The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-09-14
THE CONVENTION.

THE CONVENTION.
Our dispatches of this morning present the
net result of the Territorial Democratic Con-
%vention, whose labors were concluded yestsr-
day. Maginnis was ~renominated for congress;
the council nominations by the County con-
| %ventions were confirmed; Hon. Sam Word
was elected chairman of the Democratic Cen
trail Committee, and Butte was selected asthe
place at which the convention OF W years
hence is to be held. Such, divested of the
rhetorical ornamentation with which we shall
doubtless be favored in time, is the brief COLI
densation wired us as the net proceeds of our
Territorial convention of 1886. Passing
them in review and considering them in re-
verse order, so that the most important detail
of the proceedings may be the last to be
treated, we may omit the selection of Butte
for the next convention, a choice meeting our
! full approval as a matter of course. In the
election of the Hon. Sam Word as chairman
of the Central Committee we think an excel
lent choice has been made. Although we
have not always been fully in accord with
that gentleman's political methods, still We
are unmindful neither of his influence nor of
his skill as a strategist; nor still further OF
the fact that he will unquestionably take a
laudable pride in cultivating and promoting
the interests which his abilities render him so
we'll qualified to take in charge. With Mr..
Word as chairman of the Central Committee
| - =, ,,oh,Llo thot,t1a Io-nofhipu pO1iov will
be abandoned for more aggressive tactics, and
that those who take an active part in the CAM
paign will not be left without hint or sugges-
ton, each to do as may seem to him best,
as if the battle entered upon were strictly
guerrilla in its nature, instead of being con-
Quoted under a recognized commander of the
several corps into which the territorial forces
are necessarily divided.
In allowing Deer Lodge only two council
men; and consequently one to Missoula,
the district convention wisely decided not to
precipitate upon the Missoulians the necessi-
ty of massing their vote on a local republican
nominee, in order to avert the danger Of hay
ing their interests entirely unrepresented in
the council. But since the subject has al
ready been fully treated in the pages of the
MINER we may dispense with further allusion
to it on the present occasion, further than to
state that so far as our observation goes the
course taken by the district convention meets
with the unqualified approval of every resi-
dent of this county who is moreover a we'll
wisher Of the party.
In tho nomination of Major NaUinnis for
delegate to congress the convention selected
what the majority of the party believe to be
the strongest man that could be picked upon
for the post, and when we come to consider
the all-too conspicuous absence of The faculty
of leadership among those who allowed 81
dare not > to take precedence of ~ would
in their opposition to his further candidacy we
think the position we'll taken. This is no
said merely out Of Difference to the party
wishes, but because we are sincerely of TIL:
opinion. Only a few weeks ago we though
otherwise, but events as they unfold them
selves are vitality operative in moulding o
modifying the opinions of those who observe
and observing,t think. We fought through thu
anti Maginnis campaign, and if that campaign
developed any standard bearer strikingly gift
ed with the qualities indispensable in a leade
he must have also possessed the happy facult.
of keeping himself quietly in the back
ground, out of sight or hearing of those VIII
were battling in the front in his behalf. Thi
is how the matter looks to us as we take
calm review of the field. If any of our read
arS think otherwise we ShOuld he grateful
they would kindly mention the Montan
democrat whom they consider as we'll calcu
lated to lead the party to victory as is Marti
Maginnis. But this is not now the question
There is but one choice before us with II
second alternative. Shall W. support Magir
, mis-, or shall we play into the hands of the eI
envy making ourselves his willing dupes, h
laughing in his sleeve all the while as we al
sist in winning a republican victory? Th
question is no longer a personal one. Th
defeat of our nominee will not be so niue
the defeat of Maginnis as the defeat of til
democratic party Of Montana, a defeat t
carry with it the smart of humiliation to eve
! rY man who has in the past identified himse
with its fortunes. Nothing that money, To-
cunning and INSCRIPTIONS management ca
, do toward defeating us will be left undone i
the campaign, more especially in the aim
defeat our county ticket. 1t depends alto
gether with ourselves whether those agencie
will accomplish their work or not.
. HI SOLID SOUTH.