Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-14
PARTY HAVING HOT T|ME|
CHAIRMAN WALSH PRECPITATEs TROUBLE BY AN EARLY RUL-
ING THAT mo PROXIES CO."
TEMPORARILY F0REsTALLs SCHEME TO PROMISE ALLIANCE
WITH CLARK DEM0CRAC Y-WlLD SCENES IN CON-
vENTl0N-D0ZEMS TRY TO BE HEARD.

Discussions in political parties seems
to be in the abr in Butte, and the launch
ing or the new labor party in Montana.
politics today was no exception to the
rule. Warm debates and partisanship
OF the most violent kin characterized
the meeting held at the Auditorium to-
day for the purpose Of taking the pre-
liminary steps towards the formation of
an independent party.
Before the temporary organization had
completed its work 1t was seen that there
was q lack of harmony amOng the dele
gates. The Butte delegation, with few
exceptions. favored. he organization Of
an independent party, but there was a
strong element from outside counties
which appeared to favor an alliance with
the Clark wing of the democracy. The
statement had been made prior to the
meeting that this element was strong
enough to control the convention, pro-
vided that 1t could obtain possession of
the machinery.
It was apparently to Illustrate any at
tempt OF this kind that Chairman Will
liam Walsh. who called the melting to
order, ruled with an iron hand. The
trouble was p~recipftated when Mr.. Walsh
in unmistakable tones declared that mo
proxy goes" There had been a great
number of proxies obtained. to be used.
DIT was understood, in the furtherance of
the project to u the labor convention
over to one wing of the democracy. The
debate that followed was spirited. The
meeting was called to order at 1925 by
Chairman Walsh, who stated the object
OF the meeting. He said 1t had been
called under the auspices of the State
Trades and Labor council, of which he
was president, for the purpose of placing
a labor ticket in the field. 1t had been
said that the w~orkingmen never would
stand together. He hoped that the dele
gates who had assembled from all over
the state would act in harmony and show
the people that even the poo lahnrlng
man could meet and do business just as
effectively as n other body of men.
After relating a story of a tourists
opinion of the miner. the speaker said he
hoped the laboring men would show to
the world that they were at least possess
ed of horse sense. Rumors, he said, had
ben circulated by blackguards about the
which he desired most emphatically to
deny. He cared not what a mans re-
ligion Or nationality was. He was an
American, and he said he stood there
today proclaiming American principles,
pure and simple.
Here stands a man untrammelled."
he exclaimed with vehemence, striking
his breast, land as sure as the sun rises
and the sun sets I will make some ofthese
midnight assassins bite the dust or I
will die in the attempt"
"No PROXY GOES"
He said he had started in on this move
ment with faith in the working men.
will carry your banner, to victory, The
first thing to do was to organize the
party. Today was when the child was
born. Before reading the call Mr.. Walsh
said he desired to make a statement. He
wanted it distinctly understood that mo
proxy goes" Unions that had failed to
send delegates would not be entitled to
vote. you are in politics now said
Mr.. Walsh, land we are laying the foun-
dation for a mighty labor body"
bob" Pelkey, a Butte delegate and
one of the alleged alliance men,, was or
his feet in an instant. Walking to the
platform he began his protest. Evident
ly he was opposed to the ruling of the
chairman; but it was with difficulty that
he made himself heard above the din.
He said the delegates present had been
called to formulate a party, and he did
not believe that they wanted to be die
tated to by one man. He was unable to
conclude his speech.
Calls of order We're heard from varf-
GUS portions of the room.. Delegate Bel
den secured the attention of the chair
man for a brief moment only. He believ-
ed that Mr.. Pelkey's objections We're i'll
advised. The meeting was being held
under the auspices of the State Trade
and Labor council. Mr.. .Pelkey cut him
off by reforming that this was a political
meeting. Mr.. Pelkey evidently had a
4! whole lot more to say, but he took his
seat to await a more favorable oppor-
tunity, especially as he had been called
to order several times by the chairman,
who used his massive fist for a gavel.
Then a Billings delegate timidly arose
in his sea and objected to the chair
mans ruling regarding proxies. He said
his district could not stand the expense
of sending half a dozen or more delegates
and had only sent two, each of whom
also held proxies to represent Gebo and
Red Lodge. He did no tbelieve it was
right to deprive the outside unions of
their votes. especially when the unions
of Butte had such large representation.
NEED TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.
Then somebody said that the conven-
ton could not do business without a
temporary chairman, and another dele
gate moved that, a temporary chairman
and secretary be-elected. Half a dozen
delegates arose at once and claimed the
cha!rnan's attention, while cries of
question" "order." ETC., resounded
throu@ shout the hall. Delegate Belden
was e~ndeavoring to max himself heard
when Dolegate Cunningham of Rutte in