Morning journal and courier., 1880-05-12

Wednesday Morning, May 12. 1880.
THE COOK COUNTY PUZZLE.


 The Cook county puzzle, whose solution the public expected to see in yesterday morn ing's papers, will continue to attract atten- tion for some time longer, as the Illinois con vention does not meet until May 19. Mon days proce edings changed the character of the puzzle some, but it is still sufficiently in- teresting.
 l Throughout the present contest in Illinois it has been unusually difficult to get at the truth in the multitude of contradictory state ments made, and the same difficulty is expe- rienoed concerning the proceedings of Mon days convention, and their bearing on the resdlt in the State convention. The Grant side of the case, as explained by Editor Pierce of the InterOcean, is that the Grant men hearing that there was a plan being con l cocted to ignore them entirely in the delega- tion sent by Cook county to the State con- ventiop, sent to the leaders of the opposition and asked some assurances that such action would not be taken. Their request was not entertained, and the joint caucus of the Blaine and Washbnrne men resulted in an agreement to deny them all representation. Finding their efforts to obtain recognition useless they withdrew and elected ninety Grant dele gates. The Grant men claim to have bene- fted most by the days work. because the opposition, it is alleged. have, first, the precedent against them; second, the technical organization against them, and, third, the State convention, which will decide on the admission of delegations, will be, with Cook county unrepresented as it must be until it's contest is decided, largely for Grant. Such being the case the Grant men are described as feeling confident that their delegation will be admitted.
 Editor Medll, of the Chicago Tribune, states the case of what Editor Pierce calls ''the op- position The convention stood something over two thirds against Grant before the Ccm- mittee on Credentials had reported. Before the leader of the Grant forcss called on his men to bolt, and they withdrew from the hal Gas if by some previous arrangement" The convention as organized contained 90 Wash burne men, 54 Blaine men and 1 Grant man. It transacted it's business, allotting delegates to the two factions in proportion to their strength. The merits of the case are thus stated: First, the claim of the chairman of the County Central Committee that he was entitled to name the temporary chairman is such thing has never been done in Cook county. The chairman in this case was not delegate. Second, the conven- ton WAS regularly organized, all the ere dentials, with a small exception, handed in, and the majority used it's power mod erately Third, the minority injudiciousy bolted before they had 8 grievance or Q case. Fourth, only out of 45 country delegates went with the bolters, and only city wards I out of Is.
 These are perhaps as fair and clear state ments of both sides of the contest as can be l obtained. What the State convention will do | remains to be seen. What it can do is mat | ter of doubt, for nobody can tell what strength l the different factions will have in it, exclusive of the Cook county delegation. The anti ! Grant men were claiming before the Cook ! county convention was held that they had 83 | while the Grant men also claimed large majority. It is probable that if the | action of the State convention upon the case | is not somewhere near just, there will be | more bolting, and the National convention ! will have to finally decide the matter. What ! ever is done, the bitter feeling that has been | by the fight will not be all swept | away. l
 Not the least curious feature of the puzzle l is the Washburne part of 1t. Washburne has declared, again and again, that he will not be a candidate so long as Grant is. Yet he had 90 supporters in the convention. F,sc <SFG and yet his supporters joined hands with Grants opponents. All of which is decidedly