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Show SENATOR FLETCHER in puce Fight Against Him in Unitarian Convention on Account of Lorimer Vote Fails. REMAINS VICE PRESIDENT Only One-third of the Members Cast Their Ballots Against Florida Man. , BOSTON, May 24. A proposition to drop the name of United States Senator Duncan U. Fletcher of Florida from the Hat of vice presidents of the Unitarian association because of his attitude In the Lorimer case last winter failed at the annual meeting of the association today. to-day. The opposition to Senator Fletcher was led by the Rev. John Hayncs Holmes, pastor of the Church of the Messiah. New York City, and numbered approximately about one-third of those present. Tho debate began when the nominating committee presented It.s report with Senator Sena-tor Fletcher's namo placed fourth. Mr. Holmes at once presented a report signed by nine ministers of New York and twentv-six of those in and about Boston Bos-ton declaring: "In view of the public services attached -to t.ho name of Senator Sena-tor Fletcher we do not regard him as eligible to leadership In that form of Christianity known as Unltarlanlsm and protest against his nomination as vice president." The Rev. A J. Coleman of Jacksonville, Jackson-ville, Fla., doclnred that tho resolution was an attempt to fasten a new method of dogmatism on the Unitarians. "Senator Fletcher voted for Senator Lorimer because the evidence against him was not sufficient," said Mr. Colo-man. Colo-man. "Ho was actuated by the high sense of moral and political duty and the people of Florida arc proud of his record." The rtev. Mr. Todd of Washington also defended Senator Fletcher as one of his parishioners, and resented the resolution as "un-wnrranted interference with the action of an Individual." Mr. Holmes declared that the Unitarian Unitar-ian association could not place any stain on the namo of Senator Fletcher which the senator had not placed there already by his action in the Lorimer case. "It would be better to wipe out every Unitarian church south of the Mason and Dixon line, rather than placo a dishonored dis-honored name on our list of officers," shouted Mr. Holmes. - "As to Senator Fletcher." said ' Mr. Holmes, "I believe he has failed to measure meas-ure up to tho standard.. I believe he -was conscientious but -what was the matter with his conscience? We do not want n man on our list for whom wc havo to apologize." After further debate a rising vote was taken which was partially counted. President Presi-dent Eliot announcing that the motion to strike- Senator Fletcher's name from the list was lost. About one-third voted for tho resolution. The association then elected Its officers, headed by the Rev. Dr. Samuel A. Eliot of Cambridge. |