The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-03-07
TIE STATE COMMITTEE MEET
ING AND THE MOREHTAD Ban
QUIET.

QUIET.
The banquet given by Chairman
Morehead in Raleigh last week, COM
r1,mentarv to the State Committee,
was probably the largest and most
signifcant banquet ever given In the
State. The State Committee had
been called to fix a time and place
for the State Convention. Chair
man Morehead invited five hundred
Republicans from every county In
the State, to attend the banquet to
be given complimentary to the COM
mittee. Practically every man In
vited to the banquet from every
quarter OF the State accepted and
was present.
It is a most significant fact that
so many people who hold no office
and who are not candidates for office
should leave their homes and their
daily vocations and go to the State
capital, many of them travelling ever
three hundred miles, to be present
at a conference on the occasion or
the meeting of the State Republican
Committee. 1t shows the great In
terest which these men have in the
triumph of Republican principles in
the State as we'll as the nation, and
also their belief that there is sit
uation ripe for fruitful results.
This large concourse of represen-
tative men were much divided in SEN
timent as to the Presidential situa-
ton, but they were practically unit
ed in favor of UNFOLDING the hands
of the State organization elected two
years ago and completing at the next
State Convention in the work OF re-
organization started at the last. This
remarkable gathering of militant
Republicans would have been entire
" harmonious had not the mistake
been made of attempting to put
through the State Committee resolu-
lions about matters which should
have been left to the people and to
the Convention.
This at once caused divisions in
the committee as we'll as among the
hundreds of Republicans who had
been invited to be present. 1t soon
became evident that the majority of
the committee would never agree to
pass such resolutions, and that the
sentiment among the gathering Of
Republicans was overwhelmingly OPP
posed to it.
The majority of those present
were not only opposed to such reso-
buttons, but there was an overwhelm-
ing sentiment expressed to the effect
that it was not the province of the
State Committee to attempt to sug-
gest to the people what action they
should take when the State Conven-
ton met as to the Presidential stu
alton.
It was pointed out that the last
State Convention represented a revo-
luton of the rank and file of the
party against the boss and machine
methods which had been used by the
old referee patronage close corpora
ton. 1t was pointed out that reso-
lutions attempting to bind or fore
stall the people had, always in the
past been passed by the committees
appointed by the referee patronage
machine; that when the people over
threw two years ago the referee ma
chine they thought they had blazed
the way for free thought and action
by the people.
This sentiment was so strong in
the committee and also among
the invited and visiting Republicans
that that part of the resolutions were
greatly modified.
The Caucasian greatly regrets that
friction was caused and an unfortu-
nate issue raised by the attempt to
pass such resolutions through the
committee. We are gratifed that
such resolutions failed, for 1t shows
that the will OF the people is still to
rule, and we are satisfied that the
will OF the people will be expressed
without hindrance or reserve when
the convention meets.
The speech made by Chairman
Morehead at the banquet was along