Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-04
Hon. G. G. PendIeton and the emocracy
of Bell County Defended.

of Bell County Defended.
Editor Express:
An article in the Express of recent
nature of "Bell County Democrats de-
serves notice, and as it is the habit of
newspapers to give both sides of dis
puted question, l ask space in your
widely read paper to reply. There is at
the present time IN our county q very
marked difference of opinion among
Democrats as to who are in line with the
party, and how far it is bound by the
action of the county convention. There
are no anti-convention Democrats in the
county, nor are there any who oppose
the action of the late county convention
so far as it was legitimate aud according
to party usage, Briefly stated, the sit
uatlon is this: There were three oandi-
dates for the legislature, King, Robert
son and Bush, the former of Bolton, the
two latter of Salado. Mr.. Robertson,
as was believed, was the candidate of
the bosses, put forward for services said
to have been rendered the party. This
intensified opposition to him, besides he
was weak and unpopular with the rank
and file of the party, and especially in
vanced it became apparent to his most
hopeful friends that, left to the chOicelof
the party, his defeat was inevitable.
Then it was that methods not sanctioned
by Democratic usage began to be enter
tanned and discussed in certain
circles by which his nomination
might be effected, and the Barry West
s. Co. project of INSTRUMENTATION
to lawfully constituted party authority
came in for full share of attention.
Soon it was discovered that the county
was swarmng with Union Laborites,
knights of Labor and other secret and
hostile elements, ready to mass their
forces and capture the Democratic
party. And as the day for the prima-
ries approached the plot thickened.
Unusual and extraordinary tests of
Democracy were suggested and bolts
threateningly limited at until party feel
ing was well worked up. l will here re-
mark, the county has ninety-ttree votes
in convention, distributed as follows:
Beat No. l, Bolton. 10; No. 9, Salado,
s; No. 3, Holland, s.; No. 4, Heiden-
heimer, II; No. 8, Temple, 30; No. 6,
Moffatt. 3; No. Z, Nolanvllle, s, and
No. 8, Youngsport, 4. When the pri-
mary conventions were held Mr.. Rob-
ertson carried three, Nos. 5, 6 and 8,
80 votes. The attendance at these
meetings was respectively 100, "A and
about IS. Mr.. Robertson's majorities
were 10, and "A. Judge King carried
four beats, Nos. l, 8, 4 and Z, as first
choice, 40 votes, and No. 2, as second
choice, votes, Mr.. Bush getting first
choice. The attendance at these meet
lngs as near as can be ascertaned by
data at hand, is as follows; No. /,
400; No. =, 1926; No. 8, 80: No. 4, 80,
and MOI, A. Judge Kings majorities
were, No. l, 200; No. 2, 100; No. 8, so;
No. 4, 81, and No. Z, s. At all
the beats the iron-olad tests
and were adopted at all places
except Salado and Temple, Nos. 2
and 5. At Salado it was evident Mr..
Robertson was in the minority 100 or l25
votes. To escape the result of q fairly
expressed choice of the party he bo!ted
the primary with something over ninety
with him, this after the convention was
organized. At Holland, No. 3, the pri-
mary organized, adopted the test of |
Democracy, and proceeded to make nom |
nations and endorsements, from COVER |
nor down to and including floater repre- |
sentative, but when it came to local |
representative q division was called for |
and the King men were found to be so |
overwhelmingly IN the majority, the |
Robertson men, not over bakers |
dozen, on some frivolous pretext about |
the verbage of the test resolution walked |
out and held, or pretendingly held an
other primary. When the county con- |
vention was held by methods unknown in |
party practice, these boiling delegations |
were seated, and Mr.. Robertson declared |
to be the nominee of the party for the |
legislature. The committee on creden-
tials, six in number, one from each I'M |
contested beat, was composed of four |
avowed Robertson men, and one said to |
be doubtful, and one King man. The |
committee adopted very arbitrary rules, |
set with closed doors, as secret Inquisi-
ton, and what was said or done in |
that little star chamber is yet |
q sealed book to the world. |
The committee submitted its work, |
the seating the boiling |
with a majority and a
report on the Holland case,
giving no reason for its action, hurryiug !
the matter through with evident intent |
to avoid debate, the King delegates, who |
were Robertson partisans, including the
entire delegation from Beat No. z, and
instructed to use their best efforts to Sc
cure his (King's) nomination, voting to
seat the boiling delegations. The act of
the convention in declaring Mr.. Robert
son the nominee was SO apparently fraud
ulent and subversive of the will and
of the party as expressed
through the primaries, that the Demo-
craoy determined not to respect it or
abide by it. And when say the Demo-
cracy, mean at least three fourths of
the Democats of the county They are
convention Democrats and are In favor
Of nominations. and do not oppose the
only in this particular and
outrageous aot. That is as fair state
nent of the party situation here as can
be so briefly made.
The open secret about Mr.. Pendleton
IS that he, in common with all true, fair
minded and justice-loying Democrats,
the outrage and proposes to
wipe out the stain upon the party g fair
name by withholding his sanction OF
the act. Mr.. Pendleton is not the power
behind the throne, but the people. The
Democrats are the power setting on the
throne, clothed with terrible majesty
that is aroused by an invasion of their
sovereign right, and Mr.. Pendleton
simply poses as one of these, to whom he
bows and attributes all power. He Is