The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-02-09
FL0RIDA'S G. O. p.
ENDORSES TAFT
For Reason That 1t Wasn't
Permitted To Do
Otherwise
Majority of Delegates Undoubt-
edly Favored Roosevelt

AT ten minutes TO II O'Clock Tuesday
noon the alley door leading into the
Howell Theater was opened and the
voice of Eugene Oberdorfer of Duval
county announced to the crowd in the
street that delegates to the convention
may now enter the hall at the alley door
have your tickets ready"
Immediately the crowd moved toward
the door indicated, where Geo. c.
Crom and another white delegate stood
guard allowing only delegates with tick
cts TO enter. These tickets contained
picture of the late President Mckinley
and the words: 'Florida Republican
State Convention, Palatka, Fla, Feb 9th,
1912, Henry S. Chubb, Chairman, Joseph
E. Lee, Secretary" and on the reverse
side was the stamped signature OF Joseph
E. Lee.
By 12:1O the delegates were all seated !;
then the few visitors who had been pro-
vided with tickets were allowed to en-
ter and occupy the boxes.
Hon. Henry S Chubb, Register of the
U. S. Land Office at Gainesville, called
The convention TO order and made fine
address in which he lauded the admins
tration of President Taft. Mr.. Chubb
is an interesting and at times eloquent
speaker.
AT the conclusion of his address,
Joseph E Lee, colored, collector of In
ternal Revenue for Florida, was made
temporary chairman and w. A. Allen
and John Stoker, secretaries, and then
Chairman Lee read the call of the
national and state committees, at the
conclusion of which a motion was made
for the appointment OF a committee on
credentials.
Then there was threatened riot
A ponderous negro delegate by the
name of Powell from Duval county arose
and began kick. Chairman Lee told
him he was out of order and asked him
10 sit down. Powell said he wouldn't
sit down. The chair told him kindly
but firmly that he must Then Powell
made howl. Several arose TO protest,
and at one time as many as dozen
negro delegates were talking at once.
Finally one man who had lung power
got Powell to sit down. But ii was a
hot ten minutes of disorder, and the
sheriff was awaiting the order to inter
fere. He didn't get the order though
nv ShtiAhiah "ao guSh Oh lhS pOiut vi
giving it.
Then the credential committee with
John w. Howell of Nassau as chairman
was appointed. While this committee
was making up its report addresses were
made by M. B. McFarlane, T. F. Nc
Gourin, w. R. O'Neal, George Hawkins
and ]. B. Page.
The credential committee reported
and its report was adopted.
Then there was vigorous kicking by
two negroes in the Putnam county dele.
CATION. l.. N. Robinson and B. B.
Posey were the kickerS. Robinson was
declared out of order but he wouldn't
agree TO the chairs declaration and con-
tinued TO yell. Soon dozen were yell
ing at once and the beligerentS didn't
SubSide until the chair threatened them
with the sheriff. But they had said all
they wanted and then quit the hall.
Powell of Duval had gone before. II
you were to search us to find out what
these beligerent negroes were kicking
about you wouldn't find anything. We
don't know.
The temporary officers were made
Then came the report OF
The committee report on platform
was made by w. r. O'Neal of Orlando. !
1t was typewriter and prepared long in |
advance. Ii endorsed the adminiStra |
lion of President Taft and urged his, re-
Ii was placed before the |
by Chairman Lee and was
adopted without dissenting vote.
The committee to nominate delegates |
lt large to the national convention then |
made its report and this was unanimous
Iy adopted as so also was the report of
The committee on presidential electors.
All the work OF selecting delegates,
electors, candidate for governor, mem
beTs of state committee, was by commit
lees. The convention simply endorsed
in each case the work of the committee
William r. 0'Neal of Orlando was
nominated for governor. Candidates
ior other state offices will be named by
he state central committee later.
The delegates at large 10 the national
are: Henry S. Chubb,
Joseph E. Lee, NJ. B. McFarlane, w. A.
Watts, Geo. w. Allen and z. T. Bielby. |
Presidential electors: G. Brown Pat
erSon, s. w. Rowley, Lynn Hilburn, |. |
2, Webster, Albert Oberdorler, Jos. H.
Prisk.
State central committee. z.T. Biel.
by, E E. Skipper, ]. McZoagaiI, T. F.
John Stoker, S. w. Rowley. |
5. Warren, ]. P. Graham, w. II Lucas,
A. Sipperer, A. L. Lewis, ]. Z. Lee, W.
A. Watts, NJ. Mack, r. Z. Robinson, H. |