Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-23
ROANOKE MEETING
MUST FACE ISSUE
Established Practice Requires
State Convention to Elect
National Committeeman.
ELLYSON MAKES STATEMENT
Sees No Reason to Withdraw
Announcement That He Will
Not Stand for Reelection.

10 the voiuminous literature ,ha.
cOntroversy-an interesting chapter OF
which deals with the suggestion that
the Roanoke convention may avoid "A
vote on the issue altogether, by shift
Ing the selection of the national com
mitteeman to the state delegation to
81. Louis-Lieutenant-G Governor Ely
son yesterday added "a highly interest
ing statement of his own.
Until twenty years ago II was the
custom of the State delegates TO the
national convention to elect the Vir-
einia member OF the National Demo-
cratic Committee. but since tina; time
the State convention has elected the
national committeeman. ] have during
all these years had the honor to repre-
sent Virginia on the National Demo
cratic Committee. and I have been
elected by the State convention, heinz,
nominated on the floor and elected by
the whole body"
1t was enormously reported yester-
day that il has been the practice Of
the state convention in recent years
merely 10 express their preference for
national committeeman. and that this
preference. in no way binding. was Oh
served by the delegates to the ma
uonal convention who actually nom
mated the man thus chosen.
WON'T SHELvE ISSUE
AT ROANOKE CONVENTION
Such was precisely not the case
For twenty years the State Democratic
Convention has not only nominated Mr..
Ellyson for the national committee. but
actually elected him. National Com
mitteeman Eilyson-for he still holds
that oftice-went TO the national con-
Nentions with the credentials of the
state convention. and not as NOM
inee of the State delegation. The State
delegation during that whole nerjod
never was called upon To affirm the
conventions choice by supplementary
action OF any kind
This statement OF the situation with
reference 10 the method of electing
the national committeeman. clearly de-
scr!oed Yesterday by the person who
sti!l holds that Office, sets at rest tho
particular rumor that the troublesome
Glass-James issue stands A chance of
being entirely shelved al Roanoke by
The surprisingly simple cxpedienr of
ignoring il altogether and shifting the
burden 10 the twelve men who will be
81.
Louis.
Mr.. Ei!yson also removed the props
from under another device that has
been invented for avertinE the onrush-
ing clash OF the clans II was suu-
gested that Mr.. E!lyson may be pre-
vailed upon to Withdraw his statement
OF six months ago. in which he an
nounced that he would not he 4 candi-
I.Ifa fnr al t.,
mittee. All factions would then unite
in re-electing the incumbent. and the
convention could then ignore both
Carter Glass and Rorer y. James. leav-
ing the State Democracy unembittcred
by an intraparty tight
MIR. ELLYSoN WILL NOT
RECONSIDER RESIGNATION
Il have no intention OF modifying
my announcement. in which / sa id thar
I would not be IA candidate for re- cleo
tion to the national committee" said
Mr. Ellyson yesterday. Il have NOT
been approached either directly or in
directly with any request of this sort.
have myself not taken any part in
the rivalry between Mr. Glass and Mr..
James, and my action in this matter
Is, OF course, without reference 70 this
issue"
Other eXpedients have been suggested
for avoiding vote on the Glass -JRmes
issue. One OF these is :, triangular
which would retain Ely
son as national committeeman. hand the
OF the State Democratic
now held by Mr. Ellyson. to
Mr.. James. and conciliate Mr. Glass by
electing him delegate at large to tho
ment is interesting from an academic
point OF view, but in the last degree
unlikely.
Out OF the penumbra OF speculation
and conjecture that envelops the con-
test for the national committee a little
more than one week from the state
convention. a few things stand out now
as sufficiently clear to be assumed as
facts Categorically listed. they run
like this:
Carter Glass. of LynchburE, will not
accept election as delegate at large to
st. Louis in lieu of the honor of being
elected national committeeman He
statement.
OF JAMES
HELD TO DE UNLIKELY
Rorer 4. James. of Danville. has no
intention. for the present At least, OF
from the race. MY name
will be presented to the Roanoke con-
and ] ask the support of all
Democrats who feel that my party
services warrant me in now seeking
this very great honor" he said on
May 4. in statement to The Times
Dispatch.
National Committeeman Ellyson,
whose successor both Mr.. Glass and
Mr.. James would like to be. sees no
reason for modifying his decision not
to offer for the honor at next weeks
He has gubernatoriaI
fight on his hands. is still chairman
OF the State Democratic Committee, and
would perhaps find it extremely en-
to announce himself again
as candidate for an office which he
relinquished, and TO secure
which two prominent Democrats have
for weeks prosecuted active campaigns