The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-02-13
TWAS Always THUS.

! Some thirteen populsts, few spectators
and an intense calmness, occupied the cir
cult court room of the court house last Sat-
urday afternoon. The eventual object of
the meeting was to elect delegates to the
populist state convention, but the represen-
| tatives of the cure-all party found Them
selves woefully handicapped from the very
| beginning.
Tbs secretary of the county committee
had unfortunately fallen into the wicked
hands of some convivial democrats, and,
becoming imbucd with an over abundance
| of spiritual democracy, he was necessarily
absent from the afternoons deliberations.
The Oregon Henry Watterson Of his party,
Mr.. w. T. Hoffman, announced his selec-
ton, by some unrevealed power, as chair
man of the county committee, and desired to
know the names of the committeeman from
the various precincts. He then took his
seat and golden. or perhaps in connection
with populism, it better DO said green backic
silence, arose from tho tobaeco-laden salava
that frsscoed the floor, and seized every man
of them. But every emergency has its Ma
poloon, and from out the vastly depths Of
|
delegate from the romantic shades of Soap
creek, and in voice trembling, probably
with emotion, announced that the secretary
had desired him to acquaint his fellow
EN- bryo statesmen with the direful news that
all the records and documents of the Benton
lcounty end of the party were lost. strayed or
Istolen.
1t is said that Ben Woldt discovered on
that dav among the litter in his back yard,
some fugitive papers that bore populist
names and figures, together with some demo-
Icratic doctrine that did not sot we'll on
lpopulist stomach. It was a condition, how
ever, not theory, that the convention had
to face. vain appeal was made to the
memory Of the delegates and then it was
decided to appoint new committeeman. Sew
eral precincts had to be left unrepresented
as those present were unable to recall any
populists in such localities upon whom the
honor might be bestowed. Tho.e selected
were: Willamette, Riley Logan; Fair
mount, G. Skcels; Soap Greek, G. NJ.
Vanderpool; Monroe, James Calvert;
Philomath, e.. A. Robinson; Alsea, w. G.
Tharp; Summit, M. R. Savage; Kings VAL
ley, Perry Eddy.
The convention, rolling up its sleeves, then
proceeded to elect four delegates to repre-
sent Benton county at tho state convention.
The chairman of tho assembly, Mr.. Skeels,
was first nominated. Possessing no mock
modrsty, he put the motion himself, called
for ayes and nays, and declared himself
elected. The inyincible Felix Dodele then
nominated Richard Galloway, in ringing
speech that brought the janitor out Of the
basement. Mr.. Galloway was unanimously
ielected. Then some Of the delegates began
to question the gentlemsn's devotion to the
party. It was asserted that he was true blue
and although recent convert, he had all the
les and isms at his finger tips. However, in
the interest of harmony, but without with
drawing his name or reconsidering the vote,
the convention selected G. N. Vanderpool
in his place. The selection Of Major Bruce
completed the quartette, which is supposed
" support the populist poet laureate, w. 7.
Hoffman, as congressman from this district.
| No one seemed to know where the state
convention was to be held, nor when, but the
gentlemen elected announced their readiness
to go whenever duty might call them. The
convention decided that their primaries
should be held the first Saturday in March
and the convention the Saturday following.
The convention was marked by the most
decorou. conduct. There was no cheering,
no applauding, no exhilerating speeches.
! Not ths slightsst evidence OF enthusiasm
marrcd the dull placidity of the proceedings.
| All remarks were made in feeble, apologeti
cal tones, and a funeral service would be a
lively event compared with Saturdays staid
meeting.