Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-30
STEPHENS, OR DUNN !?
LIVELY TIMES IN THE DEMOCRATIC
RANKS JUST NOW.
The County Committee Meets and Does
Little Precinct Gerrymander-
ing Business.

Pursuant to notice, the Democratic
County Central Committee met last even
ing at the Capital Hotel for the purpose of
calling primary elections throughout the
county to select delegates to County Con-
vention. The meeting was called to order
by Chairman NJ. j. Burke, and the follow
ing answered to their names: Fox, Town
send, Harris, Considine, Singleton, Devine,
Pickett, O'Nein, O'Connor (Secretary),
Allen, Rooney, Houx Townsend, proxy,
Stephenson, Smith. Bailey and Burke.
]. NJ. Stephenson opened the proceedings
by offering q resolution providing for the
holding of a County Convention in this
city on the 7th day of August, to elect
delegates to the State Convention, to nom-
mate county officers, and for other pur-
poses.
Also, that on the 4th of August primary
elections be held throughout the county
for the election of delegates to said County
Convention.
The resolutions also name the number
of delegates to be elected in each precinct.
1t was further provided that where two or
more tickets were run in any precinct, each
ticket should be allowed representative
on the Election Board
The resolution did not provide any test
for voters, and John Rooney said he did
not want the doors left open for the whole
Republican party to vote at the primary
election.
motion was then made that. as q SUBJ
stitute, no person be allowed to vote at the
primary elections who did not vote for the
last Democratic Presidential candidates, or
would have done SO had they voted. Out
of order.
Then motion was made to lay Mr..
Stephenson's resolution temporarily on the
table, and it was so ordered
Mr.. Crayens said the nearer they could
get to the people the more harmony there
would be- and without harmony defeat was
certain. The resolutions offered were in
the right spirit, giving every Democrat an
equal chance in giving expression to his
views. The proposed call had been care
fully drawn, and was fair and lust to ALL
Ii defeated factions should kick, they would
not be good Democrats.
Add. G. Hinkson indorsed Mr.. Crayens'
remarks. The harmony of the party de-
pended largely on the action of the Central
Committee, and this body had shown its
desire to do what was right by inviting
Democrats to attend the meeting He be-
heved the committee would act for the
best interests of the party.
DIR. Manlove did not think Mr.. Stephen
sons resolutions the right thing, as they
gave small precincts as strong representa-
ton as larger ones. He wanted to see an
increased representation-200 would not be
too many in the Convention. Get the
young men out, and let the Democratic
Convention be one of the people
John Rooney said he wanted to see a
Convention of three hundred delegates
We had big Convention once" said he,
land what was the result? We elected
every man on the ticket For Gods sake.
give the young men chancep
Mr.. Cravens said there could be no obiec-
ton to large representation-the only
thing necessary was that the representa-
ton of precinct should be in keeping
with, the vote cast therein. The pro-
posed apportionment is based on the
Democratic vote cast for President at
the last Presidential election. If YOU
want to increase the number of dele
gates, you have only to reduce the basis of
representation, but 1t seems to me that the
only way to have fair representation is to
give to each precinct a representation ac-
cooling to the number of votes cast.
Harry Bernard wanted the country to
have fair show with the city.
j. w. Hughes spoke eulogistically of the
brunt of political battles. There was but
one duty for the committee to perform
give all Democrats fair chance to give
expression to their choice for delegates and
candidates.
Charles Jenkins thought the proposed
call did not give the country precincts their
full share of delegates. He wanted to see
large Convention.
Mr.. Cravens said that all he wanted was a
Uh lar oil
Give such to the people, and he would take
the stump and fight any man that kicked
against it.
Thomas 0'Neill moved that the commit
tee should go into executive session.
Mr.. Stephenson opposed such action.
There was nothing the Democrats should
want to conceal. Let ali hands stay and
put down the assertion that had been made
that there is trouble in the party in the
city. The people of the country did not
believe there was any trouble in the party
in this city.
Mr. 0'Neill's motion was, however, car
ried by vote of to 5, and the crowd
withdrew.
The committee was in session until about
midnight, and, judging from the high and
angry voices that echoed throughout the
hotel corridors, the members had very
lively session.
So far as could be learned the issue
seemed to be the apportionment of dele
gates among the several precincts. The
Stephenson resolutions, it is claimed
allowed the usual fair representation to the
established precincts. This was satisfac-
tory TO the friends of Russ D. Stephens,
who aspires to the nomination for State
Controller, but was not satisfactory to the
element that wants to secure the delegation
TO the State Convention in the interest of
John P. Dunn for that Office
The committee divided up the First
Ward so as to give but twelve delegates TO
that portion between Front and Seventh
streets, and twenty eight from Seventh TO
Tenth streets, where Dunn's supporters are
supposed TO be more numerous.
Instead of allowing forty five delegates to
the Third Ward, as usual, the number was
reduced to forty, and the ward divided into
tive precincts, X street being the dividing
line, each to have twenty delegates
The Second Ward was divided into three
precincts. Whatever significance the action
ofthe committee may have win be appar-
ent 10 the Democrats. who have been dis
cUssing the matter among themselves for
some weeks past
The committee called the primary cleo
tiop for August Sth, and the Convention
for the11th.
DISSATISFIED DEMOCRATS.
After the action of the COMMITTEES had
become known, there was no inconsider-
able amount of kicking" INDUCED in by
many of the Democrats present. One Of
these. a prominent citizen of country
precinct, said in conversation with a
RECORD UNION reporter:
Yes, it is true the.committee voted down
MI Stephenson's propositions and made a
call for Convention, to consist of forty
delegates from each Supervisor District
The inequality of this apportionment is
readily apparent when il is seen tha; the
First District cast 652 votes, the Second
District 994, the Third 7S6, the Fourth
SOB votes, and the Fiah District
Sal votes for the Democratic candi-
date for President in 1888. It also
arbitrarily disregarded the regular pre-
ciDc;s heretofore established in the city.
giving only two voting places in the First
District, instead of four; three in the SEQ.
ond instead of FIVE, and two in the Third
instead Of six. From this it would appear
thatthe call is studiously arranged to dis.
franchise as many voters as possible II
needs no argument to prove that of the two
plans proposed, the one by Mr.. Stephen
son was far the more equitable and fair