The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-09

pairing to run the convention wholly
in the interests Of the Republican
party.
Since the beginning Of the convention
the Democrats have maintained a con-
ciliatory attitude. This was not be-
cause they were afraid to give the Re
publicans Whirl on the floor In fact.
there was some little pardonable DESIRE
to do So just TO show how weak the
| Republican side really is. But it was
held under for the reason that the
Democrats wanted to be in a position
to act for the best interests Of their
constituents in case the Republicans
should conclude that this most import
! ant convention was above party strife
and should obey the wishes of the
| people OF the territory by calling fo7
| the services of all their able men no
matter what might be their political
creed.
This disposition was marked from
| the first. The Republican caucus Was
allowed to have its own way, without
serious opposition, in the seating of
the Third precinct delegates, in spite of
| the fact that the Democratic members
Of the committee on credentials could
have held the committee In session
until they would have forced the Re-
! pubIicans to organize without John
Henry Smith. Later the Democrats
made no opposition to the reorganiza-
! ton of the convention by the caucus,
believing that when the patronage was
! finally distributed caucus rule would
| be dropped and there would be more
| harmony between the two parties.
! However, in the whole matter Of
committee appointments John Henry
! Smith or Charles Crane has acted il
the most partisan manner 1t is some
What doubtful which one Of the two IS
responsible Smith has ostensibly been
| the appointing power. but it is Crane
| who has always had the lists and who
has done the consulting with the per-
sons most concerned. However, no
! matter who is to blame, the Democrats
| gave every opportunity for the Repub-
| licans to meet them half way and
| their overtures did not meet with IA
| VOrable attention.
! On Thursday Crane told several Of
| the Democrats that suggestions from
| them as to committees would receive
I attention, though he did not deny that
| the list of committees had already
! been made up. This was brought to
/ the attention of the members of he
! Democratic executive committee. who
| speedily saw that the Republican leader
| was endeaVortng to play a sharp game
! by placing himself in a position where,
| in the future, he could say that he had
made oVertureS to the Democrats, but
! the proffered olive branch had not
| been cordially received. They. there
! fore, determined to place the Republic
| can leaders on record and make It az
| plain as day whether the convention
! was to be partisan or non-partisan.
| To this end the Democratic executive
| committee met with President Smith,
Chairman Crane and George NJ. Can
| non on Thursday and stated that they
! wished to have a conference on the
| subject Of committees. Mr.. Thurman
spoke for the executive committee. He
| said intimations had come that the Re-
| publicans desired to be perfectly fair
! and would welcome suggestions. The
| Democrats did not care to make any
plea. They would neither demand nor
! request anything at the hands of the
| president They stood ready to well
! come any overtures which would look
| to the overcoming of party feelings
! They we're willing to put under any
! political feelings in order to work most
| efficiently for the common good. There
fore. they desired to suggest to the
! president that there were ten counties
| in the territory which had returned
only Democrats, and in order that
| these populous counties might be prop
| er1y recognized it would be necessary
! for the Democrats to be given a fair
| number of committees and chairman
! ships. Mr.. Thurman suggested that
| as there we're tWenty-siX committees
| and the same number Of counties, it
would be nothing more than fair to
| give the Democrats at least ten chair
manships.
! Some question was raised as to
what the Democrats would have done