Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-07-14
THAT CONVENTION AGAIN.

show that the late Democratic con-
vention of this county was repre-
sentative one, and propely reflected
the will Of a majority of the Demo-
Gratis of the county. In the begin
ming of the article the Era says: "It
was one of the largest county conven-
lions that has assembled in this coun-
ty for ten years-the courthouse be-
ing filled as full as comfort would
permit, there being not less than 800
! Democrats present" '"H'"
The writer Of the Erals article GER
tainly has very poor faculty for es-
timating crowd. The seating space
of the Court room contains twelve
benches, which would hold eight
men each if packed full, and on the
day of the convention several of them
were not full. An average of six to a
bench would fully cover the crowd
occupying the benches. This would
make seventy-two. In the passage
way Of the court room and inside
the railing there were probably thir-
ty others, not exceeding forty at the
outside, Taking the highest figure,
there would be atotal of one hundred
and twelve. Allowing for those who
might have passed in and out during
the convention, there were probably
one hundred and twenty-five who
would claim attendance, but we are
fully convinced that there was not
exceeding one hundred persons in
the room to anyone time
during the sitting of the
convention. Three hundred men
conld not possibly get inte the court
room with any degree of comfort. So
much for the Erals "more than 300
Democratic yeomanry from the coun-
try.
Again the Era asks: eff they per-
mitted the country people to take
charge of the convention and run it,
whose fault was it?" The very idea
of the country people having any
thing to do with running that conven-
ton is ridiculous. The whole thing
was planned and agreed upon in the
law officers on legal row long before
the convention met. The motion
for the platform committee was made
by Mr.. Murray, and that for the COM
mittee to select delegates by Mr..
Spurlock. AS soon as these were
passed the chairman drew from his
pocket the previously prepared lists
for these COMMITTEES and read them
out. The country people" had lots
to do with this, didn't they? The
resolutions were written by Mr.. Muir
: ray, and the committee was out less
than half an hour. Anybody with
spoonful of brains knows that the
committee could not have prepared
and deliberated four or five long pages
of resolutions in that length of time.
The extent to which the wishes o
the country people were consulted is
shown by the date at which the con-
vention was held-right in the bus
siest season of wheat harvest, when
it was we'll known that many farm
ers could not attend.
The motion to adopt the resolutions
was made by Mr.. O'Neal and second.
ed by Mr.. Murray. The motion tC
adopt the report of the committee on
delegates was made by Mr.. Murray
and seconded by Mr.. O'Neal or Mr.
Spurlock. Yes, the dear country
people, had big hand in running
that convention.
But the Era lets out the secret Of
Mr.. Snodgrass' claim to the nomina
ton when it charges the opposition
to him to the prohibitionists. If Mr.
: Snodgrass is making the canvass or
this issue, it certainly ought to bring
down upon him the opposition O
. both prohibitionists and ants. The
Third District wants a Congressman
who can represent the whole people
= and not those simply who are oppos
' ed to prohibition. We are informed
: however, that some of Mr.. Snodgrass
= opponentsin this county are ants
That the friends of Mr.. Snodgras
e will use this issue as a lash to driv,
all the anti-prohibition element t
his support, we have never doubted
but the Era has been rather indis
Greet in GLOWING to the public" thi
"family secret" We are also awar
. = of the fact that this District vote
f against prohibition by several thous
and majority, but the gentlemen VIII
are pushing Mr.. Snodgrass know a
,rnn that +bo no,,norotc Of 4hir dc