River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-02
The Republican State Convention.

called to ordera convention which has
attracted a deep interest throughout
the state.
The loss of the state to Republican.
| ism for two successive general elec-
tiOns, an era of misrule which has
caused every loyal Republican to blush
for his state and the overwhelming
conviction that change in policy il
impe rative has caused the eyes of all
loyal citizens of the state To turn with
interest TO the time when a choice OF
Republican leaders for the campaign
of 1894 was to be made.
The formal business of the conven.
ton was soon transacted. BY Tire new
and fortunate rule the State Coz init.
tee had been made the committee on
| credentials and the result was 50 sat.
isfactOry that not a dissenting voice
was heard and their decisions were
accepted unanimously.
Mr.. Elliott of Milwaukee, singu-
larry able leader, had been chosen
chairman of the convention, and i'm
mediately after the announcements
by the chairman of the State Com
mittee took the chair and in a stirring
address aroused the ardor of the dele
gates TO white heat.
The addresses by parties making
| nominations were limited to five min
utes by vote of the convention, but
the limitation proved rather an adj
vantage than otherwise to the speak
ers as il gave them an excuse for con-
densation.
Hot shot was poured out for some
hours arraigning the Democratic par
ty for its errors and arousing still
more the audience until the atmos-
phere seemed red hot with Republi-
can enthusiasm.
The first ballot, an informal one,
was taken at a little after five O'Clock
p. NJ. This showed clearly there were
four parties having large following,
Major Upham, Hon. n. p. Haugen,
| Major Schofield and Hon. III. A. lay
Tor. Other candidates however re-
ceived large votes. An adjournment
| was then taken until O'Clock.
Promptly at 8 L. NJ. the gavel fell
and the vast audience was stilled.
Each delegate seemed to feel the deep
responsibility resting upon him to
choose wisely. The sentiment seemed
to be in favor of Upham, but yet each
of the other candidates showed great
strength and the result was evidently
greatly in doubt.
The first regular ballot did not show
much change from the first informal
one. No choice being made the con-
vention proceeded without delay to a
| second formal ballot. But little over
| fifteen minutes was needed for each
| ballot and the convention went t.
| work in businesslike manner, taking
ballot after ballot without delay
Each successive vote showed a gain
for Upham and Haugen, the former
leading until the 5th ballot when
Haugen lost votes and Upham':
vote ran up to 1904 while Haugen':
vote was only So. The opponents OF
Upham felt that there was much
danger of an election at the next bal
lot and to prevent this moved for an
adjournment which was carried by {
close vote.
The second day of the convention
opened at IL A. NJ, all delegates being
present. Hard work had been done
during the night and Haugen':
friends had tried hard to make som,
com bination with the opponents o.
Upham but the tide was too strong
The evident tendency at the Outset
had deepened into an enthusiasm
which swept all before il and before
half the votes had been announced il
was evident that Upham was nom
mated. Then came a lively scrambl,
to get on the wagon before il was too
late. County after county changed
its votes and swelled the majorit,
untilall of the opposers of Mr.. Hanger
with few exceptions and some of hi
friends joined in the winning ranks
Still many of his friends stood by L
the last TO rebuke those whose per
sonal feelings had led them to opposi
tion to him. a few voters stood b.
their own candidates making tn
final vote as follows: Upham PIC
Haugen 80, Schofield IL, Blackstock 6
Kidd 3.
An amusing feature of the conven
tion was speech by Mr.. Blackstocl
nominating himself Mr.. Blackstocl
is a genial gentleman, popular a
home and a kind of uncle TO his fel
low townsmen and in full assurance
of his ability to make a good, popu
lar speech he chose TO introduce him
self to the convention. He was al
lowed an extra five minutes after TIA
first time limit had expired and the
| failed TO make the nomination unit
he was called back and i'm a bashfu
tone announced the name to be Black
stock.
Perhaps the most powerful nomins
ting speech was made by Mr.. Quarle
in nominating Major Upham. Begir
ming by an arraignment Of the polio
of the Democratic party he SOON CAV
warm eglogium of the Republica
policy, winding up by a brief biogrs
ply of his candidate The salien
points in his life were flashed int
view with a telling effect. If an
speech made votes this one certain
ly Cid.
While the JOURNAL regrets tina
its friend Mr.. Haugen failed of eleC
r tion and sympathizes with him an
other friends in the result, still
feels that after the smoke of the bal
tie has passed and the situation ca
be viewed calmly that the nomination
of Major Upham was the best tina
could be done under the circumstar
Ices for the good Of the party. 1t