The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-05-17
THE McALEsTER CONVENTION.
Correct Report of the rleeting. Scenes
of Light and Shadow.


Since there has been so much said
and written by the friends and sup
porters of Col. Marcum in regard to
the campaign in the Choctaw Nation,
and especially in this city, much of
which has been untrue and mislead-
ing, deem it but right and proper
that DR.. Wolverton's friends in the
Chickasaw Nation should have a cor
rect report of the condition of affairs
in this section, and that they should
be able to understand the situation
here which has led to a violent split
in the South McAlester Democratic
club, and has resulted in contesting
delegations from this club TO the Ard
more convention in June. With but
few exceptions. in places of any i'm
| portance outside of Muskogee,
throughout the Greek, Cherokee and
Choctaw Nations where Col. Mar
GUMS friends insist that he is the
idol of the democracy, he is having
| the hardest fight of his life to obtain
recognition, and democratic meet
ings are frequently scenes of violence
and turmoil. At Wagner, at this
city, at Antlers, Col. Marcum's sup
porters had bitter fights for bare re-
cognition, and it is so in every place
where DR.. Wolverton has hearing
and yet, Marcum's friends herald
even the slightest recognition as
tremendous victory, Outside of Mus
kogee, the only places where Col.
Marcum has a walk over is in clubs
and conventions organized by his
workers and before which DIR. VOL
verton's name is not permitted to go
at all.
At the meeting of the democratic
club held in this city on May l, and
which was arranged for after the
consultation with Col, Marcum to as
certain if he could be present and a
subscription paper circulated to pay
his expenses to attend, and when all
arrangements were completed the
meeting was called by the president
of the club without consulting the
wishes of single friend of DR.. VOL
Verton. 1t is no secret now that
they have fixed slate of MaTcurl
delegates and a preconcerted pro-
gram to force it Through the meeting,
fair sample of the tactics by which
Col. Marcnm's friends are endeavor-
ing to force upon the democracy OF
the Indian Territory for another four
years. AS the Capital, the only
democratic paper published in this
city, is a strong partisan of Col. Mar
cum, the other side of that meeting
has not yet been published. The
tactics employed by Col. Marcum &
supporters on that occasion just 8
: little out do anything of the kind
: the writer has ever seen, and | am
no novice in politics either. 1t is
customary to, at least, make a show
of decency and fairness in political
conventions when a party has g
slate to put through, but upon this
occasion Col. Marcum's supporters
: wore no mask. They went there fo
I busines, and did not care d-n who
knew it, that is, his managers did
Those of his friends who are affiict-
ed with degree of Justice were not
taken into full confidence of the
, leaders; that would have defeated
their ends, and that is not the Mar
cum way, which is that the end JUS
l ifies the means. SO that night, witt
! the president of the club wholly il
e sympathy with them, they went intC
the meeting with pre-arrangeC
program which they do not deny to
day, and applied gag rule and hobo
methods to put their purpose
through. And how? Just by an eff
i fort to cut off debate. Instead o
1 permitting DR.. Wolverton's cIaim
G to be heard. The meeting was con
e Quoted in this way, and l am willing
o to put the president of the club upol
the stand to prove that what 1 writ
is the truth.
First, he called upon DR.. Wolver
ton and introduced him to the hous
. a previous motion having been mad
1 to allow the two candidates to speaI
for thirty minutes each. DR.. VOL
verton, not being public speaker
merely stated his case briefly and re
tired before ten minutes of his tim
was up. Col. Marcum then aros
= and filed his whole thirty minute
: with an eloquent appeal to the dem
e Gratis of South McAlester, mot tt
p turn the old man down."
The principal thing he had to urg
against his opponent was, that b
was banker, and, Notwithstanding
:, the fact that DR.. Wolverton hat
o stated that he was a free silver mai
2 out and out, the speaker doubted
very much the DOCTORS statement
as it was too evident that the golt
standard was too much in the bank
ers way to overcome. Evidently tn
speaker judges the doctor by his owl
! caliber and does not conceive how
e man can put just principle above hi
D pocketbook. Col. Marcum had no
yet had time to resume his seat be
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