The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-08-10
THE LESSON OF THE CONVENTION

The late democratic state conven-
ton in admitting the boiling factions
from Nassau and VoIusia counties,
sets a precedent which breaks the fet-
tiers of party discipline and gives per-
feet freedom Of action to its mem
bers.
A number of democrats in Nassau
and Volusia counties worked them
serves into the belief that the regular
constituted committees, empowered
to put into operation the party ma
chinery, had invited and participated
in the consummation of fraud, and
working themselves into this belief,
the democratic state convention de-
clared to them, by an overwhelming
vote, that under such circumstances a
bolt is honorable and the bounden
duty of good democrats.
Now, if there is any man in the
whole state of Florida to whom the
bare mention, or remote appearance,
of fraud, even in disguised form,
would be distasteful, we imagine that
man to be the Hon. Charles Dougher-
ty, of Volusia county. In the county
convention he was left out in the
weather. TO him this was fortune
most outrageous and he easily per-
suaded himself that it was only
brought about by villainous fraud,
and so carried his tale of woe to the
state convention.
His statements were fatty contra
dicted by the regulars, but the COM
mittee on credentials, by vote of
1Sa to 14a, kicked out the regulars and
seated the boilers.
The convention, IN thus sustaining
the action of the committee (which it
did by a large vote sets a premium
upon boiling aud placed upon the
boilers rosette of honor.
So, likewise, in the case of the Mas
sau boilers.
Mr.. w. Naylor Thompson, of the
F. G. & P. Railroad, headed the bolt
ers in this county. Mr.. Thompson
went into his county convention with
20 delegates and the regulars with 80.
In order to get control of the organi-
zation, so as to be able to elect the
chairman and secretary and have a
committee on credentials of his
own faction appointed, he gave notice
that he would contest precinct No. s
on the ground of fraud. Under the
rules of contests, the delegates from
contested precincts cannot participate
in the deliberations of convention
until the contests are settled, and by
this means the Thompson forces
hoped to capture the convention.
But the best laid schemes of mice
and men gang aft aglee.'
Number s was country precinct
and its plain, honest members We're
unaccustomed to the ways and prac-
tees of the professional politician.
They were told the only way to offset
this contest and prevent capture was
to contest some of the Thompson pre-
cincts.
They made the honest, candid con-
fession that this was their sole pur-
pose. They did not intend to commit
a fraud themselves, but they con-
fessed they did it simply to head off
the Thompson faction in their pur-
pose to capture and control the con-
vention by the scheme to contest pre-
cinct No. 8. The grounds of the
Thompson contest rested mainly on
the alleged fact that the chairman and
secretary gave no notice of the time
for holding the meeting except to
their own faction and friends; while
the other side claimed that due notice
was given through the newspapers.
When the Thompson faction saw
their little game was foiled they in
consinently fled from the convention
and set up little Independent con-
vention of their own.
The state committee on credentials
praised their behavior by vote of "a
to is, and the convention by vote of
24S4 to 672.
The overwhelming action of the
state convention destroys party dis
cipline and gives the largest liberty of
action to its members.
1t decorates the boilers with APP
plause and flowers.
1t makes of Major Alex. st. Clair
Abrams the ideal democratic hero.
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