St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-31
THE CONVENTION IN TATTERs.
Interesting Detafts-Spats and Speeches
Inside Turner. Hall,

Interesting Defaits-Spats and Speeches
Inside Turner Hall.
Yesterdays convention was extremely
Democratic 1t is one of the Fundamentals
principles of the party to give to each and
every member chance for free and full ex
preston OF his preferences, and then submit
to the conclusions of the majority. This was
especially characteristic of the convention
Again, the Democrats would not have felt al
home or natural had their been no contest
no storm. They are weather-beaten veteran:
and have natural aptitude for sailing on 8
turbulent sea. They can fight with great
vigor and after one or the other faction ha:
demonstrated its supremacy, the weaker
shake hands with the stronger and unite ip
the one common effort to elect the candidates
placed in nomination. There is no dqb
that this will be the ultimation of the cosEest
lnaugurated yesterday. The first contest
arose In deciding upon the question of Sc
Letting candidates for park commissioners
Dr. Ames was opposed to holding confer
ences with the Republicans as had been done
in the past. He stated that the conference
system had proven failure, and challenged
the Democrats to show a single instance
in the history Of Minneapolis wherein
the Republicans had not helG
a majority of the board of education, and the
park commission as well. 1t took the
mightiest efforts of the Democrats to defeat
the partisan movement set Oh foot by the
Republicans last spring, and he thought it
now high time that the Democrats should
place in nomination their best men, and
without fear. The proposition was opposed
with much spirit by James ". Lawrence, NJ
w. Glenn, Orville Rinehart and others. Mr..
Lawrence spoke at some length, and argued
eloquently to support his position. He said
there had been large influx Of Democrats
IN the party the past few
months, or since the national election
and he believed the Democrats could present
names OF candidates who would be elected at
the polls this spring. Yet he thought il
would be much better to hold conference.
In the event that the Republicans should act
unfairly the Democrats should withdraw and
place before the people straight nominees.
He characterized the duty of the committee
he wished to have appointed as being mega
tive. 1t should say to the Republican COM
mittee, "Gentlemen, We have met you in a
spirit of fairness. If you do not see fit to
recognize our rights, We will exercise them by
nomin ating candidates we deem fit for the
office" He continued that it is due the in
terests of the schools of the city and the
grand park system inaugurated last year
that an effort at least be made TO hold the
proposed conference.
~
Mr.. Shadrick felt constrained to ay that
he was opposed to the principle Of holding
No.
ocrats and nine Republicans meet to select
candidates, the people do not elect, but the
eighteen men who hold the so-called confer
ence elects the candidates. 1t puts before
the voters but one ticket. The voters have
no choice. There is only one thing left for
them to DO, and that is to vote the ticket
presented to them by the conference. /
think the time has come when Democrats
should make fight for every office. There
are some things in politics that are worse
than defeat. 1 think Democrats stultify
themselves when they say that offices should
not be set up for competitive votes. l ask,
which is the most important to the
state of Minnesota, the school and park
boards or the judiciary? Which is the most
important to keep out of politicsl Last fall
the Republican judiciary convention nomi-
mated partisan, and because the Democrats
asked to meet with them in conference the
Democrats were slapped in the face"
80
The second ripple of excitement came to
the surface when the question of selection of
candidates for school board was preached.
Prof. Moore of the state university favored a
conference with the Republicans. He spoke
as teacher and Democrat. Mr.. McNair,
James w. Lawrence and others testified to
their belief in the policy suggested. Mr..
Moore felt certain that no fit man would ac
cept partisan nomin alton. Mr.. McNair
stated that his friends in the opposi-
ton he believed were magnani-
nous and would concede that they
had had their way respecting the park COM
mission; and he thought that perhaps they
were right, because the Democrats stand a
good show of electing their candidates.
But" said he, "We cannot elect our candi-
dates for school directors without the aid Of
the ladies. Besides, we may complicate
matters in aldermanic elections. We stand
good show of electing a Democrat from the
Second ward" Voices, land in the
Fourth" sin the Sixth" land in the Sew
enth. too"
Mr.. Shadrick then took the floor
10 go on record as opposing
the conference plan. In the course of his
remarks he said: This convention has now
gone too far to turn back. We have nomi-
mated park commissioners, and the same ar
guments employed to attain that end are
equally applicable in this case. The present
board is said to be non partisan. How is it !
To-day gentleman stands at the head of the
public schools of this city and has in charge
the education of our children who is in
tensely partisan. He delights in
making bitter and partisan speeches
in political campaigns. He has alleged that
fully so per cent of the pupils of the schools
of this city are the children of Republican
parents, charging that the Democrats do not
educate their children. This is an insult
which we should not forget. Nor should we
forget the 81, 800 back salary steal attempted
to pay him for partisan work. A represen-
tative of Democratic paper who desired to
get some information regarding the expeudi-
lures OF the board was refused access to the
records o. the board. believe in naming
as We have done for park commissioners,
straight, good men" The vote stood IL to
SO against holding conference.
THE CITY PASTORS