Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-21

sas City is heard FROM. The vigor with
which the several and respective afiida-
Wit mills of the democracy are operated |
in the meantime may nave much to do
with the final outcome. 1t cannot be de- |
MED, however, that from nearly all
points of observation the Clark men |
have the advantage as to prece- \
dents and facts in the way Of political
procedure, and will not be compelled
like their opponents-to answer at the
bar of public opinion for an outrageous
and wholly inexcusable misuse of official
power in the carrying out of their plans.
It appears that the initiative in the un-
a~voidable battle between the two wings
of the democratic parity was taken by
Chairman Cockrill Of the state commit
tee, whose vaccination into the DAILY
faction took in good shape on the first
application some years ago. He has
never broken out" since the operation
took place, and the only pimple ever de-
tected on his person since that time is
the one which he uses for a head when
AioniAl6 HIS pOilkitdl PldIlS. al IlG IlSNl-
ing of the state committee yesterday Mr..
Cockrill violated presidents in party
practice that have been in vogue since
the days Of Thomas Jefferson. and ex-
find a justification only in the exigencies
which confronted the wing of the party
to which he belonged. He refused to
recognize the proxies Of absent commit
proved Daily proxies eve when vacan-
cies had been filled by action of county
conventions. He should have recognized
proxies presented by either faction, re-
fusing such recognition only when coun-
ty conventions had filled vacancies to
suit themselves. That would have been
in line with the practices Of all political
organizations governing such cases.
Mr.. Cockrill's conduct led to his depo-
sition from the head Of the committee
by a majority vote-an action which the
committee had a right to take and which
- w AooASo oboA Ny lAV puDAAS SCIA-
orally as the wisest and most %appropri-
ate course that could have been pur-
sued. The fact that Mr.. Cockrill and his
friends bolted the action Of the majority
Verse 1T by calling in officers of the law,
who stood ready to violate their oaths
as guardians of the peace, under the di-
~rection of the DAILY leaders, does not at
feet the real merits of the situation as
%adjudged from the standpoint of recog-
nized political procedure. Unquestiona-
bly, the Clark men scored an important
advantage in the set-to in the state COM
mittee room.
nothe serious error on the part of
the Daily men, in making up a record to
be forwarded to Kansas City, was the
use of armed men to prevent any one
assuming to be a delegate from entering
the convention hall, unless he was known
!, to be favorable to the Daily wing of the
|, party. This action was made possible
through the temporary authority vested
5 in Chairman CockriM, and was a pro-
, ceeding that cannot be too severely con-
demned by the public, irrespective OF
party afilia tons or political faith. Diff.
, ferences of opinions as to who are and
, who are not entitled to seats in a con.
vention should be determined in the
usual way. with due respect for prece'
dents, the laws of the land, and parlia'
mentary practices.
Inasmuch as an agreement between
the opposing factions was conceded t.
: be an impossibility, and two convention.
were more than likely to be held, al
L delegates-and those claiming seats
should have met together In the ordinar.
n way, the minority always having tn
e right to bolt for cause and carry the1
: grievances to the court of last resort
e the Kansas City convention. In sucl
s an event. the minority. if improper!
a treated, compelling them to bolt TO
cause. would have stood on an equa
" footing with the majority which ma!
= have inflicted an injustice upon them
The matter would have been placed il
shape for an adjustment on it's merits.
-
n But the Daily men, recognizing thel
ia lack of numerical strength, and fearlna
v the Clark majority would give them n
- valid excuse for boiling, took arbitrar
steps to prevent their enemies from en-
tar;ne the convention hall. No hone
j., claim to party preferment can Jusel1y
resort to armed force to deprive contest