The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1900-06-27
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
Adopts Platform and Elects Dele
cation to Kansas City-W. A.
Clark Heads the List.
THE DAILY MEN BOLT.
Tried to Bulldoze State Committee
and Steal the Convention-But
Were Foiled d-They Hold a Rump
Convention.

The democratic state convention was
called to meet at II m. at Butte last
Wednesday but it didn't meet until
O'Clock that day,
The state central committee met at
IL a. m. to arrange the preliminaries.
It soon developed that the "a counties
OF the state were represented by 9
Daily committeeman and Is anti-Daly
committeeman. Chairman Cockrifl,
Daily man, attempted to make up for
lack of members by arbitrarily run
ming the committee in the interest Of
the Anaconda forces.
Had he called the roll of uncontest-
ed members the friends of Senator
Clark would have controlled the COM
mittee. But Cockrill, who had no
voice in the action of the committee,
whose sole duty was to preside at the
meeting and facilitate the transaction
of business by the members of the
committee, proceeded to make up an
arbitrary roll. He refused to put mo-
tious made by members whose title
was not in dispute, he refused to enter
tain an appeal from his decision and
in every way acted arbitrarily and en-
tirely without parliamentary warrant.
He is not a member of the committee
except ex-oficio, and has not a vote
except on tie. Much less has he any
right to determine the membership,
of thescommittee, which is the Judge
of its own membership, fills vacancies
in its own body, and is supreme in it's
own sphere of action. The chairman
of the committee is the executive ofa-
Ger of the body, his duty being to exc
cute the will of the body, and not to
determine that will.
Cockrill refused to permit the men,
bers whose seats were unchallenged to
proceed with business. He attempted
to force on the committee men that he
had determined to make members. He
declared a vacancy in Lewis and
Clarke county because Col. Sullivan
is temporarily in Alaska, but did not
declare a~vacancy from Silver Bow,
although Miles Finlen is in Paris. He
arbitrarily decided that Charles P.
Blakely is not a resident of Gallatin
county, although Mr.. Blakeley has
lived in Bozeman 80 years, his home
and family are in that city at the pres
! ent time, and Mr.. Blakeley will return
to the county as soon as the work upon
which he is engaged in Carbon county
is finished. He ignored the action of
the county convention of Reaverhead d,
Meagher and Park counties. These
conventions, acting, in their SOW
ereign capacity as representatives
of the democrats of their respective
counties, designated certain gentle
men as members of the state central
committee; this action Cockrell ignor.
ed and designated certain other men
as such members. All these things
Cockrell did in derogation of the ex.
elusive right of the committee itself.
Cockrell, having refused to do his
duty as chairman of the committee and
put motions made by members, and
having refused to permit an appeal tc
be taken from one of his arbitrar,
and unwarranted rulings, he was de.
posed by the majority of the members
of the committee whose credential.
were not disputed, and who had per
feet right to dispose him whencve,
they thought best. Cockrell was no
chosen chairman for any stated time
he had no definite tenure of office, Ii,
was to be chairman at the pleasure O
a majority of the committee. Th,
secretary of the committee was de
posed at the same time.
At this point the room in which tn
committee was peacefully transactin,
its appropriate business was invade,
by Under Sheriff Murphy. of Silve
Bow county, and ten deputies, all arm
ed. These armed intruders attempte,
with force and violence to eject from
the room members of the state centra
committee designated by Ex-Chairmar
Cockrell and others in sympathy will
him. The outrage was foiled by the firm
stand taken by the members of the con,
mittee; none of whom left the room
voluntarily or by force for as on
minute. The committee was in contin
uous session during the confusion pro
duced by the irruption of these arme,
men, and when order was restored tn
committee proceeded with it's business
hfteen men,bers-a majority of 81.
participating. The other nine mem
eers, the DAILY men were present bu