Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-02-18

SHOWS HIS DEFIANCE
Will Not Abide by the De
cision Of Republican
Convention.
Special to The world

Special to The World.
OKLAHOMA CITY. Feb. It,
whats the news said the reporter
to H. H. Blake, chairman Of the COM
mittcc for j. j. McCraw for national
committeeman from Oklahoma. Lols
of news" said Mr.. Blake I'VE nave
reached - very interesting stage III the
affairs of the Republican party ON
February e, 1916, / handed To Mr..
lanes Harris the following letter
from Mr. j. j. McGraw;
oklahoma City- Feb. g. 1916. Hon.
James \. Harris. Sklrvn hotcl~'kIa-
homa city. Dear Sir. The report
has become current throughout the
state in some manner that an EFFORT
viii be made to have the delegates To
the national convention elect the Ike
publican national committeeman re
pardIoss of the decision of the state
Republican convention under the can
of the state committee, providing loI
the election of a national committee
man by the Republicans of Oklahoma
in their state convention, March ~
1916.
nasmuch as It is our purpose to
work to unite the party and not to do
ANYTHING to cause dissatisfaction IN
the party. I hope YOU will join me IN
expressing our united determination
to abide bv the plan of our kepuhh-
can state organization ana the eau or
! the state convention and thereby nave
party harmony and party success III
| the state
! viii state frankly that should the
| Rcpublicans of Oklahoma in thclr
| state convention called by their
state organization to elect national
committeeman decide that | am not
their choice | would most certainly
abide by that decision. My candi-
dacy would end there. shall he
GLAD TO hear your views on the sun
icct. Sincerely yours, (signed), j. >.
McGraw
Never Has Answered
at that time Mr. Harris stated
that he would not b. bound by the
action of the state convention to be
beId ot oklahoma city ON March II,
called bV the state committee To Sc
Iect among others a national com
tuittccman for the state of oklahoma.
! He also stated that he would carry
| the fight for national cummitteeman
| TO the national convention to be held
I'm Chicago ON June l. At that umc
| he asked if the letter had then neeh
| given to the press, and ! assured MN
| that il had not; that the communl-
cation was a sincere attempt to bring
| obnut PARTY harmony and settle all
state contests in the party at one ume;
| and that nothing would hc done untll
| his answer could be had. At that
time he promised me an answer on
| the following Tuesday, February 3 or
| not later than Wednesday, FepruarN
| o Tn to this time Mr.. Harris has
seen fit to ignore the communication
and stands upon his verbal declara-
! tion to disregard the will of the Re-
publicans of the state of oklahoma
| as EXPRESSED in the state convention
81 think this is the most important
{ piece of news that can he given TO
| the Republicans of this state. inso-
much as it shows Mr.. Harris deter
| mination to try to remain III the OF
/ flee of national committeeman from
| the state whether he does so in re-
sponsc to the wishes Of the RepubU-
! cans in the state or not. In other
| words il proves the claim of those
who oppose him that this position is
more important to him than the
party. and that his personal henetltS
and desires i'm this connection ar"
greater ,han the wishes of the party.
"Ns expressed i'm the letter, 1t is
! the sincere desire Of those VINO are
supporting Mr. NcGraw in his very
successful campaign that all party
with the rcsult of the convention to
he held in oklahoma City on March
| q. ana that thereafter the reunited
party shall 90 forth TO fight the com
mon enemy.
Open Defense.
"Thc action of MIR. Harris was n
surprise. II places him outside the
pale of party regularity and proves
| his desire 20 crafty his ambitions in
defiance of tGv will of those to whom
| he must look for support. If support
! he wants 1t shows that Mr.. Harris
realizes tina; he cannot succeed in his
ambition if the win of the party be
ucrmittcd 20 control; that he realizes
/ that a state convention, which most
/ truly represents the will of the ac-
tual voters II the state, VIII express
its dissatisfaction with his pGrportod
administration OF the Republican af-
/ fairs. and that he is paving the way
to bolt the action of the party as eX-
pressed i'm the state convention unless
it goes Go suit him. II shows Mex
lean rcvolutionist's idea of party gov
ernment. II seems TO prove what for
a time was only suspected and then
for a time only rumorcd, but what is
row openly plain that Mr. Harris has
come to the conclusion that the Re-
nuhlicon patty belongs to him rather
than any service from him is due the
Republican 9arty. II would he in
tcrestins To- know just what mental
process MIR. Harris has exercised TO
reach the conclusion that he should
refrain from public expression on a
subject SO important to the party and
10 hear what reasons, or in the all
reuCc OF reasons. what excuses, he
may be able to present why he Will
defy the Will of the state convention
called for tbs expressed purpose of
selecting "A national committeeman.
SUPPORT COMES