Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-07-26
THE OTHER SIDE.
A Letter From MI. Hand iii Justification Of
Their Acts Mt the Mass Convention at
Swan Lake, July 18th.

a Letter From Mr.. Hatitl III Justification Of
Their Acts ut the Mass Convention at
Swan Lake, July 18Th.
Editor Turner County Herald:
In your issue of the 10Th inst, after
giving an account of the proceedings of
the mass convention at Swan Lake on
the 18th, YOU say: I'VE have been I'M
able to learn Of any cause that justities
this act on the part Of the boilers, after
having taken partin the proceedings of
the convention" 1fyou will allow me
a brief space in your columns, will
state the cause which prompted the
action OF the SO called "boiters."
The ordinance OF the Huron coryen-
tion establishes a committee in each
county to have charge of, and control
over all the preliminary work of the
convention in their respective counties,
issuing the notices OF election, estab-
fishing the voting places. appointing
the judges OF election, canvassing the
vote and making return to the presi-
dent of the state executive committee.
Under and by virtue of the authority
vested in him as chairman of this COM
mittee, Mr.. Newly called this conyen-
tion to meet ut Swan Lake to nominate
delegates to the Sionx Falls conven-
tion. 1t was the duty of Mr.. Newly to
call that convention to order, and in his
absence that duty devolved upon some
other member of the committee who
might be present. Mr.. Newly was alb
sent when the hour arrived for the CON
vention to convene, and Mr.. Thielman,
although two members of the committee
were present, called the convention to
order and proceeded to its organization
without even inquiring if any member
Of the committee were in the room,
thus ignoring the authority of the COM
mittee appointed by the Huron con-
vention and taking the reins in his own
hands.
Again. after tn self-organiZed conven-
tion had nominated its delegates they
proceeded to declare the authority Of
| the regular committee at an end, and
| elect anothe committee in its stead
composed Of entirely different men. The
against this proceeding as being in vio-
! lation of the ordinance of the Huron
convention, which expressly declares
| that the term of Office of the respective
county committees appointed by them
shall continue until the election is over,
and the final vote canvassed and re-
turned to the state committee.
r. No resolutions indorsing the action of
the Huron convention and recognizing
its authority were passed: but, on the
contrary by their action repudiating it,
and setting it at defiance. For these
reasons, the "bolters,'' after having
/ taken part in this sham convention by
opposing every move made by it, re-
tired, and after this ''maSs convention
consisting of thirty-live members ac-
cording to their own. count-had dis
persed. were called to order by mem
/ ber of the committee appointed by the
Huron convention, elected Il chairman
and secretary; passed resolutions
recognizing the authority Of the Huron
convention and its committee; nomina-
4 ted four delegates to the Sioux Falls
4 lFconvention, and adjourned.
4 And now, because we finally ceased
to take even protesting part in this
unique convention, because we declined
to sanction these illegal and unauthor-
lied proceedings even by our presence
we are stigmatized as boilers. We be
lieve that the circumstances justify us
in the course we pursued, and that the
second convention was the only regular
one held at Swan Lake on the 18th inst
J. A. HAND.
| Parker, Oak, July 25th. 1888.