The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-14
The Republican Convention,

Crooker, of Mendoza; Cook, McDougall
Means, of La Sale; Griffin, of Utica, etc
A few new faces here and there replaced
those fallen from grace. That was all.
Capt. Fullerton called the whispering.
busting throng together and Clarence
Griggs read the call in that g. o, p. voice
with which the central committee are so
familiar. DR.. J. c.. Corbus, of Mendoza
was elected temporary chairman, with Ellis
worth, Of Deer Park, and Highly, Of Utica,
behind brace OF pencils. The chair ap-
pointed Messrs. A. Means, Peru, f. A. Nat
tiEger, city, and Walter Reeves, Streator
committee on credentials.
During the absence of the committee
there arose n high falsetto voice, calling
upon the name of "Loosh" Croker. Mr.
Croker arose. There was a hush like unto
the silence which follows the quelling of an
unruly sawmil. The high falsetto voice
had evidently heard MIR. Croker letting the
wrath Of God through hedge fence" and
expectation of noble effort was depicted
upon every countenance. Mr.. Croker
opened his mouth. The convention gazed
into its cavernous depths and all was over.
He had at least four speeches concealed
about his obese person, but would reserve
them for the campaign, he said.
MEAS(s) JOKE.
The committee on credentials reported no
contests. Mr. Ruger moved that commit.
tee be appointed, one member from each
town, to select delegates. Mr.. Means went
down into his breast pocket. He had a
resolution, 1t WAS the same resolution he
had been laying before that convention for
many, many moons. The resolution stated
that the convention was composed of l73
delegates, and that there were just seven.
teen delegates to be selected for each of the
two conventions, the state and congressional.
Therefore, quoth the resolution, let US di.
vide the county into districts covered by 10
| %, and let each district select its own dele.
gates to the two conventions. This good
old state rights doctrine, of the individuals
instead of the county governing, and handing
down authority to the town was in Mr.,
Means opinion, the only fair and equitable
manner Of selecting delegates acceptable to
the people. How could limited number of
gentlemen be expected TO voice the senti-
ment of the county of La Sale, a county of
800 republican votes The idea was
lpreposterous.
"MAsHEES y TALK.
MIR. Reeves saw danger for The Mayo and
Lewis booms looming up in the distance like
the traditional "nigger in the fence" 1t
was pretty respectable niger too-but
small. The unit rule was the accepted
policy of all republican conventions hereto.
fore held. If the delegations were selected
in the way this resolution provided, it
would destroy unity and make the districts
the unit instead of the county. 1t had
number of delegates be selected by the chair
to select these delegates, and it was the only
true method lie would move as an amend.
ment to The amendment by MIR. Means, that
the chair appoint TWO committees of each to
select the TWO delegations. (This was
where the '.masheen" came in
Mr.. Bull agreed with Mr.. Reeves. lie
said that IN a convention down at Galesburg,
where the Mean(s) idea had been tried,
committee appointed by the chair had
divided the county into districts to suit
themselves and gerrymandered the cOnven-
ton to their own peculiar funeral march.
Mr. McDougall said that there was no
use in such a measure. The delegates had
Just been elected and were fresh from
'feeling the pulse of the people" This is
one of Mes little chestnuts, for he failed to
mention that only a scant dozen Of the local
"masheen" had selected the Ottawa delega.
ton in the janiter's room in the court
house. The committee was not intended
to select but to suggest The convention
might reject if it saw fit.
Mr.. Cullen said it would break up the
unit rule, and that it WAS inopportuue and
unfair. 1t would be an injustice to tho
county to have its solidity impaired, when
the other counties would be solid.
Then Mr.. Reeves spoke. He had spoken
often.
Mr.. Means tried to speak, but the
machine was so we'll oiled that he could not
utter . sentence before the question was put
and carried.
Again did the oil of that most wonderful
machine demonstrate its ability, for in less
than two minutes the chair announced the
fourteen names. The congressional com
mittee-Cook, A. c. McIntyae, Shipley,
hsyl. E.,II