Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-04-26
THE HURON CONVENTIONS.

THE HURON CONVENTIONS.
Another Dakota convention has placed
its proceedings upon the record of time
and its doings will 60 down to posterity
along with the doings Of previous gath.
erings of this nature. The Huron
republican convention, called to elect
delegates to Chicago. is perhaps more
savory in its details and results than
some OF its predecessors, though it
hardly reached the standard OF political
perfection. 1t gives t.. Dakota one
honest representative-Colone John l..
Jolley-and this is evidence that there
was not quite enough of the disreputsble
within it to overcome all that was good.
The work of manipulation for the con.
troll OF this convention began early on
the Tuesday preceding the day and hour
fixed for the assembling of that body.
The northern delegates were early upon
the ground. the strong anti-southern
element within that geographical divi:
sion being under the leadership Of Alex.
Mckenzie. Mr.. Mckenzie, being dem.
ocrat, did not appear as delegate, but
was nevertheless general manager OF
that particular wing of republican rep.
resentation. His northern following, IN
the beginning, did not include the coun.
ties of Traill and Walsh and he had only
. portion OF Cass. Grand Forks county
was in contest, one delegation, the
Walsh men, being the allies of Mckenzie
and the other, the Winship men. repre-
senting q decided opposition to the
Vaccinations of the Bismarck schemer.
1t was conceded, however, that Walsh
county would go to the northern COM
binatlon as soon as it succeeded in
seating the Winship delegation, to
which it appeared to bs pledged. This
would leave as the certain allies of the
south the two counties of Grand Forks
and Traill and four votes from Cass
county, held by Mr.. Beardsley.
This was the situation in the opening
and with the line sharply drawn between
the north and south, it was evident that
the latter would be ahead by large
majority. There was, however, q defec-
tion in southern ranks. the counties of
Clay. Lincoln and Brookings being with
the Mckenzie forces from the begin.
ming. But this alliance was not suffi.
cient to give the north the controlling
power within the con vention and it was
to secure what was lacking that Nc.
Kenzie began his customary tactics.
This must be accomplished before the
arrival of the delegates from the lower
Jim river valley and the Missouri slope,
who were due on the ten O'Clock train
Tuesday night. 1t was discovered by
the manipulators that the delegates from
Sphinx. Clark, Codington, Hamlin and
Grant counties we're almost solid
for Blaine. Under tue direc.
tion of Mckenzie. the northern
combination speedily evlnced an ardent
desire for the success of Mr.. Blaine in
the Dakota convention. They were
solid for the plumed knight, even down
to the last postmaster IN the crowd.
They fastened Blaine and Lincoln badge.
to the lappels of their coats and sent
down to Brooking for brass band
which came up to Huron headed by q
gaily cuparisoned banner bearing the
legend Dakota Greets the Plumed
Knight" The intended victims of the
northern ruse caught the craze and went
over body and soul to their captors
Later in the proceedings some OF them
repented and returned to their allie
glance to the south, but large proper
tion permitted themselves to remain the
dupss of the bosses who had tricked
them into treason against their constitu
ents.
The combination thus effected did moi
give to the north q certain control of the
convention, and the Mckenzie elemen,
then sought an alliance with Mr.. Petit
grew and his Sioux valley followers
The temptation of the support Of tn.
north for congressman, and campaign
expenses in that section, was extended
This proposition was vigorously rejected
by Mr.. Pettigrew and the northerner
were open for future engagements.
Such was the situation at ten O'CLOCK
Tuesday night, when the Jim and Mis-
souri, delegates, numbering forty or fifty
arrived from the west. It was fresl
element in the contest and one sufR
ciently strong to turn the majorit.
AGAINST the conspirators and their Blain
allies. No one realized this more com
plete]y than Mckenzie. who worked tn
pilgrims industriously during the night
Wednesday morning caucusing began il
earnest. The Blaine men, the northern
men and the stalwart southerners hel,
separate meetings and finally the Blaine
ties and the McKenzieites coalesced an,
vent into joint session. At this caucu
the following nominations were made
For delegates to Chicago. N. E. Nelson
Of Pembina, and Colonel John L. Jolley
OF Clay; Tor alternates, Byron E. Pay Q
Brookings, and r. E. Wallact
Of Stutsmap. The stalwart caucu
at about the same time place
in nomination: For delegates. job
Cain, Of Beadle and DR.. J. A. Harding
| Of Lawrence; alternate, r. W. Welch, {
Aurora. This ended the formal ,caucu,
ing aud the two organisations awaite