Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-04-26
The Ratchf0rd Convention.


The Union Labor Convention at this
place on the 18th was not as harmoni-
Gus as its political progenitors and we'll
wishers had hoped it might be. There
were about twenty-three delegates
present, representing various Alliances
and Assemblies-ihs largest delega-
lions being from st. Louis and St.
Francois county. They met early in
the afternoon, and on permanent or
ganization NJ. ]. Smith, of Libertyville
Alliance, st. Francois county, was
chosen chairman and John w. Frazer,
X. of L., Knoblick, was chosen secre-
tary. A committee on platform was
appointed, and, after due deliberation,
reported platform, the first plank of
which Endorsed NJ. j. Ratchford for
Congress, the second declared in favor
of woman suffrage and the third de-
cIared that all soldiers and sailors
should be pensioned, and that the gov
eminent should pay them the differ
ence in the value of the paper money
with which they were paid and the val
ue of gold at that time. In discussing
the ad aption of the platform some i've
Iy scenes were enacted which plainly
showed that the delegates were not of
one opinion as to the policies ana pur-
poses of their organizations, and they
were not destined to cooperate In mat
tiers OF legislation. The discussion OF
the blanks referred to above served
only to widen the chasm which sepa-
rated them, whsn finally MIR. Ratch-
ford appeared on the scene and ln>that
dramatic air, which most becomes him,
undertook to quell the tempest, but in
an unguarded moment cast some per-
sonal reflections on certain delegates
from ST. Francois county to which they
retorted in very uncomplimentary lam
puage to Mr. Ratchford. AT this juno
ture the convention was converted into
raging tumult, in which all took an
active part. One delegate seized an
American flag that happened 10 be at
hand and swore he would smash it
over somebody's head.
Ratchsord again appeared and assaIl-
ed Mr.. Frazer, telling him he was not
.worthy TO be X. of L., to which Mr.
F. retorted, calling. him (Ratehford)
hoodIum from the slums OF st. Louis.
Here some one suggested an ADJOURN
ment and the chairman very consider
ately declared the convention adjourn
ed for one hour. After considerable
m
Ratchford delegates, at about 1:30 PM.
the convention reassembled, and on
calling the roll were all found present,
except delegate from Washington
county. who had gone out swearing he
was a Democrat and didn't care who
knew it, and that he didn't propose to
support Mike Ratchford nor sit iii
convention that would nominate him.
Immedia tely after the roll call some
one moved that the convention go into
secret session, to which several MEM
bers interposed objections, saying:
"Let us not be ashamed to transact our
business before men, for if our labors
will not bear inspection then our cause
is not worth advocating" The motion
was withdrawn and on motion, as per
previous arrangements. it was unanl-
mously agreed to strike out two planks
of the platform, the one relating to
woman suffrage and the one relating
to the pensioning of soldiers and sailors. |
These two planks seemed to have been |
the bone of COZ tention In the early ev-
ening session, the discussion OF
which lead to the accusation that the
st. Francois county delegates had been
sent for the purpose of breaking up the
convention aud to prevent the nomi-
nation of candidate for Congress. AT
this juncture delegate from st. Louis |
took the flor and made pitiful plea |
for harmony, reading resolution that |
had been adopted in the temporary or
ganization, but it did n OF work, for the
delegates who had been assailed came
into the convention only after long per-
suasion and with the understanding
that there would be no nomination for
Congress proposed, but that the con-
vention would only select delegates to
stated in open convention and was
never denied, yet the st. Louis dele
gates insisted that they must carry out
ia full the call which had convened
them. Here followed another lively
discussion, in which every body took
part promiscuously and withoutregard
to parliamentary rules or common Ell
ouette. but when some one proposed
Ratchford,s name for Congress this was
entirely too much for the F. A, and
with long and strong pull all togeth-
or they withdrew from the convention
that they never would sup
rort sueh man as Ratchford and that
they would use their influence against
HIM to the last day before the election,
and they would return to their homes
and alliances as Democrats and soldiers
in the Democratic army. Two OF the
dissenting delegates, N. Johnson Il.