The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-09-22
THE CONVENTION.

| and ManitOwoc counties announced their
| withdrawal on the ground that "a noml-
nation was not possible under the clrcum-
Stances governing the convention. The
withdrawal was made calmly and dlspas-
sioIately-not a word of elimination
passed between the departing delegates
and those who remained to carry out the
dreary programme of voting as they had
done for eight days. Hands were clasp
ed as warmly as if he outcome had been
satisfactory to all. There was not talnt
of bitterness among the delegates, though
all felt that the two candidates who re-
fused to withdraw, were not treating the
convention with the degree OF fairness
which the devoted support each received
from his delegates made proper.
There can be no doubt that Mr.. Wells
went INTO the convention with greater
number cf delegates pledged to him than
were pledged TO any other candidate, and
that. his original support, remaining
constant. he was second choice of
sufficient number Of the ether dele
cations to nominate him should sec
ond choice be reached. But there was to
be no second choice unless the delega-
tons broke, and the long continued con-
test made break toward any OF the three
candidates in the field a virtual lmpossl-
bility. Besides it became apparent that
= - NJ oil ar
Mr.. Pratt would not be polite proceed
ing on the part of the convention for
| reasons which sufficiently impressed
| themselves upon the minds of the Mani
towoc and Calumet delegations.
Schmltz's nomination was admitted by
all who were disinterested to be the wlsest
the convention could make. The deter
| mination of the two counties whose dele
cations constituted a majority of the con-
vention,- Fond du Lac and Winnebago-
| to prevent nomination unless 1t was
the candidate presented by one of the two'
| naturally created little antagonlsm
| which, with the feeling that neither can
didate was commended by his availability
| made it impossible for Manitowoc and
| Calumet to favor the candidacy of either
| The remaining five counties supported
| Schmitz unitedly for number of ballots
| thus leaving only the two large counties
| in opposition and giving Mr.. Schmitz the
largest vote received by any of the candi-
dates before the convention-1S. The
| greatest number of votes Wells received
was II; Pratt 16. Besides Schmitz' sup
| port came from these counties which
must elect the democratic nominee. The
democratic majoritles of the counties Of
Calumet and Manitowoc has always been
greater than the aggregate democratic
maiarity of the counties constituting the
dis, riot, with the exception of the unus
ual and unreliable majorities in the cleo
zion of 1890.
\ recapitulation of the facts which
made it impossible for Schultz S support
ers to throw their votes to either of the
other candidates will be ample justifica
| Won Vi Slo COulSo puISuc Gwen OAOuSL
its wisdom should be questioned, which
it is not.
ID Neither Mr.. Wells or Mr.. Pratt
was considered an available candidate fol
| reasons not personal to either but which
made their election problematical.
! (2) Mr. Schmitz had the support o.
the two counties by which the democratic
nominee must be elected.
| 80 The determination OF the two large
| counties, controlling a majority of the
| convention, that no nomination should
| be made unless it went to one of those
two counties, and not only this but to
one of the two candidates whom the
Manitowoc and Calumet county delega.
tons could not with proper sense OF
duty to the party, aid in placing in nomi-
nation. AS this determination seemed to
| emanate from the candidates and not
from the delegates, to yield would be to
and thus practically confess that nomi-
nations were hopeless except those favor
able to Fond du Lac and Winnebago.
(4) The reiterated assertion that Mani
tOwoc ard Calumet were standing in the
way of n nomination, because a sufficient
| number of delegates from one or both of
| these counties did not favor the candid
| acy of either Wells or Pratt, their choice
| being limited, SO far as results were pos
| purpose to prevent the nomination of any
other person.
90 A touch of personal pride on the
part of the Manltowoc delegation who
heard that they were characterized by
one of the candidates as political novices
aud "rabble which could not contend
with trained politicians" sc.
Mr.. Schmitz had no delegate pledged
to him. Neither he nor any of his friends
had any knowledge that Calumet would
come to his support, and the first assur-
ance given was the solid vote of that
county, which remained steadfast to the
end. 1t was purely matter of convic-
ton with the Calumet delegation that in
termecine strife would result should
either Wells or Pratt be nominated.
From the very first these men stood
ready To make nomination which their
judgment would approve as politically
wise, no matter who the man. They act
ed with the Maritowoc delegation sole
ly from identity of conviction and not
because Of promise or instruction. From
the frs Mr.. Schmitz informed his sup
porters that he would be perfectly salts
fed with any nomination which they
deemed for the interests of the party and
that his personal ambition should receive
x-lopo,-ar +.