The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-11
BELL 5 JOKE FRAYED OUT
NOT ENOUGH OF 1T LEFT, THE
DISPATCH SAYS, TO
LAUGH AT
FROM A REPUBLICAN, VIEW
Dick BeiDs "ConventIOn" Composed
OF Delegates Whose Creden-
tiaIs Had Been Prepared
Before the Primaries.


The Dispatch yesterday expressed edi-
torially its view of the picayune move
ment to create a diversion In the Demo-
cratic ranks. That view is reproduced
below under the caption Of ''The Tall and
the Dog" 1t signifies, among other
things, that at least one element OF local
Republicanism realizes what it is up
against.
Democrats owed 1t to Kiefer and his
following chiefly that the effort was made
to prostitute the interests Of the party
for Republican success. 1t was a Kiefer
movement; and whatever significance at
tended 1t was destroyed when Kiefer
emerged from that convention a beaten
man.
Chester r. Smith IS not In this race.
The Dispatch knows IT. and in the fol-
lowing article comes as near saying it
as anyone has right to expect from a
Republican newspaper. or course. It
would never do for party organ to say
that It's ticket was already beaten. and
so the Dispatch says that the ticket will.
for the main part be elected.
In recognizing. as it does, that the fight
Is square one between Democrats and
Republicans. with bushwhacl1ing left out,
the Dispatch entities itself to Democratic
respect 1t has their thanks. too, for the
entire spirit of the following very sensi-
BILE article
'"THE TAIL AND THE DOG.
1.-TWO years ago. when w w Erwin
headed the local Democratic ticket. and
was recognized by the courts as the prop
er nominee Of the Democratic party, there
was such rift in Democracy that hun
dreds Of Democrats honestly voted the
Erwin ticket in the conviction that it
had just claims on their support; as par
tisans. They smothered their contempt
for the organization and the hands into
which 1t had fallen, and as loyal partt-
sans voted the ticket. To Republicans and
to the majority of Democrats, the whole
thing was a gruesome sort of joke, and
there was no time when the Issue of it
was in doubt. Those who had seized the
Democratic organization made good their
title, and held it by a sufficient vote to
entitle them to continued existence
The Bell Democracy became the only le
gallyrecognized Democracy, and the ma
jorfty of Democrats We're deprived of
their party name that a small fraction
of the party might assume 1t and pro-
ceed to do business in it's name.
The situation this spring Is totally diff
ferent, and the puSlic Is entitled to
full knowledge Of the facts, regardless Of
the bearing they may have upon the COM
ing contest at the polls.
Every we'll Informed and intelligent
person knows, and every honest person
admits, that the convention Of Bell
Democrats was composed foF~the greater
part of delegates whose credentials were
made cut before the primaries had been
held, and without even a formal observ-
ance Of the provisions Of the primary
election law. The convention itself was
a mere rump affair, conducted without a
semblance of order or regularity, and
without observing any of the essential
requirements Of the law. Not single
motion put was legally carried, and no
nomination made would have had legal
force or effect. even had the nominee for
mayor remained on the ticket. The reso-
luton authorizing the campaign COM
mittee' to fill vacancies on the ticket was
not even put to vote, much less car
ried and there was no semblance Of or
der or intelligent procedure until the mob
had withdrawn, and the roll was called
on the nomination of r. A. Smith.
Republicans will elect their city ticket,
for the main part, but it will not be by
wasting any ammunition on the dead
ducks of the Bell Democracy. Pottgieser
is merely an Independent, or. rather, a
volunteer, candidate for mayor, who will