Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-05-14
A BIT OF HISTORY.

sentiment OF a large majority OF the
republicans was in favor OF Governor
Rich's denomination and Mayor Pin
gree and Col. Bliss met with defeat.
1t is the purpose of this article to
call the attention of our readers To the
course pursued by the defeated candi'
dates during the convention. One OF
them accepted the result gracefully
and was among the first to extend con-
gratulations to his successful opponent,
the other sulked and denounced as COR
rupt and dishonest those who opposed
his nomination. After ii became ev-
ident that the convention would not
nominate Mayor Pingree, he published
letter in which he said that the
convention was constituted under in
huences disastrous TO good govern
ment." The disastrous influences
the Mayor referred to were the in
lluences exerted by an overwhelming
majority of the Republicans of Mich
igan, demanding the denomination OF
John T. Rich and the 40 delegates
who voted for him were simply carry
ing out the wishes of their constituents.
At meeting of the Wayne delega-
ton, nearly one-half of whom were
connected with the city government OF
Detroit, held on the eve of the conven-
tion, the following resolution was
adopted: "Resolved, because the can
didacy of John L. Rich has become
obnoxious to large portion of the
Republicans of the state of Michigan,
by reason of the corrupt and disreputa-
BILE methods used to secure delegates
i'm his favor, that we will not cast a
vote for him in the convention, nor
participate in the nomination for gov
ernor, unless the name of John T..
Rich is withdrawn from the conven-
ton. Also, that we will not be bound
by any rule conflicting with the above
that may be adopted by the state con-
vention."
1t is hardly necessary to state that
Mr.. Rich's name was not withdrawn,
the threat Of the Wayne delegates did
not intimidate his followers nor those
OF Col. Bliss. True to their promise,
Mr.. Pingree's small following voted
"biank." To the credit OF the party
it can be said that he controlled only
fourteen votes in the convention out
side of Wayne, there were 100 blank
votes, LOG of them from Wayne cou BY.
In Mr.. Pingree's letter, alread y1re-
ferred to, he denounced the methods of
Mr.. Rich's followers in Kent county
and then stated that 1.-The same tactics
were adopted to greater or less de-
gree in many counties in the state of
Michigan. notably Calhoun, Eaton,
Gratiot, Grand Traverse, Jackson,
Ionia, Montcalm, Macomb and Cheboy-
gan" So far as this county is con-
cerned there is not a follower OF Mr.
Pingree in the county who does not
know that that statement is false. The
sentiment of the county convention
was almost unanimous for Mr.. Rich,
the Pingree delegates controlled but
single township and that township was
permitted to name their delegate to
the state convention and he was one OF
the fourteen (outside of Wayne) who
voted blank.
General Alger denounced the course
pursued by the Mayor in newspaper
interview in the Detroit Tribune,
August 2, 1894, in which he said, $50
far as Mayor Pingree is concerned, his
course is matter of great surprise and
of the deepest regret to me. | cannot
how any man could have
pursued the course he did, after having
been a candidate for the nomination"
Delegates assemble at convention,
the majority decide all questions pre-
sented and the minority should
acquiesce. A man who rebels against
that policy commits political suicide.
Any other rule would destroy all party
organizatio on.
Mr.. Pingree did not bolt the ticket
nor did his cowardly sulking course at
the convention and denunciation of all
who opposed him injure the party as
Gov. Rich received plurality of over
one hundred thousand votes. No one
can deny, however, that If the condi-
tions had been different and the cam
paign a close one, that Mr.. Pingree's
course would have furnished aid and
comfort to those who endeavored TO
defeat the election of Governor Rich.
The friends of Col. Bliss have reason
to be proud of the methods used In his
in 1894. No one ever heard
him abuse his opponents, he did not
claim that his delegates were the only
pure and upright men in the conven-
ton, his followers did not hold
meeting and resolve that they would
quit playing in the backyard" OF the
II they couldn't have their
own way. He made fair and open
fight and accepted the result in the
same way. He appeared before the