The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-06-15
Anything Can Happen In A
Political Convention And
This was Funny

How the editor of this news
paper, w. O. Saunders, an
avowed Smith man came to be
named as a delegate to the
Houston convention by the
vote of district convention
controlled by a majority OF
Hullians was one Of the big
Jokes of the State Convention
in Raleigh this week.
When the First district delega-
tiCn went inta convention in the
main dining room of the cid Var
borough HCtel in Raleigh Tuesday
morning there were J3 votes for
Hull and 81 votes for Smith. with
three votes from Tyrrell unaccount-
ed fer because the Tyrrell delegation
hadn't shown up.
1t was the purpose of the Hullians
led by Judge stephen {. Rragaw OF
WaShingtCn to enforce the unit rule
and name only Hull delegates to the
convention. The Smith men admit
ted defeat and planned to throw
themselves on the mercy of the Hull
innS. plead meekly and humbly for
minority representation and faint
ly hope that the Hullians might
show enough good manners and
spirit Of fair play to give them Il
crumh.
But Hallet Ward. who was not
even delegate to the convention
and who i generally dislikel by his
home delegation and by almost
everybody else in the district. upset
all the plans of the Smith minority
by taking it on himself to stage Il
t,gGm for minority representation
for the Smith delegates. A motion
nut by Mr.. Ward and duly seconded
proposed that delegates to the Hous-
ton convention he instructed to vo,e
according to the strength OF the re-
Spective factions in the convention.
His motion was defeated. -'
A melton made by Hnllian Bra
gaw to require the candidates f"l
delegate to the National Convention
10 state their presidential prefer
Cncc, whether for or against Smith
was promptly carried. Smith men
whose names were offered to the
convention were to he Stayed. There
was bare possibility that w. o.
Saunders If PnSquotank ana Ed.
Flanagan of Greenville. Smith
men could. draw two votes from
their friends on the Hull delegations
from Washington and Pitt. enough
with the II Smith votes to elect
them hy the ski" of their teeth. But
, if was Il bare possibility. The heads
Of Saunders and Flanagan were
barred for the guillotine.
And then one Of those big fool
things that are unpXplainable hap
pnnpd i'm the midst of lull IN the
proceedings 4 delegate ct up III
the midst of Il delegation OF Hull
ianS and made II motion similar IL
that which had been made by Hal
let Ward and defeated. Only
this time the motion proposed that
the convention name four delegates,
two for Hull and two for Smith.
A vote was taken and the III; tion
received Gj votes. There were 81
votes against it. Tha. made Il total
! Of 11G votes in n convention i'll which
there were only 107 votes, anu
three Of those votes absent. But Tx
motion carried IIullim BragaW,
floor leader of the Hullians was ~
flaLherguSted that it never occur
red to him to challenge the vote
If was hours later before any one
gave thought to the tnct that llo
votes had been cast in Il convention
of 1O4 votes. Where did the other
: II votes come from?
Seven Delegates, IL Nct"s
Six of the surplus votes came
] from the PaAuotank delegation
| Instead of calling the vote of eacl
county when Il vote WAS taken, the
delegates were made to stand NJ
and their heads were counted. Pas
uuUtank had seven votes, hut II hau
: thirteen delegates to deliver those
: seven votes. When the convention
ad pied the damphool method ii
counting heads instead Of votes
! PaSuuDtnnk had IL heads.
! And there was Camden with three
Hull votes. but only 0ns head; Cam
den HulIianS entrusted their vote
to a good man of God to deliver
and their ecclesiastical emiSSary
wa< faithful to his trust. But II
never occurred tD the parSon that
: he had only Cne head for three
: votes. Camden'S three votes count
cd one all the way thru the deliber
atiOnS
Eight of the surplus votes are
thus explained: no one knows where
the other four came from unless
they were from spectators who drift
cd into the hall and got mixed NJ
I witlf the delegates. 1t Is certain
Smith men did MT pack the con
ycuiiuu. Err.iiisr saith men went
! inlu the c0nycniion acknowledges
defeat ana were darn sure their on,