncement by the Democratic central
is chairman. that 1t will not consider
any overtures from any pretending
committee for a compromise of differ
ences. has been written by Mr.. Mat
tingiy to John Boyle, a prominent To-
cal Democrat and was made public last
night.
Mr.. Mattingly's letter. answering a let
ter In which Mr.. Boyle had asserted that
the committee headed by Mr.. Mattingly
is the true and rightful committee. is
looked upon also as a response to prop
ositions that the three contesting Demo-
cratic central committees claiming to
have been legally elected should ar
range for peaceful coalition.
After complimenting Mr.. Boyle upon
his loyalty and declaring that he IA
vors harmony, IF such can be had
without loss of honor" Mr.. Mattingly
continues:
The soundness of your argument con-
corning the legality or regularity Of our
Democratic Central Committee, which
has so highly honored me as its chair
man. cannot be controverted- We made
our fight IN our District primary; seven
ty-five per cent OF the voters gave their
support to the ticket pledged absolute
ly. first last. and all the time, to Champ
Clark; under authority OF law as laid
down by the preceding National Com
mittee. and in due form. the Democratic
Convention was called to meet May IS:
through the failure and incapacity sof the
former chairman Of the Democratic Gen.
tral Committee to act. the convention
was called to order in proper manner by
the vice chairman; and from that time
every step was legally taken. That con-
vention elected twelve representative
citizens OF the District-unquestione
Democrats-to represent the District at
the Baltimore convention; and at the
ton Of the present Democratic Central
Committee.
Held Rump Conventions.
The boilers. afterward splitting them
selves, held rump conventions. IL they
may be honored by the designation
'rump." and sent certain alleged delega-
tions to Baltimore to contest our right
and title to seats. 1t will not be neces-
sary to dwell upon the "frame-up'' that
was practiced upon us by the subcom-
mittee that heard the preliminary con-
test. for the history of that proceeding
is too well known for repetition here.
Sufice II to say that the committee on
credentials. by an overwhelming major
ity, decided that our delegation was the
only regular. legal representation from
the District, and the convention, which
has the last word in such contests, unan-
imously ratified and confirmed that re-
port Yet, a small contingent Of those
who were defeated and ousted by US at
every point, now contend that. as a re-
suit Of the temporary seating of one OF
the ''bolting delegations by the sub
committee above referred to, which re-
port was approved by the old National
Committee, now dead and functus officio
they still have some sort of life in a So
called central committee supposed to have
heen chosen by one OF the boiling con-
ventions. We regard the assumption as
arrogant and too absurd to bring to the
attention of our committee for considera-
ton. As you SO clearly set forth. to
reduce or increase the size OF our COM
mittee, even II We were so disposed, is
absolutely beyond our power. and would
be a Misrepresentation of the interests
Of the Democracy Of the District"