St. Paul daily globe., 1886-07-21
THE COMMITTEE MET

THE COMMITTEE MET
at the West hotel. yesterday afternoon.
| The members dropped in one at Eime,
| Chairman G. 81. Petit walking into the
| lobby at the stroke of 2. r. n. McLaren
and H. B. Willis of Ramsey had come a
little earlier and dined with Mr. Fletcher
The only other member from abroad was
that pleasant and astute politician. Hon.
E. G. Butts of Washington. When the
| committee assembled in the parlor, the fol-
| lowing were present: G. 81. Petit, Henne-
pin. chairman; F. L. Smith, Hennepin.
| proxy for G. w. johnson. secretary; E. II.
| Clarence A. French, Hennepin, proxy for
Nathan Warner, Wright; Il. B. Willis
Ramsey, proxy for A. r. McGilI; r. n.
| McLaren Ramsey; E. G. Butts, Washing
| ton. r. Barden, the former member, died
| three months ago and his place has not been
| filled. The object of the meeting was
stated and the committee plunged at once
| into business. 1t was the sense of the
committee that congressional politics should
| be kept separate from state and county and
that as so many conventions were in pros
pect, this one had better be gotten out of
| the way. Mr.. Willis said it was especially
| desirous, in Ramsey county, to keep the
| county conventions separate and prevent
trading; ''besides," he added, 1.-THE Demo-
Gratis sometimes come in and capture our
conventions, when county politics are on,
but they generally let us alone in state
politics." The state convention was dis
cussed informally, and it was the general
opinion it would not be held until late in
September, as the committees will not come
together again until Aug. Is. Mr.. Petit
suggested Aug Is for the district conven-
hrlf 4ho ENi,cf Il Ji.-f,. -.
| pow-wow on that date, it was abandoned.
| Mr.. Smith said that inasmuch as Nr. Gil
| fillan was a candidate and is unavoidably
absent, he thought it only courtesy to him
| to have the convention at as late date as
possible especially as there was no rush.
Mr.. Butts moved, out of
COURTESY TO G1LFILLAN,
| to fix upon Aug. 25 as the date, which was
| unanimously agreed to, an additional argu-
| ment being that delegates could come to
Minneapolis at half rates, as the exposition
would be in full blast. Minneapolis was
| then selected as the place and IL a. m. as
| the hour. market hall coming in for the
! place moment later.
Over the basis of representation there
| was considerable discussion. Mr.. Petit
| produced paper on which he had figured
| the vote each county would have, using the
| vote cast for Blaine as basis. This was
evidently the Fletcher choice, as it gave
Hennepin almost the control of the con-
vention. Mr.. Smith thought each county
should have delegate-at large, but his
motion to that effect was rejected. Vari-
| GUS precedents were cited, and finally, on
| motion of Mr.. French, the committee chose
| the
VOTE CAST FOR BLAINE
AS the basis, each county to cast one
vote for every 500 and one for each major
| fraction. The call was drawn up and
signed, and after an informal discussion the
| committee adjourned. The following table
shows the vote of each county in the Fourth
| district for Blaine and Gilfillan, as we'll as
| the number OF delegates each will have in
| the next convention, and number each had
| in convention two years ago: