DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NEWSPAPERS - The Washington Post, January 22, 1896, pg. 2 ----¤¤¤---- This file is part of the DCGenWeb Archives Project: http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm ********************************************* http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************* Contributed to The USGenWeb Archives Project by: Jamie M. Perez (jamiemac@flash.net) --------------------------------------------------- The Washington Post, January 22, 1896 - Local Elections The Washington Post, January 22, 1896, pg. 2 MR. PARKER DRAWS OUT The Delegate Campaign Takes on a New Phase. LOOKS LIKE CARSON AND GLEESON A Meeting of the Board of Supervisors to Be Held To-day to Select Judges, Clerks, and Inspectors of Election-Probable Retirement of Several Candidates to Avoid the Assessment-Incidents of Last Night’s Mass Meetings-Two Reed Delegates. At a late hour last evening Col. Myron M. Parker announced his retirement from the race for delegate to the Republican National Convention. For some days Col. Parker has been South on a hunting trip, and on his arrival home Monday evening found the situation so changed and the contest degenerated into a factional fight, with considerable mud-slinging in it, that he decided he was better out of it than in it. Col. Parker did not make an active canvass, and had intended to make but one address, and if elected he would have done his duty, or if defeated, taken the result without disappointment. He also thought it best to retire before the judges, the clerks, and inspectors of election were chosen, which will be done this afternoon. During the past twenty-four hours the situation has greatly changed, and the result is not written on the skies. It is plain to the most casual observer that the delegates will be Andrew Gleeeson and Perry Carson. Late yesterday afternoon Mr. Gleeson and Col. Carson, together with their friends, met to talk over the situation and see what could be done toward arranging a combine. That they agreed on this was announced last night. The pair will be invincible, though there will be a hard fight made against them. Mr. Gleeson will bring to Col. Carson a strong following, while the old warhorse of the colored Republicans will throw all his strength for Mr. Gleeson. This means a great deal, and it is so acknowledged by other candidates who have lost considered hope since the combine was made. Two Reed Delegates. Mr. Gleeson is very confident of his election, and is making an active campaign, systematic in every way, and gaining for him additional support beyond his numerous friends. The labor element is nearly solid for him, and it is probable that he will get all of the support that would naturally have gone to Col. Parker. Mr. Gleeson said yesterday that there was no truth in the report that he had agreed to have L. M. Saunders made a member of the National Republican Committee for the District of Columbia on condition that the latter withdraw from the race in favor of Mr. Gleeson. “There is no need of any on withdrawing in my favor,” added Mr. Gleeson. It is understood that the union between Mr. Gleeson and Mr. Carson means that two Reed men will go to the convention from the District. Col. Perry Carson, when asked how his campaign was getting on, ran his hand over his face to hide a satisfied smile and replied: “I don’t know. They tell me that I am beaten, and that I ought to give way to younger blood. But I have heard all that for several years, and have always managed to pull through and be young enough for the business to be transacted. My friends tell me that things are coming my way, and that election night I’ll be in the lead. Of course, that is one of the things no one can count on absolutely, but I think that I will be elected; anyway, we will know in a few days. I have had many men tell me that they would vote for me whom I have counted as opposition.” The friends of Aaron Bradshaw are confident that he will be the white member of the delegation from here, and point with pride to the manner in which he won an opposition meeting Monday night. They claim that his strength is fast increasing, and that he will continue to gain till election day. Among the colored candidates there is chaos. They do not know with whom to run, or rather who their running mates are. Nearly every day there is a reported change in the combinations, all of which is demoralizing. election of Election Officers. This afternoon at 3 o’clock there will be a meeting of the board of supervisors in the office of Col. Parker, when the judges, clerks, and inspectors of election will be chosen. Several lists of names have been submitted to the board from which these officers will be chosen. All of the candidates will be present to hear the report of the committee on expense, and to put up their share of the cost of holding the election. It is expected that some of the candidates will withdraw when they find that they will be called upon for a subscription. The Democrats are now awakening and grooming candidates for election as delegates to the Chicago Convention. It is taken for granted that the announcements of Messrs. Norris and Davis, who represented the District in the last Democratic Convention, are really meant and that they will not be candidates. So far, but half a dozen names have been mentioned. They are John Boyle, E. L. Jordan, William Dickson, and William Holmead. The friends of these men are arranging the preliminaries to an active campaign. Frank P. Madigan, who represents the Eleventh District on the central Democratic committee, has transferred his proxy to Mr. Campbell, and, it is stated, will resign from the committee and withdraw from politics. Another change in this committee will be caused by the retirement of M. I. Weller, representing the Twenty-first district, and who has given his proxy to Frank P. Morgan. Parker and Carson Hot Favorites. The withdrawal of Col. Parker had not been announced when a Parker-Carson mass-meeting at Green’s Hall, on Pennsylvania avenue, was called to order last evening. Consequently there was no change of programme when the Republicans of the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh districts assembled there to listen to speeches and adopt resolutions with reference to the approaching election. Jerry Matthews, of the Sixth District, presided, and the first business transacted was to ascertain the sense of the meeting in regard to the various candidates. A resolution indorsing Carson and Parker was hailed with great enthusiasm, and though neither of the distinguished candidates was present, they effectually captured the meeting. There was not the least dissension or difference of opinion, and the alternates were as easily determined upon, in the persons of W. F. Thomas and J. W. Bell. L. H. Peterson made a rousing campaign speech and spoke on the rights of the negro. The negro always supported the Republicans, and that party should look more after the interests of the negro and should afford him recognition. He referred to Perry Carson in glowing terms, and spoke of him as first in war, first in peace, and first in the heart of every true and loyal negro. He advised his audience to vote for Parker and Carson with W. F. Thomas and J. W. Bell as alternates. F. D. Lee spoke for Carson and Thomas. His speech was hailed with much applause, and when the reference was made to Thomas, there were great handclapping and shouting. J. W. Coles, a former Key man, renounced his allegiance to that candidate and came out boldly in favor of Carson. He said that Key’s ship was sinking fast, and that he did not propose to remain and be drowned. This turn caught the crowd, which redoubled its cheers. D. F. Batts spoke in favor of Saunders, but that gentleman apparently had few adherents in the audience. J. C. Wright advocated the cause of the four men indorsed by the meeting, and he advised all present to vote the straight ticket. Harry Clark made the concluding speech, which was well received, the references to the candidates seeming especially welcome to the audience. New Clubs Organized. The citizens of the Nineteenth District met yesterday at Delaware avenue and H street Northeast, and organized a Thomas B. Reed Club with the following officers: M. T. O’Brien, President; M. Walsh, Vice President; G. W. Butler, Secretary; P. Boland, Treasurer; J. Dunlap, Sergeant-at-arms. Gleeson and Carson were indorsed as candidates for the St. Louis Convention, and M. T. O’Brien was named as alternate to Andrew Gleeson. S. M. Cullom Republican Club No. 2. was formed last night, at 1222 R street northwest, with Thomas W. Chase as President; C. A. Lemar as Treasurer, and George W. Stewart as Secretary. It is the intention of the club to open headquarters and entertain the colored delegates from the Southern States on their arrival in this city. A meeting of the Allison League was held Monday night at 938 N street northwest. Capt. Lewis Collins presided. A number of new members were enrolled. The following were named as members of the executive committee: O. D. Morris, jr., chairman; A. Fichling, W. D. Winston, Mr. Madden, and Mr. Hart. The league meets at the same place February 3. Hon. John M. Langston Elected President. The Southern Republicans met Monday night at 938 N street northwest. The meeting was called to order by F. D. Lee, Mr. E. B. Welborn presiding. All of the Southern States were represented. Speeches were made by Hon. John M. Langston, F. D. Lee, O. D. Morris, A. P. Hall, L. H. Peterson, R. K. Washington, and Ed Odum. The association was organized under the name of the National Southern Republican Association, with the following officers: Hon. John M. Langston, President; F. D. Lee, Secretary, and O. D. Morris, Vice President. The executive committee, consisting of one member from each Southern State, will be appointed by the President. Mr. Langston spoke of Hon. Thomas B. Reed as the negro’s friend, and the man they should support for the Presidency. A Word for the Citizen’s Ticket. Editor Post: It is only about once in four years that the citizens in the District of Columbia have any opportunity to exercise the right of franchise; and even then it is not by any legal right, but purely by the grace of the national committees of the great political parties. On the 28th instant such an election is to be held by the grace of the National Republican Committee to elect two delegates and two alternates to the nominating convention to be held at St. Louis on the 16th of June next. The balloting at the primaries will take place, it is said, between the hours of 2 p. m. and 6, and every voter will then cast his ballot for any one of the many candidates he desires to elect. It is understood that there is no law, either for or against this election; and, therefore, those who are responsible for the results should take the utmost care to secure a fair management. I do not see how repeating will be prevented unless there is a previous registration. I am informed on the one hand that registration is objected to on the ground of expense; on the other hand that the citizens’ party have offered to bear all the expense, in order to secure a pure ballot. Perry Carson is boasting, if we may credit newspaper reports, that, vote as you may, he will be elected. This looks like a threat to use force and fraud to carry his points. The police will have no authority to make arrests for stuffing the ballot boxes. They can arrest only disorderly, drunken, or riotous persons. Heretofore the politics of this District, and these elections, have been controlled by unscrupulous, expert politicians, the result of which has been that the District has been represented in our national political conventions to our discredit. This time an effort is being made to bring to the poles the respectable citizens. Already they have perfected an organization, and put their ticket in the field, headed by Oscar Nauck, one of our best citizens, of German stock, and a lawyer of some ability; and by Walter H. Brooks, a colored man of good repute among all classes. The importance of this election does not seem to be fully understood by the citizens generally; but yet it is certain that the choice of our next Chief Magistrate may depend upon their action at St. Louis, and if there ever was a time when the best citizens ought to take a hand in politics it is in this election. No citizen deserves to live under good laws unless he is willing to help make them. If all good men refuse to take part in elections, and leave the choice of candidates to the baser elements, what else can be expected in your government but bribery corruption and plunder? “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” CHARLES ROYS.