The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-12-21
QUE COUNTY CONVENTION.
How It Is Manipulated-What an open Fight
in Convention Would Have Amounted To.
How Butte is Defraunded Of Her Just Share o.
Political Influence.
What Are We Going To Do About TT
Editor Butte Miner.

umns; but inasmuch as the subject is one OF
paramount importance to the people of Butte,
and of Importance scarcely less vital to the
citizens of Deer Lodge county generally
always excepting Deer Lodge City-perhaps
you will spare the necessary space to a cor
respondent who would consider this question
of division from a point of view not yet TAX
en- either by yourself or by any OF your con-
%tributo1s.
This view of the case, as set forth in the
following, has been suggested by a remark
contained in a late issue OF the NeU North
West, to the effect that " had they (the Fu-
sionists) made an open fight in the conven-
lions we might have opposed but not CEN
sured Them" Now it is not my purpose
either to blame or to defend the course taken
by the so-called Fusionlsts. or to refer to
them in any manner whatever; but let us
consider this suggestion OF making an open
fight IN convention. Let us consider what
chance the people of southern Deer Lodge
county would have of getting fair play in any
sopen fight" in our party conventions as con-
stituted for some time past; let us consider
the manner in which the conventions and the
central committee of our party have of late
years been converted into reciprocally self
perpetuating machines to the advantage of
the political "workers'' of Deer Ledge City,
and let us then ask whether we do not find
in this matter still another good reason why
the people of Butte should desire county di-
vision as a certain means of release from the
trammels in which INSCRIPTIONS party man
ayers have bound them. In so doing l shall
conine my remarks to our own party the
democratic. This is an off year in politics,
and a little plain talk may do our folks a
world of good III the way of opening their
eyes TO the reason why our patty is losing its
hold on the allegiance OF the southern Deer
Lodgers. Then, should division be voted
down, the bosses and managers of the party
will haye only themselves to blame, if, by
disregalding the voice Of complaint and per-
sisting. to ignore the just claims based on the
voting strength of Butte, they continue to
ALLEVIATE that strength from the party.
A few years ago when Beartown, Yreka,
Reynolds City, Pioneer, Yam Hill, ETC.,
were sJill populous camps, the mass of popu-
laLOn was to be found III the northern end
of the county, and accordingly 1t was to the
northern END of The county that the major
part OF the political strength OF each party, las
expressed in convention, was properly given.
Ihe most OF the voters were located i'll the
northern portions OF the county,, and it was
from those northern portions that the greater
number Of delegates to convention were
summoned. This was right and just to all
parties concerned. But the growth of
Butte has changed this order OF things-or
rather ii has partly changed this order Of
things since the astute gentlemen of Deer
Lodge city have succeeded in blocking and
altogether preventing one all-important
change which should by rights have resulted
from the growth of Butte. Briefly, the voting
strength OF our party is now located in the
southern end OF the county, while its pOliti-
cal strength is still giUen to the northern end.
This is the work Of our friends of the valley
village, who either with or without the knowl-
edge OF those parties have so far managed to
control our conventions, and to control them,
1t Is unnecessary TO say, strictly and solely i'll
the interests OF the Deer Lodge clique OF
politicians. How is this done? Very simply.
When the convention meets the majority of
its delegates are found to hail from the almost
deserted camps OF the north. Tins COnVen-
ton is careful to appoint a central committee
having for its chairman Gin whose hands all
power is practically vested) some prominent
member OF the Deer Lodge clique. To make
a dead sure thing OF the matter it also makes
such appointments for the remainder of the
committee as will render it certain that in any
question at issue the influence Of the major
ity will be thrown in favor of the county
town. SO much tor the work OF the conven-
ton. AS for the committee, when It comes
TO the work of apportlonng delegates for the
next convention, 1t does its share towards the
same END by cutting down the representation
OF tile southern precincts; giving an exag-
gerated representation to the northern, and
by allowing a delegate to every northern
camp where even one man is known to be at
WORK., so that when the convention meets its
nominations as well as Its .seXpression OF
party sentiment" are controlled by the desert
ed camps OF northern Deer Lodge county, OF
in other words by a clique of professional
politicians living in Deer Lodge city. And
thus it goes the committee begets the con
%vention, the convention in turn begets the
committee, all to the advantage of the ~''valley
village" anu to the utter ignoring of Butte, and
it looks as if 1t were the intention to continue
this smooth running little arrangement indef
inltely into the future. Let us consider a few
facts bearing out this statement let us come
down to the precision of individual citation
and personal mention. The last democratic
central committee was presided over by May.
hew as chairman. This committee, in its
apportionment, gave Deer Lodge one delegate
to the convention for every fourteen lem.
ocratic votes cast in the preceding election
and to Butte one delegate for every twenty.
six votes cast in said election, or in the ratio
OF about four votes to Butte to seven tc DeeJ
Lodge on the same basis, which is probably
to be explained by the fact that Deer Ledge
had grown ABOUT one-seyenth as fast as Butte
during the Two years following that election
But this was not all. When we came te
meet in convention the committee on creden
tials were not a little taken aback at the pre-.
sentatlon OF "credentlals" frem six precincts
in each of which one man had acted as Judge
clerk and then as delegate. In the primary
this individual had 'met together" called thu
meeting to order, elected himself judge and
clerk of election, and finally elected himself
delegate to the convention, where his solitar,
vote ounted as equal to the vote of 26 of thu
democrats of Butte. 1t is by such work a.
this that the Deer Lodge county democrat,
is controlled by a few politicians of Dee
Lodge more astute than far seeing. Properl,
to complete its work according to the pro.
gramme sketched above, this convention ap
pointed q committee having Mitchell a.