Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-07-07

Before the chair could pay any atten.
ton to Mr.. Bells plea of irregularlty,
however, Judge Dining got up and
said, 1--WE want a free ballot and an
honest count; let US go out in the yard.
| There is too big a crowd here to vote
by ballot - Pandemonium followed
the Edgar men insisted on proceeding
with the work in accordance with the
rules adopted by the convention; the
Byrns advocates insisted on going out
into the yard. A score of people want
ed to be heard at once; there were loud
hurrahs and general talking all over
the room. The chair raped again and
again for order, but it was in vain.
The Byrns men were determined that
there should be no further procedure
in the courthouse; they feared vote
by ballot for congressional delegates.
For one whole hour this disorder con-
tinued: not d thing was done; the pa
thence of the crowd was at last worn out
and they finally agreed to descend to
the yard. Many, in the meantime,
had quit the room in disgust and left
for their homes.
vailed. and on getting into the yard,
they changed the order of business and
decided to vote for congressional dele
gates, first, and that by division, in
stead of ballot as was previously agreed
upon. After possibly half an hour the
division was made and instructions
were secured for Byrns by a majority,
so they maintained, about ninety in a
total vote of over 800. In making the
division the Byrns men resorted to pull
ling and hauling, threats, coaxing and
every means in their power to carry
men from Edgar's into their own ranks;
and in many instances they were sue
cessful; candidates for future favors
did not care to incur the wrath of all
the politicians of the county; this the
Byrns' men evidently knew, and that
was why they didn't want a private
ballot; they knew they could bulldoze
many a man into their lines in a divis-
ion, who really favored Mr.. Edgar.
The delegates to the State and Judicial
were then chosen, without
any contest at all, and the meeting then
The Edgar men came from all over
the county, and were representatives
from the masses; the Byrns stronghold |
was in Potosi and the adjoining vicini-
~. AS an evidence of how badly |
frightened the congressman's friends |
were, lest he should lose the delegation, |
t may be stated that the POtosi crowd |
which was strong for Stone, for Gov
ernor, agreed not to interfere with in
,tructions for Dalton, for fear such
move might hurt Sans interests.
They were none the less opposed to Mr..
Dalton, but they were willing to sacri
ice Stones interests rather than place
sam Byrns in the humiliating position
)i being beaten in his own county, and
hat with scarcely any work on Mr.
Cigars part to such end.
Viewing the situation calmly and dis
it was simply this: Mr..
edgar had Il good majority of the mass
Meeting, and could and would have Sc
,ured the delegation, if the vote had
oeen taken by ballot; his forces were
however; they could not
,ope with the scheming and designing
If the other side, who, from their be-
laviOr, were determined, either on a
5yrns delegation or preventing the
accomplishment of any work whatever.
Il substantuation of this view of the
natter it may be stated that, after the
mass meeting, VIM. S. Anthony, pros
cutting attorney of Washington county
nd leader of the Byrns forces, said:
We didn't want vote by ballot for if
hat had been taken, you would have
,eaten US.
The foregoing is simply a statement
# facts: the truthfulness of which can
'e proven by as reputable men as there
re in the State of Missouri. We re-
produce them for the consideration of
he Democrats of the Thirteenth dis
rict; are they going to countenance
uch methods and such practices? Are
hey willing to acquiesce in this mode
# overriding the will OF the masses,
or the benefit of one particular man.
let the different counties answer. We
AVE no doubt as to what that answer
will be.