The Rome tribune. (Rome, Ga.) 1887-190?, November 17, 1897, Image 1
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ESTABLISHED 1887.
DEMOCRATIC MACHINERY
• HEEDSJAWCALCHANGE
Unfair and Unequal Representation in Conven
tions Under the Present System.
ILLUSTRATION IN THE SEVENTH DISTRICT
is the Only State In the Un-
• ion Having Such a Backwood’s
Method—Clear Statement.
The legislature in throwing safe guards
around the ballot box so as to insure
" fair elections will receive the plaudits of
all good citizens, but in this connection
we wish to insist upon the democratic
t party adopting the same method that will
insure fair representation in conventions,
and let every democratic vote have equal
weight in the councils of the party.
There is no use for the legislature to
enact laws to protect the ballot, if the
voice of the people is to be stifled in con
ventions. It is just as essential to have
fair methods and equal representations
• prevail in our conventions as at the bal
lot box, and it is our purpose to call the
attention of the executive- committee
men of this state to these inequalities.
Under the present system nothing
’ like fairness can or Jwill prevail. One
man’s vote in the party should count as
. much as anothers, but does it? Let us see.
' Under the present system where a
county has one representative, they are
entitled to two delegates or votes in con
vention. If a county should have two
representatives then four votes or dele
gates in the convention, or in other
■ words twice as many votes in conven
tion as we have representatives in the
legislature. Paying no attention to the
numerical strength of the party in any
given county, but basing the representa
tion simply on the number of represen
tatives the county may have in the
legislature. How this plan came to be
adopted is au enigma to any thoughtful
man. When followed out to its logical
results it is ridiculous and absurd and
prevails no where else on earth. Repre
sentation in the legislature is based upon
population, and a representative repre-
M sents all the people whether of the same
party or not. Representation in the
councils of the democratic party is based
on the number of representatives you
m have in the legislature no matter if they
* are populists or republicans.
Chatham county may have three re
publican representatives in the legisla
ture, and not have a hundred democratic
votes within its borders. Dade may have
one democratic representative with a
thousand democratic constituents in his
county, yet under the present system
. - those one hundred* democrats in Chat
ham would be entitled to six votes in a
democratic convention, while the thou
sand democrats in Dade would be enti
tled to only two votes in the convention.
Now we have secured the official vote in
this congressional district polled last
November. As every one knows that was
presidential year and a full vote was
polled, and that all parties were repre
sented. We give the vote that each can
didate received and the number of dele
gates that each county is entitled to un
der the present system, the whole num
ber being thirty-tour:
?
County. “ J- S 2 ?
M -» 3 *
Catoosa ? 16 287 ”
vavoosa 472 101 hi «
Cobb 00 * 1 "’ 811 348 324 2
p 348 105 60 2
Haralson 708 314 404 2
FaukHuu 458 212 261 2
Folk B 648 800 206 2
w'lLrr 556 347 574 2
WbVfi.u 1,028 >6B 493 2
Whitfield 862 217 361 2
Total 10,719 4,256 5.087 , 34
Os course Maddox’s vote represents
' the democratic vote. Now by reference to
these returns you will see that the demo
v crats cast 916 votes in Barta w oounty,
/ and that Bartow is entitled to four (4)
votes in the convention You will a'so
• observe that Walker county oast one
thousand and twenty-eight votes (1028)
for Maddox, and yet Walker is entitled
to only two votes, The democratic vote
in Walker county is more than the vote
•in .Bartow, yet Bartow oasts twice as
THE ROriE TRI BUNE.
„• J f A| J '
many votes in the convention. Will
any man say this is right?
Again you will observe that Dade
oasts (348) three hundred and forty-eight
democratic votes, and Floyd twenty-one
hundred and seven (2,107.) Dade is en
titled to two votes in the convention,
Floyd to six. It will be observed that a
democratic vote in Dade is worth twice
as much as one in Floyd under the pres
ent system.
We call your attention to the demo
cratic vote of the following counties and
the numbei of delegates they are enti
tled to as shown by the above official
report:
g, 5- tzj
COUNTY. §* « ®
• M ST o
s ">
Bartow 916 4
Murray4sß 2
Catoosa472 2
Dade 348 2
Gordon 708 2
Haralson 437 2
Polk 556 2
Paulding 648 2
Total 7
These eight counties havet a majority
of the delegates and can control the
convention. The other five counties are
entitled to only sixteen delegates, but
they actually poll one thousand six
hundred and forty-three democratic
votes more than the eight counties.
The minority oan easily to the
majority and it will be seen that it only
requires a majority of the four thousand
five hundred and thirty-three votes cast
in the eight counties to control the con
vention, or in other words under the
present system itps possible for a little
more than one-fifth of the party to con
trol the other four-fifths. You will fur
ther observe from the above table that
the Cherokee circuit, composed of Bar
tow, Gordon, Murray, Whitfield, Ca
toosa and Dade are entitled to fourteen
delegates, while Walker, Chattooga
and Floyd are entitled to ten delegates
only. Yet they cast one hundred and
eighty-two more democratic votes than
the other six counties.
It will be observed that Bartow and
Cobb are entitled to the same represen
tation in convention, but Cobb cast (452)
four hundred and fifty-two more demo
cratic votes than Bartow.
You ask how you are going to remedy
this wrong. Easily enough. Just adopt
the common sense rule in vogue every
where. except in this state. Base your
representation in convention on the
numerical strength of the party in each
county as demonstrated by the last gen
eral election.
To illustrate what we mean take the
official returns in the last election for
congress giving the vote for Maddox as
the democratic vote in each county, and
give one vote for every one hundred oast
in that election, and one vote for every
fraction less than one hundred and more
than fifty and half vote for every frac
tion of fifty and less.
~ ‘ g O<!
» 2.0
p. a ST
COUNTY, ”
* $3
Bartow• 916 9|
Catoosa• 472 5
Chattooga 817 84
Cobb• 1,368 14
Dade • 348 34
Floyd. 2,107 214
Gordon• 708 7|
Harrelson• 437 44
Murray• 458 5
Paulding• 648 64
Polk 556 6
Walker 1,028 104
Whitfield 862 9
T0ta110,719 112
This would give a congressional con-
••■■-f-.p ■ ■■'" '<■ - "■ ’ i ’di, J
HOME. WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBEH 17. 1897.
HARRIS DECLINES
Hal Lewis Will Be Supreme
Court 'Judge.
Judge Harris Won’t Accept and
Governor Will Send in Mr.
Lewis Name Today.
Atlanta, Nov. 16.—Judge Sampson
Harris has declined the supreme court
judgeship, and will remain in tne
Coweta circuit.
Governor Atkinson will send in the
name of Hon. Hal T. Lewis, of
Greensboro, for the supreme court
judgeship tomorrow.
The appointment of Mr. Lewis will
be a most acceptable one, as he is a
fine lawyer, and will add strength
and dignity to that body. He is also
very popular throughout the statej
and the knowledge that he is to wear
the judicial ermine will prove accept
able news to the members of the bar
all over Georgia.
ASKED TO RESIGN.
Dr. Boggs Asks Dr. Hunnicutt to Hand In
His Resignation.
Atlanta, Nov. 16.—1 tis learned
here tonight that Chancellor'Boggs
has requested Dr. Hunnicutt, who
holds the chair of agriculture in the
State University, to hand in his resig
nation.
Dr. Boggs says that Dr. Hunnicutt
has unduly criticised the university,
and moreover (has proven himself in
competent.
BOSTON CAPITALIST.
Robert Wiswall Is Dying In {Grady Hos
pital In Atlanta.
Atlanta, Nov. 16.—Robert Wis
wall, a prominent and wealthy capi
talist from Boston lies at the point of
death in Grady hospital.
Mr. Wiswall fell down a flight of
steps last night and was found in au
unconscious many hours
later. He is said to be worth several
million. The chances for his recovery
are slim.
k •
SOME FEVER YET,
New Orleans Reports Eleven New Cases
And Two Deaths.
New Orleans, Nov. 16.—There
were eleven new cases of fever here
today and two deaths.
It is believed that the cold wave
headed in this direction will effectual
ly stamp the disease out, Mobile re
ports two new cases.
case of is Closed.
Defense In the VQuinu Murder Trial
Opens—Strong Points For Accused.
Atlanta, Nov. 16.—The prosecution
in the trial of Walter O’Quinn, charged
with the murder of Policeman Ponder,
announced closed at noon and the de
fense began its side of the case.
Louis Williams and W. H. Elliott
were placed on the stand by the defense
shortly after noon. Both swore shat
they were standing in the baggage
room of the union depot, across the
street from where the murder occurred,
on Monday night, and that on hearing
the report of pistol shots they ran im
mediately across the street and saw
O’Quinn behind the retail bar next door
serving drinks.
This is considered quite astrong piece
of evidence for O’Quinn, and the public
is anxiously waiting to see what the
prosecution will bring out in rebuttal.
O’Quinn went on the stand this after
noon and made his statement. He swore
that he was behind the bar, and the first
he knew of the killing was when he
heard pistol shots.
It is generally held that O’Quinn has
made out a very strong case and will be
acquitted. The state concedes that
Steinau did not do the shooting, and
Simon, it is said, can make out about the
same case as O’Quinn.
vent ion of a hundred and twelve and
would give every democrat an equal
representation in the convention.
It is useless for the different counties
to hold primary elections without they
are to have equal representation after
the primaries in the conventions. Now,
gentlemen of the state congressional
senatorial and oounty executive com
mittees, the people are going to have a
change, you had just as well get about
it; they are going to have fair play. We
say again, base your representation on
the voting strength of the party in each
county, and yon will have fallen in with
the methods adopted by the party every
where else except in Georgia.
While the illustration which we have
used above concerns the seventh dis
trict, yet the principle applies to the en
tire state.
CONVICT
QUESTION
House at Last Takes
It Up.
NOT MUCH PROGRESS
Representaiiye Stone Offers a Substitute
For Straight Lease,
TEE HALL BILL BOBS UP AGAIN
Debate on First Section Was
Not Completed.
FIGHT ABOUT STATE UNIVERSITY
Senate 1. the Scene Os An Exciting De-
bate About Hearing the Trustees
of the University.
Atlanta, Nov. 16.—The convict lease
came up in the house of representatives
as the special order, and the fight on
this important question is now well un
der way. Two substitutes were offered.
One of them is a straight lease bill, dif
fering only in detail to the present lease
system, except that it provides for the
election by the people of the principal
keeper of the penitentiary. This sub
stitute comas from Mr. Stone of Wal
ton.
The other substitute is the Hall bill,
Which .reflects the sentiment of the
present administration, and looks to
ward a re'nrmation of the lease system.
It is the e..ginal bill, of which the com
mittee’s measure which bears its name
is a much battered likeness—or rather
not a likeness at all, since all of its
most radical features have been effaced.
The fight did not progress far. The
house went into a committee of a whole
to consider the measure, which it was
proposed to take up section by section.
The house got no further, however,
than the first section. This section
provides for the appointment of a prison
commission by the general assembly.
A warm fight was precipitated in the
senate over the resolution inviting the
trustees of the state university to speak
before the general assembly Wednesday
at 10:80 o’clock.
Senator W. W. Turner of the Thirty
seventh district was opposed to the
trustees taking up the tim'e of the as
sembly in the daytime, which he deemed
eminently valuable.
President Berner came down from his
chair to favor the passage of the resolu
tion as it stood. Senator Battle also
spoke in strong terms favoring its pas
sage.
The question was put and the resolu
tion passed the senate without amend
ment. The trustees will therefore ad
dress the joint session Wednesday morn
ing.
The bill by Mr. Johnson of Hall, pro
viding that electrical companies be given
the power to condemn private property
for the purpose of erecting railway
lines thereon, came up for a third read
ing and was tabled owing to the lack of
votes to pass it.
A number of local bills of little in»<
portance were introduced.
ConfeMsea an Atrocious Crime.
Biddeford, Me., Nov. 16. Jean
Baptiste Guillemete has confessed to
the murder of his uncle, B. Laplante,
at St. Liboire, P. Q., on Oct. 30. Guil
lement was arrested here and at first
denied his guilt. He now says that the
crime was committed at the instigation
of his aunt, the wife of the murdered
man, who promised to marry him after
the death of her husband.
Pol Ice man Uae« Hl« Pistol.
Shelbyville, Ky., Nov. 16. —Willis
R. Campbell was shot and killed by
Policeman Oscar Duncan. Campbell
was an ex-policeman and very danger
ous when drinking. He was intoxicated
and boisterous, and the officer asked
him to keep quiet. He pulled his pistol
and snapped it at the officer’s face, when
the latter shot him through the heart
Pope on Manitoba Problem.
London, Nov. 16.—The Daily Chron
icle publishes the opinion of the pope
on the Manitoba school question, con
firming the Montreal Star’s version,
plainly setting forth that his holiness
does not accept the Laurier- Greenway
settlement
Pen Argyll, Fa., Nov. 16. The
Bangor and Pen Argyll slate region is
receiving a visit from English capital
ists, who have formed a company to de
velop the American slate trade in Gre 4
Britain and on the continent of Eu
rope by the importing of slate from the
United States.
COLD WAVE ARRIVES
Freezing Weather and Frosts
io Yellow Fever Regions.
Most Decided Cold Wave of the
Season is Predieted—Weather
Burea Report-
Washington, Nov. 16. Willis L.
Moore, chief of the weather bureau, has
issued the following special bulletin:
“Frosts and freezing weather in yel
fever district. The most decided cold
wave of the season is indicated for
Wednesday throughout the yellow fever
districts of the south.
“Freezing weather will "probably oc
cur throughout the northern and cen
tral portions of the gulf states and in
the Ohio valley Wednesday morning
and frosts generally throughout the
southern states Wednesday or Wednes
day night.
“The fall in the temperature will be
most marked in the Ohio valley, where
it is now about 60 degrees. , The warm
weather on the Atlantic coast will prob
ably be followed by a decided fall in the
temperature and two or three days of
cold weather will follow.”
MEET AT CHICAGO NEXT.
Th. Knight, ot Labor Select the Windy
City Over Several Rivals.
Louisville, Nov. 16.—The general
assembly of the Knights of Labor se
lected Chicago as the next meeting
place and the first Tuesday in Novem
ber, 1898, as the time for their meeting.
The selection was not made without a
contest, but Chicago developed the most
strength and won on the first ballot.
Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Boston, Wash
ington, New York, Galveston, Rich-
I mond, Baltimore, Hot Springs and New
Orleans were among the cities placed
In nomination. The selection of Chi
cago was finally made unanimous.
Little else was done at the morning
session. Reports from several minor
committees were heard, but nothing of
importance was taken up. Grand Mas
ter Workman Hicks said that the as
sembly would not complete its business
before Saturday.
Capital to H»v» a Big Coll.ga.
Washington, Nov. 16. —The oft agi
tated question of establishing in tne
city of Washington a great national
university on the lines suggested by
President Washington has at last taken
more definite form than in the past,
and a number of representative men
and women have taken hold of the
project with a determination to push it
to a successful conclusion if possible.
They have started out by seeking to
raise the first $250,000 necessary for the
erection of an administration building
to form the nucleus of the university
and hope to be able to lay the corner
stone on Feb. 22, 1899. ....
The Schooner Janet A. Lost.
St. Johns, N. 8.,N0v. 16.—Word has
been received from Chatham that the
schooner Janet A., from Tighness, was
lost Tuesday night or Wednesday morn
ing of last week, off Fox Reef. She was
loaded with oats and produce. Three
men and two women were aboard. The
bodies of Captain Gillis, Susan Oham
gion and an unknown man, brought to
lhatham by the steamer St. Isidore,
confirmed the news of the wreck. The
Janet was a vessel of 90 tons register,
was built at Church Point, N. S., in
1882 and hails from Chatham.
Est.rhi.sy Denies th. Chsrg..
Paris, Nov. 16. —Comte Esterhazy,
who, it is said, answers the description
of “a rich and titled officer, well known
in Paris society,” who has been re
quested to resign his commission in the
army in consequence of the continued
leaking of military secrets since Cap
tain Dreyfus was deported, has written
a letter to General Billot, the minister
for war, with regard to the alleged “in
famous accusation.” He demands an
investigation and says that he is ready
to reply to all the charges that may be
brought against him.
Judge ThomiU Nelsen Dying.
Worcester, Mass., Nov. 16.—Judge
Thomas Nelson of the United States
district court is dying at his home in
this city. He was taken ill at the
Parker House in Boston last March, and
though the serious nature of his sick
ness was recognized, he recovered so
far as to be able to work for short inter
vals. He has failed fast during the last
month. He is now unconscious and
death is hourly .expected.
Atkinson For the Senate.
Parkersburg, W. Va., Nov. 16.
There is no longer any doubt of Gov
ernor Atkinson’s senatorial ambitions.
“I have been requested by a large num
ber of influential party fneuds to be
come a candidate,” he said, “and I am
inclined to say to my friends that I am
a candidate for senator and will thank
the people for their support.”
* Medal For a Lit. Saver..
Berlin, Nov. 16. —The United States
consul general here, Mr. Goldschmidt,
has received for transmission to the
United States a large sized medal
awarded by the Emperor William to
Valentine Forakes ot Milwaukee, Wis.,
for saving a child from drowuiug while
Forakes was in thia city.
SIT IS TRUSTWORTHY. 5
X The one paper that lead.— x
T reaehe. all cissies of people V
W —give satisfaction to adver- W
W tisera—The Rome Irlbune. M
PRICE FIVE CENTS’.
OFFICIAL
REPORTODT
Bi-MetallicConimissions
European Trip,
ENGLAND’S ANSWER
Willingness of French Government to
Open Its Mints to Silver.
IF A BIMETALLIC UNION IS FORMED
India, Says That Lord Elgin
Might Then Agree.
CREDITOR NATION IS CAUTIOUS
When Other Nations of Earth .Form a
Bimetallic Union' of Substantial Co-
Operation May Consider It.
Washington, Nov. 16.—The official
report of the correspondence in regard
to the bimetallic proposals of the United
States monetary commission to the gov
ernment of Great Britain, together with
the report of the proceedings at the con
ference of thier British premier, the sec
retary of state for India, the flrat lord
of the treasury aud the chancellor ot
the exchequer with the French ambas
sador and our commissioners, has
reached this country. It fully confirms
the reports cabled to the Associated
Press on Got. 21 and 22. . s(
The negotiations fell through, not-?
withstanding the expressed willingness
of the French government to open its
mints, owing to the rejection by the
British government of the proposition
to again open the Indian mints to the
free coinage of silver. None of the
other propositions were replied to, be
cause that one, the most important
the concessions requested of Great Brit
ain, could not be acceded to.
The government of Great Britain, in
making her answer, deferred to the
wishes of the government of India, to
which the proposal was referred, and the
reply of the government of India, there
fore, is the most important communica
tion in the correspondence.
Reasons For Rejection.
It is a lengthy document in which the
advantages pro and con to India are
argued and a very strong case from
their standpoint is made out in favor of
the rejection of the proposal The dis
turbance of values in India with the
attendant paralysis of trade, at least
temporarily, the fall of silver prices in
India concurrently with the increase of
gold prices in Europe aud America, etc.,
are advanced, but thp most potent rea
son argued against the proposition is
that the burden of failure, if failute
should come from the experiment foY
the re-establishment of bimetallism by
France and the United States, must in
evitably tall on India.
Both the United States and France,
the reply argues, with their supply of
gold. could protect themselves if the ex
periment did not succeed. In other
words the Indian government, as a pre
liminary proposition, declared that il
could not take the risk of agreeing to
the suggested measures. A definite
aud absolufe rejection of the proposi
tion was so, forth in the cable corre
spondence, but the document contains a
reservation which would seem to indi
cate that if the scope of the proposed
experiment were sufficiently broad In
dia might be willing at least to recon
sider her refusal.
Lord Elgin’* Letter.
That paragraph in Lord Elgin’s letter
is as follows:
“We note that the proposals of the
government of France aud the United
States are subject to the proviso that
they are satisfied that they will receive
assistance from other powers in inereas
ing the demand fyr silver. We believe
that a limited increase of the quantity
of silver used as currency will exercise
a very trifling if any, m
raising the gold price of silver and that
the only assistance from other powers
which oan be of any real value would
be the addition of other countries to
the bimetallic union of France and the
United States.
“If. however, assurances of really
substantial co-operation should be se
cured from ocher countries we shall be
glad to learn the exact nature of the as
surances, and we shall then consider
whether the promised co-operation
changes the conditions of the problem
or adds materially to the chances of
success. ’ ’
Fotta* New H4»esMl * ‘S.bilM.
Mobile, Nov. 16 —Four new cases.
No deaths. Recoveries: Joseph L. Wil
son, John McCob, EdwaruM. Jon is con.