Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-05-05
COUNTY CONVENTION


COUNTY CONVENTION
The biennial session Of the York
county Democratic convention met In
the dining room of the Rose hotel
building yesterday-the room now be-
ing used as a court room-and trans
acted the routine for which it was
called under a tight drawing Of fac
tional lines; but without the slightest
display of partisan heat or feeling.
The lines were drawn Cor and
against the administration, practically
on the same old Conservative and Re-
form basis established many years
ago, and a striking feature Of the situ-
alton was that there was little effort to
conceal the fact. There was official
recognition without official acknowl-
edgment and every contest Of materi-
al points was fought out on strictly
factional lines
The first test Of comparative
strength Of the opposing factions came
in the contest over the temporary or
ganization. A standing vote resulted
Sc to 81 in favor Of the Reform fac
tion, and during the recess that was
taken for the purpose Of allowing the
committee on credentials to make up
a permanent roll, both sides did what
they could to fill vacancies in their
delegations and strengthen themselves
generally 1t developed later that the
Conservatives had the best Of this ar
rangement. There were more men Of
their faction within easy reach and
practically all their vacancies were
quickly filled, while the Reform fac
tion being short Of available men, had
to leave most of their vacancies un-
filled.
The Conservative or anti-adminis-
tration forces showed a majority Of
Il votes on the second straight test;
the majority was ten on the election Of
county chairman and on the election Of
delegates to the state convention the
vote was SS to II in favor Of the anti
administration forces. The last roll
call was between Mr.. w. B. Wilson,
Jr, and Mr.. w. B. Byers for state exc
cutive committeeman. 1t was growing
late, some Of the Reformers had left
the room and the vote was SO to 66 in
favor Of Mr.. Wilson.
Both sides had arranged their states
previous to the meeting and the states
were strictly adhered to throughout
with the exception that when it devel-
oped that ReforIners had nominated
Robert Saye Riddle as a delegate from
Bethel and the Conservatives had NOM
mated Mr.. Robert B. Riddle, the name
of Mr.. G. L. Suggs was substituted for
that of Mr.. r. B. Riddle. Previous to
the voting for delegates to the state
convention both sides had upheld the
fiction Of voting for various candidates
on their individual merits regardless
Of politics; but when it came to elect
ing delegates to the state convention,
Mr.. ]. S. Brice moved to save time by
voting for the two sets of nominations
as No l and 2, explaining that there
would be no difficulty about distin-
gushing the factional lines, etc. And
there was no difficulty.
The convention was called to order
by w. w. Lewis, Esq, county chair
man, who announced as the first busi-
ness in order, the election Of a tenn
porary chairman and secretary.
After some little discussion it was
decided to elect the county chairman
by standing vote.
Mr.. ]. R. Halle nominated Mr.. G. p.
Smith of Rock Hill, and Mr.. w. NJ.
Dunlap nominated w. w. Lewis, Esq.
The chair appointed Mr.. j. S. Brice
and Mr.. ]. r. Halle tellers, and on di-
vision the vote resulted Sc to 81 in ia
vor Of G. P. Smith.
On taking the chair Mr.. Smith made
few remarks in which he said:
Fellow Democrats: Having come
amongst you only a few years ago, as
a stranger desire to say that l re-
gard this election by you to preside
over the York county Democratic con-
vention as the greatest honor of my
life This position is one that calls for
fairness and right, and I pledge you
that to the best of my ability I will
protect every Democrat in every priv
ilege to which he is justly entitled.
Mr.. Smith then announced the Sc
lection Of a temporary secretary as the
next business in order, and on nomina-
ton by Mr.. Thos F.. Mellow, Mr.. John
r. Shurley was elected by acclama-
ton.
The next business was the selection
Of a committee on credentials, which
committee in accordance with custom
was composed Of one member from
each township club as follows:
Bethel-I H. Campbell.
Bethany-J. A. Ratterree.
Blairsville-H. j. Sherer.
Bullock's Creek-R. l.. Vinson.
Clover. A. c. Love.
Coates Tayern-D. p. LESLIE.
Ebenezer-John +. Williams.
Forest Hill-G L. Suggs.
Fort Mills. H. Epps, Sr.
Hickory Grove-N. M. McDill.
McConnellsville-J. T. Crawford.
Newport-T. r. Carothers.
Ogden-W. II. Dunlap.
Piedmont-R. NJ. Wallace.
Rock Hill, No. w. Fl. Hope.
Rock Hill, No. 2-J. b. Creighton.
Sharon-J NJ. Sims.
Smyrna-E. d. Darwin.
TirZah-J. NJ. Campbell.
Yorkyille, No. 1-Thos. +. Mellow.
Yorkville, No. 2-J. p. McMurray.
The convention took a recess during
the deliberation of the committee,
which after fifteen or twenty minutes
of clerical work reported the perma-
nent roll as follows: