Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-02
"LETS PLAY FAIR"

| some TWO weeks since the Republican
| County Central Committee, acting by
majority of its members, duly issued its
call for Republican County Conven-
| ton, to be held at the Court House in
this city on the 22nd day Of July. The
two members Of the committee who did
not sign the call-"Chairman" Cole and
Geo. II. Smith, of Sherry-were con-
suited with reference to it, and invited
to join in the call. Mr.. Cole urged that
the convention should not be called
until later, until he should return from
st. Louis. He was notified, before he
went to st. Louis that majority of the
! Committee differed with him, and
would insist on calling an early Con-
ventiOn, and that it be held at the
County Seat; and he knew that at least
four weeks notice must be previously
given. Mr.. Smith made no objection
to the time designated, but frankly said
that he had been consulted on the
subject, and had expressed an opinion
that the Convention ought to be held at
Marshtield, and that he preferred not
to sign the call for a Convention here
without the concurrence of Mr.. Cole,
the member Of the committee from that
city. The other three members of the
Committee, Messrs. Wood, Alexander
and Woodwork, thereupon issued and
published the call, as above stated A
copy of the call was promptly sent to
the Marshfeld Times for publication
1t was sent so as to arrive there by due
course, one day before the Times of
that week went to press; but as we are
now informed by tEat paper it was 'tOO
late" to be published that week. AS
now appears, it was not in time for the
issue of that paper for last week.
"Chalrman" Cole went promptly to ST.
Louis, nominated Mckinley, dressed
and fitted the financial plank of the
National Platform, and withdrew
Upham from the Gubernatorial race
Nobody will complain of this. 1t was
a good weeks work even for a "Chair-
man" On his return to Marshield the
Times man called his attention to the
call which a majority of the Committee
Lad issued. Thereupon chairman"
Cole protested to be surprised; told the
Times man that Some one' had done
him (Cole) and the Republicans of this
county wrong. He observed to the
attentive Times man that there would
have been time to call the Convention
after he had returned from his task at
st. Louis, and that he was unable to see
lust why" the balance of the Com
mlttee should take advantage Of his
absence, and usurp ''the duties and
powers of the Chairman" The Times
man said that they couldn't fool him!
He had known all the time that the
call by the majority Of the Committee
was bogus" because it was not signed
by the Chairman! The "Chairman" at
once proceeded to ignore the majority's
action, and all by himself to "call'' a
new and separate convention to be held
at Marshfeld, July 9th,-one week
after the regular Convention. The
Times man approves and endorses this
action by the chairman" because he
his "duties as chairman" etc. The
Times publishes the call for the Chair
mans Convention, but omits to publish
that issued by the Committee. The
REPORTER has no wish to say unkind
things Of Chairman Cole. He is a good
Republican and a most excellent man,
as this paper believes. But his con-
duct and attitude with reference to the
calling of the County Convention, above
referred to, is extremely ridiculous,
and is not likely to be taken seriously
by any considerable number of Repub-
llcans. The Central Committee con-
sIsts of five members. A majority of
that Committee may control its action;
not the chairman" The Chairman
may, and usually does, sign calls and
other papers or notices, issued by the
authority of the Committee But this
is only when he is in accord with the
majority, or acts by its direction. The
Chairman has no more authority to call
a Convention or do any other act in the
Committees behalf, without first being
so authorized by a majority, than has
any other member Of the Committee
This IS too plain and we'll understood to
be seriously disputed. In the present
case-the majority had acted, had
actually made and published its call
before Mr.. Cole had completed his
gigantic labors at st. Louis. But it did
not do so without consulting and asking
the cooperation of all the members in
Guiding Mr.. Cole. This Mr.. Cole very
we'll knows, and it is not becoming in
him to pretend ignorance Of it. The
majority acted in the matter as they
had an undoubted right to do; but they
acted deliberately, after full notice to
fairness to all. Mr.. Cole thought it un-
necessary to call the Convention so
early-about two weeks before the
State Convention. The majority
thought otherwise and acted accord
ingly. Mr.. Cole, and perhaps others
not members of the Committee, may
have thought and still think, that the
Convention should have been called at
Marshfeld This was also a question
for the Committee, and a majority
exercised their right to designate the
County Seat, as the place to hold it.
This decision is believed to be most
wise. The County Seat is more central;
will be more convenient for the great
majority Of delegates than would anv
other place. Marshfeld is of course a
great town. 1t has many attractions
and they are cheerfully recognized; but
she is not yet County Seat, nor is she
sufficiently central to be a desirable
place to hold County Conventions.
This is the REPORTERS opinion merely.
If the present Committee, or its
successors, shall conclude to call some
future Convention to be held at Marsh
field we shall gracefully bow to their
decision. In the meantime the Con-
vention to be held here on the 22nd of
July. being the only one called, or that
can be called by competent AUTHORITY