The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-11
FROM FAR AND NEAR
POpuliSt Delegates Assemble and Fix
Dat(S and Wires.
TWO CONVENTIONS IN 1896
The First viii Be Held June % In
Eoulder-T Second VIII BE
Called Later-Basis of
Representation.
WO CONVENTIONS IN 1896

The populist state central committee
met here yesterday to fix a time and
place for the convention, and the state
committeeman had an enthusiastic
time. About 80 delegates and alternates
from near and from far had gathered
here and assembled at the Scandina-
Wan hall at O'Clock in the afternoon.
]. Ii. Calderhead, chairman of the COM
mittee, presided. John Gaeble rendered
his resignation as secretary and Judge
Clancy was chosen to that office in his
place.
The first part of the meeting was in
the nature of a love feast, the commit
teemen from various parts of the state
telling what the prospects for a popu-
list victory in the fall were in their re-
spective localities. All seemed hope
full, and many were very confident and
professed a sweeping populist victory
in the fall with the confidence Arson
always assumes in prophesying each
year that the Chicagos will win the
baseball championship. Strong popu-
list clubs We're reported at Belt, Great
Falls, Helena and Butte and altogether
there are 10 populist organizations in
the state.
The main subject Of discussion dur
there should be one convention or two
conventions. The committeeman
seemed about equally divided on this
proposition. Some favored doing all
the business at one convention, claim
Ing that it was unnecessary to hold one
convention in June to select delegates
to the national convention and another
in September to place a state ticket in
the field. 1t was claimed that this
could all be done in one convention, and
thus save the expense of meeting again
in September. On the other hand, ii
was argued that il would weaken the
candidates, as well as cause them great
and unnecessary expense to have them
before the people from June. That was
done four years ago, but ii was argued
that ii was a serious mistake. There
should be a convention in June to Sc
lect delegates to the national conven-
ton to be held in St. Louis on July 2,
and then there should be another con-
vention in September to select the state
ticket.
Those in favor Of one convention ar
| gued in return that If the state ticket
is nominated in September the party
| by that time may be flooded with re-
publicans and democrats dissatisfied
| with their own goldbug candidates and
| platforms, and they would be in such
| numbers that they would take the
J nominations out of the hands of the old
! line populists and nominate new con-
verts from the old parties. To prevent
! this the entire ticket should be nomin-
! ated i'm June, and then if the repub-
/ leans and democrats decided at the
eleventh hour that they want to be-
/ come populists they must be ready to
| support the nominees already made. 1t
was argued that the men who have
| been the backbone and support of the
| populist party for years should be given
| the offices, now that victory is within
| the party's grasp and that eleventh
! hour populists should not have all the
| spells. Those in favor of two conven-
| lions then argued in favor of throwing
| the doors wide open and letting new
| populists have the same chance as old
| populists. 1t was argued that that was
| the only way victory could be achieved
| The debate lasted nearly all the a TT
| ernoon. but the advocates OF two con-
| ventions won by a small ajority. The
! first convention was fixed for June %.
and will be held i'm Boulder At that
| convention IL delegates will be chosen
| to the national convention. The date
| and place Of the second convention
! were not fixed, but were left to the
chairman TO decide later. 1t was rec
commended that the Saturday before
| June % be the date at which the coun-
| ~ conventions be held.
| The basis of representation to the
| state convention was liked at two dele
! gates at large for each county and one
| delegate for each two hundred votes
| cast for the pOpulist candidate for
! congress in 1894, or a majority fraction
! thereof. on this basis each county
| will be entitled to the following num-
! Der of delegates: Beaverhead. 8: Cas-
cade, S; Choteau, 3; Custer 3; Daw-
son, 8; Deer Lodge, IL; Fergus. 3; Flat
| head, g. Gallatin, 4; Granite, 4; Jeffer-
son. 6; Lewis and Clarke, IA; Madison,
5; Meagher, 4; Missoula, 6; Park, 8;
| RavalH. 3; Silver Bow, 10: Teton. 3:
Valley, 2; Yellowstone. 3; Carbon, .:
Sweet Grass, .; total. 1924
on motion of DR.. A II. Mitchell Of
Deer Lodge county the committee
adjourned subject to the cali Of the
| chairman.