Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-02-06
Thomas In a Tempest.

twelve years to come.
Thomas In Tempest.
Our effort to give the Republicans
of this county a knowledge OF their
rights, relative to having delegates in
the coming State and National Con-
ventions, has stirred up the rage of
Mr.. Thomas Robinson. We can not
account for biz column long editorial
in last weeks Eagle only on the
ground that we have succeeded in d.
recting attention to certain political
matters that he hoped were not known
or would be overlooked. Although in
nearly all the Republican counties
around, and in fact all through the
State, there was discussion going on
in the press as to the Importance of
early action this year by County Com
mittees, yet the Eagle was very quiet
had never a word on the subject
Whyf Simply because Mr.. Thomas
Robinson is at his old tricks. 1t has
now come to light that he has been
writing letters and importuning men,
bers of the PRESENT County Commit
tee in favor of a certain person as a
delegate to the National Chicago Con-
vention, while be knows at the same
time that the present County Commit
tee has no power to make any such
selection. The National rule now in
force, seen in another place, expressly
provides for Conventions of the Re-
publican voters to do that, and in no
way or manner recognizes q County
Committee doing it. But the County
Committee can provide for the man
ner Of holding Convention. And
this is why an early meeting of our
County Committee was suggested.
Not to elect any delegates-and not
for the Chairman Of it to fix time for
a primary, as falsely stated by Mr..
Robinson, but for the Chair man simply
to call the Committee together, as al
ready done in other neighboring coun-
ties, for the purpose of taking action in
these matters. In Armstrong, Venan-
90, Mercer, Crawford, Erie and other
counties, the County Committees have
already been called to meet-and the
time is fixed in some of them for the
election Of the delegates to the State
Convention.
What was the necessity of this?
Simply because the date for holding
the National Convention, June 3. and
the State Convention, April l6. had
been fixed and oil political affairs this
year had to work up to those dates
Hence, it became very important
question in this and other counties as
to whether one or two primary meet
ings should be held. If all, to wit, the
election of delegates and the nomina-
ton of the County ticket, could be
accomplished at one and the same time.
and thus two birds with one stone"
secured, why all favored it. And al
though the State Convention is fixed
for the early date of April 16. yet the
Venango County Republican Commit
tee met and agreed to hold their regular
primary, for selecting their county tick
ct, on April s, 80 that at that date they
could also elect their delegates to the
State Convention in time for the meet
of that body, April Is. And this is
tho question that will now come before
our County Committee when it does
meet But if its meeting was delayed to
in April, as Mr.. Robinson says it might
be, then the argument would be put
forth that it was "too late" and the at
tempt made to rob the Republicans of
this county of the right of electing
their delegates to the State Convention
of this year, as they elected them last
year. Whether this is the object will
soon be revealed In this connection
the February spring election was sug-
gested as time for electing delegates.
Some members of the County Commit
mittee thought this idea a good one.
There were some difficulties in the
way of that time, but Mr.. Robinson
was the only man heard of using the
argument that the Democrats might
vote at it. He seems to be very much
afraid Of Democrats this year, while
last year he was conspiring with Dem
oersts 70 stir MP sklB on o religious